Page 5 of Changed Biker Daddy

Her sobs were soft yet heavy, making her sound as though her heart was breaking in two as she clung to me, soaking my shirt in her tears. I froze in surprise, not quite sure how to react to the way she held herself to me as her entire body trembled. Part of me wanted to hug her back and reassure her everything was going to be alright, but the other part of me wanted to get away before anyone got the wrong idea. After a moment, she wrapped her arms around me, trapping me in a hug.

“I’m still scared,” she admitted as she clung to me, prompting me to hold her close. “I thought that I was okay, but I can’t keep pretending to be brave any more.” Feeling the heat radiate from her, I frowned in confusion as I pressed a hand to her forehead.

“You feel like you’re on fire,” I commented in surprise when I felt how warm she was. “Are you feeling okay?” She started to shake her head as her knees gave out, causing her to collapse into my arms.

“I don’t want to be alone,” she breathed, her breath sounding labored as she spoke. “Please, don’t leave me alone. I’m scared.” Realizing that she might be sick, I lifted her tiny body into my arms and started to carry her over to the house, where her room was. Behind me, I heard the backdoor open.

“Bradley?” called out Chase, and I looked over my shoulder at him.

“I’m taking her to her room,” I promised, not wanting him to get the wrong idea. “I think she’s sick.” After seeing her tear soaked face, he nodded in response.

“Need help?” he asked, and I shook my head.

“I’ll keep an eye on her,” I promised. “I’ll let you know if anything goes wrong.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

Kiera

When I finally woke up, I felt like I was drenched in sweat, and I was in my own room with my favorite stuffed animal in my arms. At first, I was worried because I couldn’t remember a single thing that had happened since dinner, and, after seeing the time on the clock next to my bed, I realized I had been asleep for over twelve hours. Disoriented and dazed, I slowly started to sit up, feeling confused by everything.

“Take it easy,” said the vaguely familiar voice nearby. “Don’t sit up until you’re truly ready.” Frowning in confusion, I turned to look at the speaker.

Bradley was sitting at the window seat in my room, a look of relief and concern painted on his face as he stared at me from across the room. He was still dressed in the same clothing he had been wearing the day before when he saved me, and I could see the dark stains of what looked like my mascara on his white muscle shirt. He rose to his feet and made his way over to the bedside, reached out a hand to feel my forehead, and smiled with relief as he sat down next to me.

“Feels like your fever is gone,” he stated, sounding as relieved as he looked as he spoke. Brushing some loose hair from my face, he continued. “Are you feeling any better?” Confused by his question, I thought for a moment.

“I think so,” I told him after thinking it over for a moment or two. “I suppose I’m just a bit hungry and confused.” Looking back up at him, I tilted my head to the side. “What happened last night?” Wincing, he shook his head at me.

“You got upset and took off by yourself into the dirt lot,” he explained, and I felt my face burn red in embarrassment as I took this into consideration. “I followed you to make sure you were okay, and you collapsed into my arms. I carried you to your room and have been making sure you have everything you need.” Looking around at the room around me, I saw that he was telling the truth.

There were a few pill bottles sitting on my desk along with a plastic cup, and there was an almost dry washcloth on the bed next to me. Touched by his concern for my safety, I blushed in embarrassment, feeling both stupid and childish for the way things had worked out. Even though I knew it wasn’t my fault, I felt as though I should have done more to ensure that I didn’t do anything stupid or crazy, resulting in a strange situation like this. What made me feel even worse was the fact that I had embarrassed myself in front of Bradley.

Bradley had been nothing but kind to me, and he owed me absolutely nothing, yet he was still caring for me, even though I wasn’t his problem. I felt stupid and childish, wishing I could be anywhere but here as I processed everything he had told me. Much to my surprise, he was still smiling at me.

“You think you can stomach some dry toast with applesauce?” he asked, still looking concerned as he stared down at me for a moment. “I think it’s safe to get you something to eat, but it would be better to take it easy until you’re fully recovered.” Frowning in confusion as I turned to look at him, I stared at him in surprise.

“Not to sound ungrateful or anything,” I began, my curiosity getting the better of me as I spoke, “but why are you helping me?” Seeing the look of confusion on his face, I decided to elaborate. “You don’t have to be here or anything, especially now that I’m awake.” Realizing what I meant, he frowned a little.

“Do you want me to leave?” he asked, and I found myself shaking my head in response before I could even stop myself.

“No, of course not,” I reassured him, the words pouring from my mouth faster than I could process them. “I’m just confused, I guess.” As if finally understanding what I meant, he sighed and shook his head.

“It’s because I was worried about you,” he informed me. “You’re the only one on the compound who’s been nice to me regardless of everything that happened, and I felt like I owed it to you to make sure you were okay.” I couldn’t help the warm feeling building up inside me as I stared at him, debating on whether or not I should tell him.

Truth be told, I had a crush on him for a long time, but the fear that I had felt every time I looked at him while he was around had always kept me from acting on it. The more I put it off, the harder it had become to talk to him, so yesterday was the first time I had really gotten to talk to him. Now that I was finally able to talk to him, it was much easier than I had suspected, and I was getting much more comfortable around him.

"I suppose I should thank you for everything," I said as I struggled to get up. "I feel like I owe you more and more." Immediately, Bradley shook his head, a gentle smile on his face as he watched me closely.

"You don't owe me anything," he reassured me, his hand on my knee as he spoke. "If anything, I owe you for your kindness. I wish there was something I could do to repay you." My blush returned, and his brow creased into a frown once again. "I think you should get through a cool shower to chase off the rest of your fever. While you do, I'll go refill your water and bring you something to eat." As he rose to his feet, I reached out and caught his hand.

"You promise to come back?" I asked, a bit shocked by the fear in my voice as I spoke. Looking equally surprised, he smiled and nodded in response.

"I will," he promised before kissing me on the forehead. "Go shower, and I'll be back soon." With that, he got to his feet and left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts as I made my way over to the bathroom, which was attached to the bedroom.

Bradley was nothing like what the other women thought he was. He was kind and considerate, and I could tell that he truly cared about me and was doing everything he could to help me get better. Despite the fact that I had admired him for quite some time now, I still felt guilty for everything that had happened and hoped that I wasn't a bother any longer.

After finding some fresh clothing, I climbed into the shower and turned on the cool water. Once it was the perfect temperature, I got in and washed away the sweat and tears from my body, letting the water cool me off. When I was done, I laid back down in bed, my hair carefully braided down the sides in order to keep it from getting tangled while I laid down. By the time Bradley returned, I had turned on a cartoon and fallen asleep.