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“He’s the father of my child, Rage. I can’t just write him off.”
“Depending on what you’re getting ready to tell me, you can. And you will. If he was the man for you, you wouldn’t be here now. Neither would little Cassie.”
I swallowed. My heart raced. “What are you getting at?”
“I’ve already claimed you in the eyes of my club. They know you and Cassie belong to me, so they’re gonna do what I tell them to regarding you. Now, you have to accept it. You’re mine, Pepper. You always have been.”
“Rage? What -- I don’t -- what are you saying?”
“You’re gonna be my old lady. I’ll get you inked and give you a property patch as soon as I can arrange it, but this is happening.”
“But you hate me! What the hell is this?” My temper was spiking. There’s no way Rage didn’t know I’d had a crush on him from the first moment I saw him. He’d sneered at me enough, telling me I was too fucking young for him. That he’d chew me up and spit me out.
“I never said I hated you, Pepper.”
“You didn’t have to!” I shoved at him, really trying to get off his lap. The big ape tightened his arms around me like I was a toddler who didn’t want to sit still. “The only times you’ve ever been kind to me was when my mom died, and when Cassie was born. Even then I’m sure you only did it to make Dustin look good.”
“Honey, any man who chooses to not be there for the birth of his child doesn’t deserve to be called Daddy. And any man who chooses not to be there for his woman doesn’t get to keep her. I wasn’t there for Dustin on those two occasions. I was there for you. You needed someone, and Dustin refused to take on that role.”
“So you felt sorry for me. Big deal.”
“No, Pepper. I never felt sorry for you. You were hurting, and I wanted to take away that hurt. You were scared, having a baby with no one there to support you because your mother was dead, your father was still grieving, and your stupid-ass boyfriend was a total motherfucker. Dustin was never going to be there for you. He was only there to take from you.”
“And you? You were so mean to me. You hated me.”
“Told you I didn’t hate you. I hated my brother.”
“What? You did not! You were always there for him! Getting him out of one jam or another!”
“I was, because he’s my brother. But he never deserved you, Pepper. I ain’t sayin’ I do, but I’m damned well gonna do my best by you. You latched on to Dustin for God only knows what reason. You seemed happy, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted for you. Since the first day Dustin brought you home.”
I blinked up at him. Was he for real right now? “I never…” I swallowed, shaking my head.
“You never what, sweetheart?” The tenderness and understanding in his voice were my undoing. Once again, I started sobbing, my heart breaking.
“I never… I never wanted Dustin like I… like I wanted…” I couldn’t make myself say it. If I’d read this situation wrong, I’d be humiliated.
“Was it me you wanted, Pepper?” Again, he moved his thumb under my eye, catching tears and brushing them away with a gentle touch.
“You remember that time at your cousin’s wedding? Dustin was so drunk he couldn’t stand up, and you had to drive us home?”
“Vividly.” His brows drew together in displeasure. Obviously, he wasn’t happy with that memory. I sighed, trying to get up. I didn’t want him holding me like this while I bared my heart to him. “Think I already told you to sit still. Just get it out. This is us working through shit.”
“It’s not that easy, Rage. You’ve always been this larger-than-life man on the periphery of our lives. Anytime one of us needed you, you were there. You… you were my hero. The man I always wanted.” I sniffed, wiping my nose with my wrist. “I tried to tell you then. That night. Last place I wanted to be was with Dustin. When he got drunk…”
“Yeah, honey. He can be a bastard when he’s drinking.”
“I never would have cheated on Dustin. But I’d have left him if you’d given any indication you were interested in me.”
“I knew I could coax you away from him. I think I came closer that night than I ever had. It was why I started keeping a closer eye on you. It’s how I knew you were alone at the hospital when you went into labor. Which, by the way, I’m pretty sure I told you to call me if you couldn’t get ahold of Dustin and needed to go to the hospital.”
