Page 4 of Changed Biker Daddy

“It’s because of what happened today, isn’t it?” she asked as she sat Rachel on her knee. When I turned to face her, I saw the grim, knowing look on both her face and Amanda’s face.

“You know about our visitors?” I asked, and she nodded in response.

“I don’t blame you for what happened,” she reassured me, sounding as though she could read my mind. “In all honesty, if I had been in your shoes, I probably would have been crying like a baby and unable to even think to call Chase.” Amanda nodded in agreement.

“Even Chase and the others are impressed,” she continued as she offered a finger to Rachel to play with. “They all think you’re a hero or something, and we’ve all been pretty worried about you.” Confused, I looked from Sarah to Amanda and back.

“You mean it?” I asked, unable to believe my ears. “No one is mad at the fact that the shop had to close early?” Sarah scoffed as she shook her head at me.

“Of course not,” she informed me. “In all honesty, the bookstore wasn’t even needed for the group or anything like that. Rebecca’s bakery and coffee shop and the auto repair shop are more than enough to pay the bills. I just convinced Chase to let me open it so the rest of us would have something to do.” Amazed by her reassurance, I took the cookie and sat down at the table across from them.

“I’m just glad no one got hurt,” I sighed as I bit down into the gooey, sweet, comforting cookie. “That was the part I was really afraid of.” Amanda nodded in response.

“I have a small question for you,” she told me, a hint of genuine curiosity in her voice as she spoke. “By any chance, did Bradley really try to force himself on you?” Caught off guard by her question, I frowned in confusion as I stared at her in shock and disbelief.

“What?” I asked as I shook my head at her. “Of course not. Who said that he did?” Sarah gave Amanda a stern look as she looked back at me.

“Eric told Chase that Bradley seemed to be making you uncomfortable,” she clarified as Rachel started to fuss. Moving Rachel over to her other knee, she started to bounce her knee in order to play with the baby. “He’s been asking around to see if you said anything to anyone about Bradley, especially since Eric didn’t have the whole story either.” Realizing that they were asking not to accuse Bradley but to clarify the situation, my eyes widened in surprise, and I started to nod my head.

“Of course not,” I reassured them. “I was still scared, and Bradley was offering me a ride back to the compound. I guess I should have been a little more vocal so that everyone knew it wasn’t because of him. I guess I owe him an apology when he gets back.” A sly smile spread across Amanda’s face as she nodded at the room behind me.

“Looks like now’s your chance,” she informed me, and I turned to look at where she was motioning.

Bradley, as well as several of the men who had saved me from the other men earlier that same day, had just entered the living room of the main house, and they all looked a bit gruff as though they had been riding around all day. Seeing me staring at him, Bradley nodded in acknowledgement, and I felt the fear rise in my chest as I turned around, feeling the color drain from my face as I looked away.

It wasn’t that I was afraid of him. I knew his reputation, but, after seeing what he had done for me that morning, I was actually appreciative of him. However, what had me worried was the fact that Amanda and Sarah were already staring at me expectantly, as if they already expected me to get up and go apologize already. Even though I wanted to, I found it difficult to gather the courage to do so while so many people were gathered around. Taking a deep breath, I shook my head at them.

“I’ll do it when he’s ready,” I commented, and I saw the two of them smile.

“When who’s ready?” asked the coky, familiar voice, and I whimpered as I turned to look back at Bradley, who was standing behind me as I turned around.

CHAPTER SIX

Bradley

As I walked into the main house for dinner, I saw the woman from earlier that day sitting at the table with the other Littles, and I started to wonder what she was up to. I knew that, if she had told everyone that I had forced myself on her, she likely didn’t want to have anything to do with me. I wasn’t fully sure of the situation, especially since Chase and Eric had been at the compound all day, but I was a bit worried. I didn’t want anyone getting the wrong idea.

What was surprising was the way her face had turned pale as she turned away, and I saw the smirk on Eric’s Little, almost as if she was teasing the other woman. Finally unable to contain my curiosity any longer, I made my way over to the kitchen just in time to hear the statement she was making to the other Littles. Genuinely curious by what she had meant by her words, I couldn’t be quiet any longer.

Her face was just as pale as it had been when she looked away, and I felt as though I had intruded on a conversation that I wasn’t supposed to hear. Both Sarah and Amanda were smiling as they watched the woman, Kiera, stare at me, seeming completely lost for words as she stared at me in surprise. Finding her words, she began to speak.

“I never got the chance to properly thank you for everything you did for me today,” she blurted out, the uncertainty in her voice as she spoke. “I just found out about what Chase had heard, and I thought that I should apologize…” Taking a deep breath, she gave me a small smile in response to my stunned silence. “I’m so sorry for causing so much trouble for you.” Surprised by the fact that she was apologizing for something that had been completely out of her control, I couldn’t help but smile as I shook my head at her.

“It’s no problem at all,” I reassured her. “These things happen all the time. It wasn’t your fault.” She seemed embarrassed as she stared at me, her eyes wide and uncertain as she stared me down.

“I’ll talk to Chase and clear everything up,” she reassured me. “I’m so sorry I never cleared this all up.” Laughing, I shook my head at her.

“Trust me, this kind of thing happens more often than you think,” I reassured her, hoping to calm her nerves. After taking a moment to catch my breath, I tilted my head at her. “Are you okay, though? You still seem a bit shaken.” Already, a lot of people were gathering around, pretending to be preoccupied with serving their dinner plates, but I knew they were all listening in. After a moment, I saw the tears start to form in her eyes.

“I’m fine,” she said as a single tear streamed down her face. “I was just so scared…” Not wanting anyone to think that I was bullying her or giving her a hard time, I took a startled step back, trying to think of the next appropriate thing to do.

Why was she crying? Had I said something I shouldn’t have? Was she scared from what happened before? Or was she scared of me?

“I’m so sorry,” she said as she wiped away her tears, looking both hurt and embarrassed as she spoke. “I shouldn’t be upset. It happened hours ago, and I should be over it by now.” Before I could say a single word, she rose to her feet and took off towards the backdoor, heading for the dirt lot.

Before I could even think about what I was doing, I took off after her, bursting through the backdoor and sprinting across the dirt lot as I hurried to catch up to her. Chase had a very strict rule about letting the women wander around alone at night due to the woods being so close to the compound, and I didn’t want her getting hurt. When she was finally within reach, I reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Please, stop!” I begged as I turned her to face me. Rather than fighting me, she fell into me, burying her face in my shirt as tears streamed down her face.