Damaged and the Knight (Damaged #2)

“Yeah, well, I need time alone with my woman. You can go sit at the counter with the old timers. Share war stories about all the pussy you’ve hit.”


Vaughn rolled his eyes. “Nice manners, shithead.”

“Thanks again for the help, asshole.”

I smiled as Vaughn walked way. As soon as he was out of earshot, Judd looked at me and sighed.

“I’m sorry.”

“I shouldn’t have told you.”

“Fuck no. You should never hide shit to make me happy. It’s just…” Judd paused and studied me for a moment. “Everything about me must remind you of them. My tats, the Harleys, every fucking thing. I already knew I was an asshole to be with you, but when you told me that, it was like more evidence that this was a mistake.”

“So you’re breaking up with me?” I asked, a cold panic in my gut.

“Fuck no,” he said, giving me a little smile. “I am an asshole and I want you. I can taste you on my lips and feel you against me. I still remember how damn perfect it was waking up with you this morning. I should have hated having someone in my place, but it felt right. I know I’m kidding myself and wasting your time, but I’m too selfish to let you go.”

“Good.”

Judd smiled. “I’m not a man you should depend on.”

“Last night when I was feeling like a loser and hating myself, you helped pull me back. No one besides Farah and Bailey has ever done that. Usually people ignore me when I’m feeling bad or they make it worse. You didn’t walk away, Judd. You made me see the light when I was suffocating in the dark.”

“Any man would do that shit.”

“You think Ryan would? He wasn’t a bad guy, but he would have told me to call someone or see a therapist or something that didn’t involve him having to stick around. You faced the darkness with me.”

“I still remember the look in your eyes that said you weren’t sure living another day was worth it. That look scared the shit out of me and I’m worried I’ll fuck up and make you look like that again. I’m not a good man, but I can’t be the monster that destroys you.”

“Vaughn is right. You are a drama queen,” I teased and Judd grinned slightly. “I’m eating now. No more talk of you being an asshole and me as your victim. Happy thoughts for the rest of breakfast.”

Judd glanced at Vaughn who frowned at the guy on the stool next to him. Clearly, Outlaw didn’t like his bar buddy. Judd must have noticed this too because he laughed quietly.

“So is he like your BFF?” I asked once I’d finished eating every bite of food.

“I guess. We’re not so different, but we’re different enough from the others. He’s got my back when I need it covered. I guess that makes us BFFs.”

“This is the first time I’ve ever had real friends besides Farah. It’s nice to know I won’t move and they won’t forget me. I mean, I guess, they could stop liking me, but I hope they won’t.”

“Bailey looks at you like Pearl looks at me when I give her that canned food. She’s not a sweet kid, but she likes you and that means something.”

“I tell her like it is.”

“Like you tell me.”

“Yep, so no more trying to run away from me, Judd. Just give in and let me have my way with you.”

Laughing, Judd studied me like he was picturing me naked. My skin warmed and I slid under the table and up on his side of the booth.

“Hello,” I murmured as he frowned at me. “I don’t want these big strong biker boys and girls thinking you’ve gone soft because you’re having all of these feelings for me.”

“What does…?”

Kissing him, I cradled his head against me and straddled his lap. Judd immediately wrapped me against him and I wished we were alone, so the erection in his jeans wouldn’t go to waste.

When our lips parted, he sighed. “I love those eyes, angel. When they look at me, I feel like anything is possible.”

I started to grin until I heard laughing and sensed we were on display. Glancing at them, I tightened my grip on Judd as if to say, “So what? He’s mine. Suck it.”

Judd though wasn’t interested in their laughter. He glared hard at them and literally growled like a dog. While I giggled at the sound, the men shut up and moved away.

When Vaughn saw this display, he yelled out, “Whipped is a good look on you, brother.”

“I’m packing, Outlaw. Don’t make me pull it out.”

At the same moment, Judd, Vaughn, and I thought of the same thing and started laughing.

“Yeah, don’t pull it out here, baby,” I said, giggling. “I’m the only one who should be looking at it.”

Judd leaned his head back and sighed. “It’s not my fault, you know. All of the blood left my brain the minute you sat on my lap.”

“Poor bastard,” I whispered in his ear as I nibbled on the lobe. “Is there anywhere private we can take the SUV between here and the grocery store? I’m feeling fuzzy in the head myself.”

Cupping my face, Judd kissed me like we might just strip down right there. His lips owned me for the next few minutes then he slowly softened the kiss until his lips were no longer attached to mine.