Damaged and the Outlaw (Damaged #4)

Bailey sat up on the bed next to me. “I’m thinking about taking business courses. I said I would because Tucker said I was too dumb and I wanted to prove him wrong. Mostly, I wanted to throw a fit because I don’t need a stupid person telling me I’m stupid. Now, I think I might want a business degree. I could help Cooper by running the legitimate stuff our family owns. Do you think I’m a natural born leader?”


Sizing up Bailey, I shook my head. “No, but you’re young and still figuring things out. By the time you graduate with your fancy degree, you’ll know exactly who you are and people will follow you.”

Bailey grinned, looking so young in that moment. “I like when you tell me things like that. Sometimes, when Lark or Tawny say nice things, I feel like they might be faking it. More Lark than Tawny, but I think they want me to feel good about myself even when I suck. They can tell me when to shut up when I’m being a bitch, but when I’m a loser, they lie. You don’t.”

“That’s Lark’s fault. She is usually standing next to me, so I can say mean shit and she’ll fix it with her sweet smile. When I’m on my own, I tend to get in trouble.”

“Me too. I’m better when Tawny’s around to keep me from telling people to suck my balls.”

“Guys laugh when you say that, don’t they?”

Bailey nodded.

“I get that a lot too. Men laugh at my mouth because they think I won’t take a shot at them.”

“I like shooting things. Not animals, but some people are okay to shoot.”

Sawyer ran into the room and dove onto the bed. “I can’t wait to get my gun, so I can shoot losers.”

“You going to be a cleaner when you grow up?” I asked as Sawyer rested between us.

“I’m going to be a pilot. I told Uncle Cyrus I wanted to travel all over the world and he said I should become a flight attendant.” Sawyer’s face twisted into a disgusted frown. “Screw him. Pilots make more money, get to fly big planes, and have a better uniform. I’m going to be a pilot.”

“You’ve got it all figured out,” Bailey said, sounding a little depressed now.

“Sure. Life’s not hard.”

“Just wait.”

“Don’t be a whiner,” Sawyer muttered, frowning at her sister. “In five years, you’ll forget you were a whiner. I’ll be a teenager and I’ll remember you were a whiner and I’ll tell you and you’ll lie and say you weren’t. I should get the phone and make a video as proof.”

“You shouldn’t fight with each other,” I said, sliding off the bed. “You’re sisters and that’s a magical thing. Lark and I are different, but we’re the only ones who had each other’s backs. You are the youngest and you’re girls. You should be best friends and fight for each other.”

As Sawyer and Bailey considered teaming up against the world, I dug around in my purse for another Nicorette. Missing Vaughn made the urge to smoke worse. I kept waiting for the need to pass, but I still wanted a cigarette. I also wanted Vaughn. While all of the need was making me cranky, I put it into neutral for a girls’ night at Farah’s house.

Back in high school, I never imagined Cooper would end up in suburbia. Not that his large updated house was wussy. A guy definitely lived there. Despite the pretty front porch and family pictures on the walls, the dark paint colors plus giant leather couches and black furniture reeked of male taste.

With her dark hair wrapped up into a braid, Farah sat on the couch with Lark’s head resting on a pillow in her lap. My sister looked tiny curled up under a blanket. The two pregger pals were miserable together. Since Tawny brought Lark a blanket, the pixy hadn’t moved.

Bailey tiptoed past the couch, tripped over a Rottweiler, and cursed loud enough to wake Scarlet. Despite the noise, Lark remained perfectly still while Farah only opened half an eye.

“It’s like they’ve been hit with the plague,” Maddy said, making BLT sandwiches. “These always made me feel better.”

“I thought cravings were different from every chick,” Bailey asked, glaring at the dog as if it was always his plan to trip her.

“All a girl can do is to try different things until they find what helps them with their nausea.”

“Because I’m nice and care about people now, I’ll hold their hair while the preggos puke. I’ll also consider cleaning up the mess. Can’t promise anything.”

“I’ll help you,” Sawyer announced. “Helping Bailey is my new thing.”

Picking up the crying baby, I walked with a slight bounce. I knew how to soothe babies from when I’d babysat for a neighbor in high school. No doubt, she assumed I would call my boyfriend and party. I even suspected she had one of those nanny cams because when she returned from her night out, she was full of praise for my amazing babysitting skills.

Scarlet watched me with bright blue eyes. Her soft hair was a light blonde and I realized she looked the way my baby with Vaughn might.