Damaged and the Outlaw (Damaged #4)

“Let me ditch the Johansson sisters and I’ll meet you outside. Where are you parked?”


“In the back.”

“I’ll walk them out then come around and we’ll play in the dark.”

Grinning, I leaned down and sucked at her lips. Raven smiled softly then glanced around.

“Let’s go to your place again. I don’t want Bailey getting mad and interrupting on accident,” she said, air quoting “on accident.”

“Hurry. My jeans can’t contain how much I miss being inside you.”

Raven’s expression froze. “You are truly blessed to be so hot. Seriously, with those lines, I can’t imagine anyone would fuck you ever. Even hookers would laugh in your face.”

Already thinking about how much I enjoyed being inside her, I ignored her insult. “Yeah, but I am hot, so I’ll be waiting for you in the back.”

Running her nails down my chest, Raven smiled before walking to where Bailey and Sawyer waited. I watched the sisters frown at whatever Raven told them. As Bailey paid the bill and they headed to the restroom, I walked out to my Harley to wait.

I leaned against my bike and thought about Raven. She was hot and fun, but I wasn’t falling for her. I was falling into her. Fucking was what I needed to help with the boredom and fucking her was better than fucking other chicks. Not because she was special. She was just hot and knew how to make a man beg. It was only sex.

Except as I watched her singing, I had felt something more than horny. Maybe pride in her fearless behavior. When she caressed the back of Sawyer’s head in a gentle way, I imagined her as a mother. For a moment before I squashed the idea, I thought about her as the mother of my kids. It was ridiculous. I’d never be a father. Yet, Raven was mine in some way.

Leaning against the Harley, I understood Raven. In fact, I understood her well enough to know she had ditched me. I also sensed she knew me well enough to know I would give chase. As the Harley came to life, I figured if she wanted to play that we could play. I intended to win though.

Bailey’s SUV was a block up when I spotted it. Instead of taking the highway that led to her house, she screeched around a corner in the other direction. Lark and Aaron were about to get a visitor I suspected.

Speeding through the evening traffic, I noticed Bailey turn into the alley towards Aaron’s place. As I nearly reached where the SUV idled, she screeched away. Raven wasn’t visible, but she easily could have gone through the back gate. I roared around to the front of the house and parked. While storming to the front door, I heard Aaron’s little Boston Terriers barking as if the house was under attack.

I knocked once before Lark answered. A tiny chick to begin with, she seemed smaller than usual in her pajamas and Barney slippers.

“Really, Lark? Barney?” I asked. “Oh, and tell Raven to come outside.”

“I like Barney and Raven isn’t here.”

“Bullshit. No one likes Barney and I saw Bailey drop her off.”

“Fuck off, dipshit. I like Barney and I’m someone.”

“Tell him, baby!” Aaron yelled from the couch. “Feel free to sic the dogs on him too.”

Rolling my eyes, I pushed the door open a bit more then eased past Lark and her growing baby bump.

“Where is she?”

“I don’t know,” she said, running her hand through dark messy hair. “Probably with Bailey.”

“I saw Bailey drop her off.”

“Did you see Raven get out of the car or did you see the car stop then take off? I suspect you’ve been had, buddy.”

Rubbing my face, I glanced around then focused on Aaron who sat eating popcorn while wearing only boxers.

“You hooked up with Raven, huh?” he asked. “Awesome, man. I give her a week to beat you into submission.”

“Fuck off.”

Lark smacked my arm. “Don’t cuss in front of the babies!”

As she and Aaron laughed at me, I checked around the house. Baby stuff filled the spare room. Wedding presents were stacked against the wall in what should have been a dining room. I saw a tiny house full of crap, but no Raven.

“She tricked me,” I admitted.

“Sorry, but you should know better than to have done whatever you did to make her trick you.”

“She didn’t tell you?”

Lark shuffled over to Aaron and sat next to him on the couch. “Why would Raven tell me about you two screwing? Is it serious? Should I be knitting booties for you too?”

“You’re knitting?”

“Yep. See?” she said, waving her hand towards bags of unopened knitting supplies.

“She’s pacing herself,” Aaron added.

“Well, sorry to interrupt your wedded bliss.”

“Raven won’t make it easy for you. If she went home, she’ll hide in that big Johansson house until you leave.”

“Seriously, dude,” Aaron muttered, mouth full of popcorn. “Try playing hard to get a little. This chasing after a chick makes you seem desperate.”