Page 5 of Tough Biker Daddy

“You’re just like your sister,” he snapped as he stared at me. “A whore and a cock tease.” My jaw dropped and I stared at him, completely shocked by his accusation.

“I wasn’t doing anything,” I protested, hurt by his accusations. “What I just said is the truth.” I then looked up at Adam, who was watching his friend carefully, seeming to expect him to attempt to do something brash and hurtful.

“It’s true, Chase,” Adam reassured him, his voice low and soothing. “Take it easy and calm down.” Chase stared at me, eyes blazing in rage.

“Go to your room and wait there,” he demanded. “Don’t leave your room until I come to visit you. If you don’t, I’ll tell everyone on the compound that they are free to have their way with you.” Adam narrowed his eyes as he stared at Chase.

“You can’t do that!” he protested, and Chase looked at him.

“Oh, can’t I?” he asked, a bit of madness seeming to overtake him as he spoke. “She owes me more money than she could hope to repay me. I can demand payment however I want.”

Adam risked a glance in my direction. “Go on,” he told me. “I’ll take care of this and make sure he doesn’t hurt you.” Realizing that, even though I didn’t know this man, he knew Chase better than I could, and it was a good idea to do as he said.

As I raced to my room, tears threatened to spill down my cheeks. I was afraid that the kind man would get hurt, and I was even more afraid that Chase would come for me. I wanted to leave and never return, but I knew I couldn’t. Chase wouldn’t let me until I had paid Joyce’s debt in full by any means necessary. Reaching my room, I quickly checked to make sure I was alone, and then I returned to the door and locked it. Much like my virginity, this room had become a stronghold and a safe place to ensure that absolutely no one intruded and hurt me. As soon as I felt safe and secure, I collapsed onto the bed, sobs escaping my throat. I muffled my cries into my pillow, feeling very alone and afraid. I quickly lost track of the time that had passed until a gentle knock on my door pulled my attention away from my sobs.

“Lydia?” Chase called out, sounding much kinder and gentle than he had when I left him with Adam. “Lydia, can you let me in? I need to talk to you.” I quickly wiped my eyes and started towards the door, preparing myself for the worst. Once I was mentally prepared for whatever punishment Case had in store for me, I opened the door and faced him.

His face was bruised and crusted with old blood, and I quickly realized he had been fighting with Adam. I couldn’t tell who had won based on the expression on his face, but I didn’t care. What had me worried was the fact that my fate rested in his hands. He stood before me, a strange expression on his face as he took in my own expression. After a minute, he finally took a breath and shook his head.

“I suggest you sit down,” he said, his voice blank and lacking any emotion. “We have a lot to talk about.”

CHAPTER SIX

Adam

The very sight of her trembling, frightened body reinforced everything Adam had beaten into me during our fight, and I quickly realized just how badly I’d messed up with her. I had toyed with her emotions, blatantly disregarded the hints that she had dropped that could have been the key to making her happy, and had threatened to make her more of a whore than her sister. Despite the fact that I had completely lost control of my anger, I knew I had no excuse. I had thought that she was flirting with Adam just to get back at me after rejecting me. I was the only one to blame.

“I suppose you want to renegotiate the terms of my repayment of the debt,” she began as she sank onto the bed. I felt confused as I stared at her.

“Not exactly,” I informed her. “I came to tell you that the debt is no longer considered yours to repay and let you know that you are free to go.”

She looked shocked as she processed this.

“What about the debt?” she asked. “Are you going to do about the debt I have yet to pay off?" Having already resolved that I was about to take on a decent financial loss, I shook my head.

"It's not yours to worry about anymore," I reassured her. "That's all I'm going to tell you." She looked hurt and confused as she stared at me, and I was slowly starting to regret my choice to let her go.

"Is this because of what I did?" she asked, her lower lip quivering as she stared at me. Part of me broke as I reminded myself it was for her own good.

"No, it's because of what I did," I admitted, too upset to lie to her.

What I said was truer than I realized I was capable of revealing. I was the one who had overreacted and lost control of my emotions. I was the one who threatened to hurt her all because I let jealousy control my actions, leaving me completely incapable of rational thought. I hated myself for it, and I swore that I would never allow myself to risk hurting her again. She shook her head as she stared at me.

"I won't go," she announced stubbornly. "We had a deal, and I refuse to break it. It's not the way I was raised." A strange look of determination overcame her, and I began to wonder if she truly meant it or if she was only saying it because she was afraid of me.

"Are you absolutely certain?" I asked. "You could return home and have that normal life you want. You could be happy, safe from harm." Much to my amazement, she smiled at me, all fear gone as she faced me.

"I know that," she agreed. "However, a normal life isn't the only thing I want. I want a life with someone I love and who loves me as well." When I didn't seem to understand what she meant, she leaned forward, a playful smile on her face. "While I'll admit I didn't appreciate the violent outburst or the threats, I can see that your willingness to swallow your pride and release me for fear of hurting me again is your way of showing that, despite all the lust that you feel towards me, you do have true feelings for me."

My heart started to this in my chest as I smiled back at her.

"Can you ever forgive me for what I did?" I asked, fear threatening to boil over and consume me. "Can you ever forgive me for disrespecting you the way I did? Can you forgive me, knowing that my behavior was completely inexcusable and with no explanation?"

She gently placed a hand on the side of my face.

"Of course I can," she reassured me, and my heart started to lighten as she spoke. "I already have." Feeling the sudden urge to be as close as possible to her, I hugged her, enjoying the way her skin smelled of vanilla and strawberries.

"Can we start over?" I asked, my joy wiping away the fear that had attempted to overwhelm me before. "Let me try to win you over the proper way? No jealousy, no threats, no harmful words?"