Damaged and the Outlaw (Damaged #4)

Killing was all I knew how to do. No sense in crying over my choices, even if they led to my empty life in a place full of possibilities.

Even under threat, I had a decent life in Ellsberg. Shacked up in a good sized bachelor pad with a gym and pool, I also bought a patch of wooded land from Kirk where I built a cabin. The area was secluded and I’d often think about making my last stand against the Devils in my cabin. More likely, I’d get killed taking a leak at a bar.

There were things a dead man walking shouldn’t have and that included a pet. I’d wanted a dog, but felt weird about what would happen to it once I was killed. Judd was too lazy for dogs. Cooper had so many that mine would get lost in the mess. I figured I shouldn’t get a pet anyway. Attachments made men soft. This fact was made obvious lately by my buddies.

I blamed Tucker. A little over a year earlier, the idiot strolled over to a table filled with college girls. Each one shot him down until he was left with Maddy. For whatever reason, she thought he was funny. Or maybe just hot enough to overcome his lack of brain cells. They hooked up and he quickly handed his balls to her with a ribbon tied around them. He acted like he was still his own man, but the guy was whipped to the point of being fluffy.

Once he lost his way, the others fell like dominoes. Cooper and Judd were family men now. While my fellow enforcer wasn’t ready for kids, our boss had a baby on the way.

Cooper hadn’t announced this fact. No, apparently, it was a secret couples kept until some magical point in a pregnancy when it suddenly became everyone else’s problem. Even though Cooper and Farah didn’t tell anyone she was knocked up, it was pretty damn obvious.

A three feet radius, maybe more, existed around Farah now. Cooper got psycho pissed if anyone entered the bubble around his woman. While he’d always been territorial, he was now like a junkyard dog protecting his bone.

Even as we bowled, Cooper glared at anyone stupid enough to wander near Farah. For her part, she looked about the same. Well, hot dogs now made her nauseous. Clearly, the hormones were already giving her bad taste.

Bailey and I sat eating foot longs by ourselves. Nearby, Maddy and Tucker were busy announcing how they were free to party since Scarlet was with the Johanssons for the night. An hour later, they made this announcement drunk off their asses.

I just kept eating my hot dogs and bowling by myself. Bailey sometimes rolled a ball into a gutter. When I had them put up the bumpers for her, she managed to roll the ball into another alley and land in that gutter. The girl had a talent.

“I’m so bored,” she whined. “Why do you bowl? Are you lame?”

“Probably. Why are you here anyway?”

“Fuck you,” the redneck princess growled. “I’m part of the crew.”

“Yeah, but why is the crew here? Cooper is hovering around his woman like she’s the Hope diamond.”

“The what?”

Rolling my eyes, I continued, “Judd and Tawny bailed to fuck somewhere. Maddy and Dipshit are drunk off their asses.”

“So true.”

“Lark and Aaron are at home so she can gestate her litter. I’m essentially alone.”

“I’m here, dummy,” she growled again and this time the anger inspired a hot dog smelling burp. “Way not to appreciate me.”

“You hate bowling.”

“I know, but I’m here.”

“True. Sometimes, I think I should just fuck you and make you my woman until I’m dead. I’m lazy enough for it to work.”

“I don’t want to fuck you.”

Giving her a wink, I rolled the ball. “Whatever you need to tell yourself, princess.”

“I’m going the abstinence route. It’s my new thing.”

“I thought studying was your new thing?”

“That was when school was in. It’s summer break, idiot.”

“Why abstinence? Do you think playing hard to get will make some guy chase you?”

“No, Raven and I are giving up men. She’s doing it forever. I’m just doing it until I get bored.”

“Lark’s sister. The blonde one with the nice tits.”

“How would you like if people called you Judd’s friend? The blond one with small balls.”

“I wouldn’t mind. I’m really easy-going that way.”

Bailey grinned. “Do you think I’m pretty?”

“You’re fucking gorgeous. Just like the last time you asked.”

“I’d fuck you if you had a better personality. Why must you suck?”

“I wasn’t raised well,” I said, mussing her hair. “I’m finishing my game then ditching you with the drunks.”

Glancing around, Bailey realized Cooper and Farah had left. “Bummer.”

“Go hang out with Raven. You two can not have sex together.”

The idea of the two blondes naked gave me a moment to daydream. Bailey woke me up by punching my arm.

“I thought you were nice now?” I asked, admiring her right hook.

“Oh, yeah, sorry. I’ll try to remember next time you piss me off.”

“You don’t have to stay while I finish my game.”

“Raven is working tonight. Lark is sick. Tawny’s busy getting fucked. I have so many friends, yet I’m alone. I blame you.”