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“Never thought Serelda would be happy with a man like me either.”
“Come on, Brick! All you have to do is have one five-minute conversation with the woman to know I’m not for her. I like her. I really do. But I’m not willing to bring her into this life. I could never keep her happy and we’d both be fucked.”
I finished my rant just as Danica came into the room with her sisters. They had the few things they’d brought with them or they’d been given by the old ladies. She had her gaze firmly fixed on Brick. The girls? Well. If looks could kill…
“I’m terribly sorry to bother you, Brick, but could you see if Clutch has my car ready? I know he said it might be a couple of days, but I really need to get the girls home. Besides, I’ve got a second job I do from home I need to catch up on.”
“I’ll see what’s going on, Dani. If he’s not done, I’ll personally take the three of you home and see you get to school and work.” He glanced at me while continuing to speak to Dani. “You can count on everyone here to make sure you’ve got what you need.”
“I don’t need that. I just need to get us all home and our lives back to normal.”
“I understand.” He motioned for the girls to precede him out the door, but not before giving me an angry snarl.
“Fucker,” I muttered as I headed back to my office.
This was really for the best. I knew it. Obviously, Dani knew it. Apple and Lemon would be better off too. Once they all thought about it a day or two, they’d see I was right.
Chapter Six
Danica
That had really happened. I’d had sex. With Wylde. Knowing he wasn’t offering anything other than a few pleasurable moments, I’d still given myself to him willingly. I’d been the one to fuck him. He’d taken what I’d offered. On his bike! It hadn’t even been in a bed! There was nothing about love or even mutual respect. It was all about lust. He’d told me as much at the coffee shop. I’d told him I couldn’t do that, then I’d promptly gone against my own declaration.
How was I ever going to be able to look Apple in the eyes after this? It was bad enough I had to face Lemon, but I’d forbidden Apple from seeing the man she wanted romantically and I’d been unable to follow my own instructions.
Brick drove us to our modest house. It was a two-bedroom, one-bath. Not exactly great for three women in the house, but it was what it was. It had been my mother’s and had come to me when she died. When the girls were old enough, it would be theirs too.
“I know Wylde was an ass, Dani, but the three of you are welcome to stay at the clubhouse. You don’t have to leave because of him.”
“I appreciate it, but we’ll be fine. It’s not like there’s anything hanging over us.” I smiled at him, trying to hold in the remaining emotion. I’d let out some of it but had to get myself under control for the girls. They knew something was wrong, of course, but I didn’t tell them what. “Thank you for all your help. Please thank everyone else for us. I’ll pay Clutch for the work he did on my car. I’ll just need a total and a couple of months.”
“Honey, don’t worry about that. He’s helping you because he wants to. I’ll send Clutch for you to get to work tomorrow. Deacon will come with the other kids for Apple and Lemon.”
“I’d appreciate it.”
Brick squeezed my shoulder. “You have Iris’s number?”
“I do.”
“Use it. I can’t stress that enough.”
“Thank you. I will.”
We got out of the vehicle and walked to the house. Apple wrapped her arms around my waist as we walked. Lemon unlocked the door, glancing back at Brick. She threw up a hand at him before we all went inside. Brick stayed there until we had the door shut.
“Get ready for bed. You have school tomorrow.” I didn’t need to tell them that. The girls might be sassy and brats, but they were never malicious toward me. Any attitude they showed was all a deflection. I knew it and accepted it. I was much the same way when I wanted to be.
“Dani?” Apple wrapped her arms around me. “You OK?”
“Yeah, baby. I’m fine.” I really wasn’t.
“Bullshit,” Lemon barked. “What did Wylde do to you?”
“Nothing, Lemon. He didn’t do anything. It was all me. Everything was on me.”
She snorted. “Not buying it.”
“Let’s just go to bed and start the day fresh tomorrow. OK?”
