Chapter 8
Dead silence rocked the entire clubhouse as Limit scrambled for the first time ever to defend his actions to Ox.
“Prez, I didn’t- she never said she was your kid!,” he said.
He didn't miss the way Scarlett’s shoulders tensed as she frowned at him from across the room.
“I didn't know I was his kid!”
Limit scoffed.
“Well, that doesn't change the situation, does it?! You didn't even give me your full name!,” He argued.
She slammed her hands onto her hips at the exact same time Ox did, and the similarities between the two of them didn't fly over his head, either.
“Oh, excuse me! I didn't realize I needed to leave my credentials with a one night stand!,” She screeched.
Fury and Rayna both began to cough, failing miserably to cover their laughter.
Limit wasn't worried about them, though- he was worried about the scariest fucker he knew staring him down with the power to end him.
At least, he was only worried about Ox until Scarlett made a strangled sound in the back of her throat.
Her hazel eyes, the same pair he’d had wet dreams about for the last few weeks, looked like they could shoot flames at any second.
Limit was so fucked in the head, the idea almost excited him.
“Credentials, honey? No. But, a last fuckin’ name would have been real nice!”
Scarlett rolled her eyes, something that had his dick jumping and his anger flaring simultaneously.
“You smug bastard! Maybe I didn't want to leave my last name because you weren’t that good of a lay!,” She yelled.
Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were glassy, and Limit knew he’d never seen anything more beautiful.
Except for the fact that the venom dripping from her every word stung like hell.
Limit’s entire body went rigid as his anger threatened to make him see red- he hadn't had a woman talk to him that way in forever- and the fact that it was Ox’s daughter speaking to him that way only made it worse.
Not to mention the entire fucking clubhouse was now laughing at him, including Ox.
Scarlett didn't seem to find the situation funny but if Ox was laughing, then maybe he wouldn't cut Limit’s balls off and make him swallow them.
Except, everyone was laughing at him.
Limit tried as hard as he could to bite his tongue, to save himself from the inevitable ass beating his president was about to lay down at his doorstep, but he couldn’t.
“Hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but you weren’t very memorable either.”
Her mouth fell open and for the first time Limit could see that he’d gotten to her. He instantly regretted his words, but he didn't dare take them back.
Scarlett turned a pretty shade of pink before she politely excused herself and hastily utilized the back exit of the clubhouse.
As the door resounded shut behind her, Green’s voice met his ears.
“So, is this like their first fight, or…?”
“More like a lover’s quarrel,” Slayer supplied.
All eyes cut to him instantly before Ox cleared his throat and pointed an angry finger at him.
“In my office. Now.”
Those were the only words Limit needed to hear to know he was well and truly fucked, and this time, it was his own damn fault.
As he glanced around the room, he noticed that Rayna and Esme were headed for the exit, and that Fury and Green as well as Slayer were watching him with wide eyes. Rider looked like he wanted to say something, and Prettyboy was swirling the whiskey in glass around and around and around…
“What the fuck are all of you lookin’ at?,” He spat.
Green and Slayer both shrugged as Fury narrowed his eyes.
“Don’t go startin’ a fight with us just because you don’t know your way around a woman,” He spat.
Limit would have loved nothing more than to start a fight with Fury in that moment, but his brother was right- why fight with his crew when it was her fault?
If he could, he’d give little Scarlett Hunter a piece of his mind and then some, but she was protected. As Ox’s daughter, Scarlett had a better seat at the table than he did, and at the moment, the thought was a startling one.
As he rounded the corner to step into Ox’s office, he caught sight of his president rubbing his palms over his beard as he paced in a circle around his desk.
“Shut the fucking door, and sit down.”
If any other man had the audacity to speak to Limit that way, he wouldn’t hesitate to pull his gun out.
“Okay,” He said as he sat down.
Ox slammed his palms against the polished top of his desk and shook his head.
“I can’t tell you who to fuck. I can’t tell Scarlett who to fuck, either. I’m not going to bother trying to tell either of you what to do, but hear this now and hear it loud and clear: you will respect her. You will treat her the same way you’d treat Esme or Rayna and by God, if I find out you’ve hurt her in any way, I’ll kill you. She’s the only family I’ve got left now, and that means she’s important to me. I don’t know what her place will be with me or this club, but right now I don’t need you fucking that up for me! Do. You. Understand. Me?”
Ox’s nostrils flared angrily, his amber eyes nailed to Limit’s stormy grey ones.
Limit nodded immediately.
“She didn’t know you were in my club until after she got here. She wasn’t going to tell me that you two slept together, that much is obvious. Don’t take it out on her. You’re not in trouble here, but if I ever hear you so much as raise your voice to her again, I’ll be the one cuttin’ tongues out. These hands may be retired, but I’ll gladly put them back to work,” He spat.
Limit had only heard Ox speak that way a number of times, and it’s always been when he was most serious. Limit knew that he meant every word he said, and could he really blame the man? The name Maddie was like a legend in the clubhouse; everyone heard a different story and Limit was sure none of them were true.
Now, he finds out he has a daughter with the illusive Maddie Hunter, and she’s here and ready to get to know him…
Limit could only imagine what his president was going through.
And, just like that, his anger dissipated for the most part.
“Okay. I understand.”
“Apologize to her. Clear the air. I don’t want this fucking things up for her and I,” Ox said softly.
Limit nodded.
“Get out of my office,” He said.
Limit didn’t hesitate to do as he said.
When he entered the great room, he noticed that everyone was outside. A familiar brunette was outside and her arms were around Scarlett.
He tried to ignore the pit of jealousy building in his gut, but he couldn’t help it.
Limit didn’t have a lot left in life; only a mother residing in Wilmington and the club. Most of his friends he’d served with were either gone or living on the other side of the country, and that was okay.
The Seven Deadlies were his family now, except…
How was he going to get used to Scarlett being apart of all that?
As he stepped outside into the bright sunlight, Fury glanced up at him and nodded. Scarlett’s friend, Emily, looked up at him too.
“Well, well. The famous Limit is back in black,” She said wryly.
Scarlett barely spared a look in his direction before she turned back to the crowd of people surrounding her.
He wanted to rip her away from all of them and take her somewhere they could be alone, but he didn’t trust that he could keep his hands off her perfect body.
Even being near her was enough to make his mind run wild.
“Scarlett? Can we talk?,” He asked.
He didn’t expect for her to say yes, but when she did, he found himself holding out a hand in her direction. It was covered in oil and almost as black as he imagined his soul was, but she surprised the hell out of him when she took it into hers.
Her skin was pale and devoid of any dirt and her palm was as soft as butter.
Limit’s grip on her tightened almost against his will, but he tried his hardest to ease her away from the crowd instead of carrying her away over his shoulder like some cave man.
“What do you want?”
Her question came out irritated, but he didn’t respond until they were well on the other side of the clubhouse, away from prying eyes.
When he stopped walking she dropped his hand, and for some reason, that irked him more than her earlier comment.
She was looking at him differently.
“Why are you lookin’ at me like that?,” He asked.
Her gaze hit the tops of his boots, so he lifted her chin with the tips of his fingers.
“Don’t- just don’t touch me,” She said shakily.
Limit knew he’d said some rude things, but he didn’t think they warranted the fear he could clearly see lining her irises.
There was only one reason a woman like Scarlett Hunter would be afraid of him…
“Someone told you what I do,” He said.
She visibly flinched at his words before she nodded her head, her bleached hair getting caught against the collar of her shirt.
Limit swore under his breath.
His occupation had never mattered before, and truthfully, he didn’t ever mind when a woman found out what he did for the club- why would he?
Most of the women that came around knew exactly what he did for the club.
Women like Esme or Rayna who knew, who had a taste of the life he lived.
“I didn’t realize my job was up for discussion,” He finally said.
Scarlett sighed.
“It’s not, Limit. You wanted to talk to me, remember?”
Limit fully understood that he couldn’t exactly be mad at her for being wary of whatever she’d been told. He himself used his occupation to scare off clingy women from time to time. But, for some reason, having Scarlett look at him as if he were no better than the scum on the bottom of her designer heels made him angry.
He narrowed his eyes at her.
“Yeah, I did. I wanted to apologize for yelling at you. I was just surprised.”
Scarlett seemed to relax a hair before she looked into his eyes.
“I’m sorry too. I didn’t mean it,” She replied.
Limit raised an eyebrow at her.
“You didn’t mean what?”
She knotted her hands against her waist.
“You were a good fuck,” She practically whispered.
Limit smiled, and suddenly she was smiling too.
“You’re laughing at me,” She said.
Her perfect mouth was pursed in a frown, but her hazel eyes were sparkling.
Limit reached for her hand but this time she didn’t pull away.
“I would never lay a hand on you,” Limit said.
He had no idea why he wanted to reassure her, but he did.
He didn’t want her to look at him the way she had moments ago, like he wasn’t worth the time of day.
“Limit, I didn’t think that you would. I’m sorry I’m not handling this well, I’m just a little overwhelmed, okay? Before today I had no idea what an outlaw MC was.”
He could understand that.
Limit glanced over his shoulder, checking to make sure they were well and truly alone. Apart from Slayer and Green lurking in the garage, no one was paying them any mind.
He didn’t know why he wanted to try, but Limit was determined to expand her horizons.
He wanted Scarlett to loosen up, if only a little.
Slowly, so she had time to pull away if she really wanted to, he pushed her deeper into the shadows until her back met the brick wall behind her.
Scarlett’s eyes widened, their perfect gold and green colors swirling together.
“Have you been thinking about me, Scarlett? Because I’ve sure as fuck been thinking about you.”
Her hands came up to rest between them, right along the edges of his cut.
He didn’t try to stop her, either.
Much like she had the first night, she tipped her head back and met his wandering gaze head on.
“You want the truth?”
“From you? Always.”
“Yeah, I’ve been thinking about you. Been pretty hard not to.”
Limit’s chest expanded.
“Good.”
She flicked his nipple beneath his shirt and bit her bottom lip.
That action alone had his blood traveling directly south, making his dick swell against the zipper of his jeans.
“You’ll stay in my room tonight,” He demanded softly.
Her bottom lip escaped the confines of her teeth as she opened her mouth.
“I don’t know-”
“Please.”
Limit didn’t say the word often, and he probably wouldn’t say it again any time soon, but for Scarlett?
For Scarlett, he wanted a second chance, no matter how terrifying it seemed.