Chapter 6
Scarlett was trying her best to remain invisible as she re-entered the clubhouse. She made eye contact with Rayna almost immediately, and she was greeted with only kindness.
“Hey, you made it!”
The brunette, Esme, was right behind her in a heartbeat.
“This may be a little premature, but welcome to our fucked up family!,” Esme said with a giggle.
Scarlett couldn't help but join in on the laughter, seeing as how her words instantly broke apart the tension between her and Ox.
Ox placed a soft hand on her back as he nodded.
“May be twenty-two years late, but just like you didn't know about me, I didn't know about you. But, she's right. Family is family, and ours is definitely fucked up, but you’re now a part of ours. Of mine.”
For some reason that had her eyes filling with tears, it had her rubbing a hand over her aching chest, it drove home the facts of the matter.
“Thank you,” She whispered.
Esme’s blue eyes were filled with tears and she began to wave at her own face.
“Sorry, pregnancy hormones!”
Rayna choked out a tearful laugh as she cupped Esme’s flat belly.
“Ah! My little peanut,” Rayna murmured.
Scarlett watched them curiously, but she could see the easy affection between the two ladies.
Before she could open her mouth, a familiar face made an appearance.
“What’s she doing here?,” Green asked as he gestured towards her.
Scarlett’s eyes widened as her and Rayna made eye contact. Esme wasn't far behind either, and for some reason, Scarlett didn't imagine Ox would fare well with knowing she'd slept with Limit.
Is that even allowed?
Do I need permission to sleep with anyone, though?
Scarlett didn’t imagine that she needed permission so to speak, but Ox would certainly have an opinion about her sleeping with someone in his club…right?
Rayna made her way to Green and wrapped an arm around his waist.
“Green, meet Scarlett.”
“Um, I think I’d recognize the woman-”
Rayna interrupted him by elbowing him in the stomach, making him bend over and gasp.
“Ox’s daughter,” Rayna finished.
Green slowly straightened to his full height, his mouth open wide as he looked at her.
And then he started laughing.
Cackling was probably a better description.
“You’re joking, right? This is too good!,” He said as he roared with laughter.
Ox looked between her and Green, his brows furrowed.
“Care to elaborate?”
She shook her head, her cheeks a bright red. Scarlett was half ready to bolt, and she doubted her new friends would even blame her.
“I think he knows my roommate Emily.”
“The one who thinks Limit is hot?,” Ox asked, obviously confused.
Scarlett hid her face in her hands as Rayna and Esme started to laugh along with Green.
She knew full well her lie was a dumb one, but she’d never been stuck in such an awkward situation before.
Would Limit really be that mad if he knew she was Ox's long lost daughter?
It really all boiled down to the fact that she’d never expected to see him again.
Soon, the absurdity of the situation had her laughing too.
“Jesus, this is a fucked-up situation.”
Ox’s hand fell from her back as he slid behind the bar.
“You need a drink?”
“I would love one, thank you,” She said.
Rayna and Esme sat down beside her while Green meandered over, his mouth barely touching the shell of her ear.
“I’ll keep your secret if you bring that sexy roommate of yours around,” He whispered.
Scarlett turned on her barstool so she could look him in the eye.
“Do you believe in the importance of pinky promises?”
Green slapped a hand over his heart as he smiled flirtatiously at her.
“My sweet lady, pinky promises are a staple in any trusting, healthy partnership.”
Scarlett rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling as she held a pinky out to him.
“Deal,” She said softly.
Green surveyed her with his pretty jade colored eyes before he hooked his pinky through hers.
“Deal,” He promised.
Scarlett breathed a little easier as she swiveled to face Ox again, who was watching them with narrowed eyes.
“Ya know, I haven't been at this whole ‘dad’ thing long, but I get the idea I’m missin’ something.”
Rayna and Esme started laughing again as Scarlett swallowed a shot of whiskey that made her think of Limit all over again.
“Not anything important,” She murmured.
The doors to the clubhouse slammed open, startling all three women as they turned to see who it was.
Slayer popped his head in, his blue eyes seeking until they landed on Scarlett.
“Holy…”
As he disappeared, Scarlett dropped her forehead against the bar top and sighed.
“So, Scarlett, tell me what you majored in at college,” Ox said.
“Art degree. I love art,” She said.
“Ohhh, do you draw and stuff?,” Esme asked.
Scarlett tucked her hair behind her ears as she slowly nodded.
“I paint mostly, but I can draw.”
“My ol’ man loves to draw! You should ask him to see some of his stuff, he details all the bikes around here. He even dabbles in tattoos,” Esme said with a dreamy look on her face.
Scarlett could only smile and nod, because the genuine love the woman had sparkling in her eyes was truly a sight to behold.
“I would love to Esme, thank you.”
Ox caught her eye over the rim of her glass as she sipped on more whiskey and gave her the barest of nods.
Okay, so this is going better than before, right?
Except for the fact that every man apart from the one I came here for knows I fucked Limit in the parking lot of a bar!
Besides being ridiculously mortified, Scarlett was feeling more and more relaxed as the whiskey settled.
“Hey, why don't you call your roommate? Emily, right? Have her come up here and join you,” Rayna said.
“Honest answer? She made me come by myself because she knew that if I let it fester, I’d avoid coming here altogether and hold a grudge against my mother until the day I died.”
Ox leaned against the bar as he sipped on a beer.
“Your friend really cares about you,” He said.
Scarlett smiled.
“She’s all I got, honestly. Mom and Carter were always too busy. Emily and I have been inseparable since pre-school,” Scarlett admitted.
Ox watched her for a moment before he asked, “This Carter a good guy?”
Scarlett shrugged.
“Cold and unaffectionate, but he always took good care of me. I can’t complain about much, honestly.”
Ox nodded, but Scarlett reached out to place one of her hands over his.
“My mom may not be here right now, but I am. I hope that counts for something.”
Ox didn't even hesitate to respond, “It counts for more than you think.”
“Sooo, are we going to have Emily come out and join us? I do believe you owe Green a little favor,” Esme said with a wink.
Scarlett’s head fell back as she laughed.
“Sure.”
She only had to press a few buttons to get Emily to agree, so she tucked her phone into her pocket and looked around the room.
A pool table, pictures, a few small tables and chairs…
“So, what time do your guys get off work?”
Rayna snorted.
“Whenever they want. I’m sure you’ll know, you'll be able to hear them from outside the doors,” She said with a wry grin.
Ox’s phone started to ring and he held up a finger as he answered it and moved out of the room.
Scarlett, Rayna, and Esme all leaned towards one another at the same moment.
“Oh my God!”
“What the fuck are we gonna do?”
“Have you even seen Limit yet?”
They all spoke at the same time and then started to laugh.
“This is so crazy! I had no idea he was a part of Ox’s club,” Scarlett groaned.
“That man hasn't been able to stop thinking about you, darlin’. He’s made us go back to the same bar four times in the last few weeks, and every time he's spent the entire night looking around as if he were waitin’ for your fine ass to pop up out of nowhere,” Rayna said.
Scarlett hung her head.
“He doesn't know it, but I was a virgin that night! I didn't expect to ever see him again,” Scarlett whispered.
It was a secret she wasn’t so sure she should share, but she wanted both women to understand why she was so anxious to see the grumpy giant again.
Now that her secret was out, she felt juvenile to say the least.
Esme’s eyes widened as she looked to Rayna.
“You’re kidding!”
“No, and I’m so embarrassed I’m ready to sink my head into the sand! This is all very overwhelming,” Scarlett said.
“Yeah, well, you better get used to it. Limit’s a cold-blooded killer, baby. If you didn't know that when you let him slip inside of ya, it’s best you know now.”
Rayna’s harsh words made Scarlett drop her glass right out of her tight grip, her hazel eyes clashing with Rayna and Esme’s blue ones.
“I hope you’re joking.”
Esme smacked Rayna’s arm.
“Look! Now you’ve done it! She’s new to this life, Rayna. Couldn’t you have eased into that one?”
Enforcer…
Limit is the club enforcer.
Obviously, Scarlett didn't think that involved shaking hands and kissing babies, but she didn't actually expect that it involved murder!
Wasn’t that the very thing I was afraid of that night?
“Please don’t run away!,” Rayna said.
Run away?
Scarlett had a feeling running wouldn’t get her very far, not with Ox as her father, but her head was spinning to say the least.
Scarlett slid from her seat in a rush, just needing a minute to process everything.
“I’m just gonna take a minute, okay? Just- I’ll be right back.”
Rayna reached for her, but Scarlett evaded her touch as she yanked the clubhouse doors open and blinked against the blinding sunlight.
Her heels made heavy clopping sounds against the cement, her hair falling into her eyes as she sought a secluded area to clear her head.
Just a second.
I just need a fucking second to let this all sink in.
Now, Scarlett knew exactly why her mother had kept this a secret her entire life. Why would she tell her that her father ran a gang full of thugs and murderers? Why would she have stayed? Maddie wasn’t a perfect woman by any means, but Scarlett understood her just a little bit better now. If Limit had taken lives, that meant that Ox had more than likely done worse, or he wouldn’t be the president, would he?
As she stepped around a deserted corner of the clubhouse, she felt someone’s hand land on her shoulder.
She squealed, turning around to face someone she hadn't met yet. His kind eyes told her he knew exactly who she was.
And, exactly why she was freaking out.
“Hi, Scarlett. I’m Rider. Nice to meet you,” He said as he held out his hand.
Taking a deep breath, she shook his hand.
“Nice to meet you, too.”
She hated how shaky her voice sounded.
He didn't say a word beyond that, he just held out a hand with a cigarette resting in the palm.
Scarlett hadn't smoked for a long time, at least not since she’d shared Limit’s cigarette with him, but she accepted the cancer stick with a vigor that surprised even herself. Perhaps it was the obvious onset of hysteria or the panic attack she was eagerly combatting.
“Thank you,” She said.
Rider nodded as he leaned closer to light it for her.
“I’m gonna take a wild guess and say that this is your first time around an outlaw MC.”
Outlaw?
“You guys kill people.”
The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could catch them, but she didn't take them back.
Rider smiled at her like she was a naive child, and she supposed in that instance she was pretty damn close.
“We’ve never hurt anyone who didn't deserve it. I know this is probably a very different life than the one you lead, but if you stick around long enough, you’ll see we aren’t so bad.”
Scarlett sighed and inhaled deeply, grateful she had the cigarette to help calm her raging nerves.
“Am I that transparent?”
Rider laughed, but it wasn't mocking.
“You pulled up in a custom Mustang, you’re wearing expensive ass boots, those diamonds in your ears are real, and I’d bet that top you're wearing is honest to God silk,” He said.
Scarlett felt her eyebrows rise as she appraised him.
“I’m surprised you paid that much attention, most men wouldn't know the difference.”
Rider slanted a glance her way before he shrugged.
“Ox pays us to be observant. He’s a good man, Scarlett. I know you two just met, and you don't owe him a fuckin’ thing, but don't let your fear of the unknown ruin your chance at having something great here,” He implored.
Scarlett smiled at him before she huffed out a breath.
“I already made a deal with him to judge the people here based on who they are and not what they've done. I was just surprised to hear the truth. Honestly, if I’d have heard it a few months ago, I would have left here screaming and shouting.”
She knew that’s exactly what she should be doing, but her feet wouldn’t cooperate.
“So why aren't you now?”
Scarlett held her hands up as she shook her head.
“I have absolutely no idea. Maybe curiosity has the better of me.”
Rider glanced at the clubhouse before he held a hand out to her.
“This family believes in loyalty. You’re basically biker royalty since you're the president’s daughter, which means any of the men on this lot would automatically lay down their lives for you. The women here are just as loyal, if not more so. I bet if you give us a real chance, you’ll find that you’ll like it here more than you ever imagined you would,” Rider said.
Scarlett considered what he was saying before she sighed and took his hand admitting, “You could be right.”