Damaged and the Outlaw (Damaged #4)

Vaughn glanced at me and grinned like a stud. “If it’s half as nice on the inside, I think we might have a winner.”


We both studied the yellow house on the tree lined street. Unlike the surrounding houses, it wasn’t covered in brick. The style felt more farmhouse than suburban oasis. Two stories and big, the house was new, yet looked lived in. A family called it home for now. They were leaving, but I imagined our family inside. A good sized Oak tree in the front yard might be strong enough one day to hold a tire swing.

“My kids are going to love this house,” Vaughn whispered, leaning back into his seat. “We’ll call the realtor on Monday. I’ll carry you up the stairs if I have to, but I want to see that house.”

“The schools are good in this area. Farah told me that once. We want our kids to go to good schools.”

Grinning, Vaughn started driving. “Big yard too. I can throw the ball around with the kids in a yard like that. Take them to the park we saw driving in.”

“Will you throw the ball around with the girls too?”

“Fuck yeah. My girls need to know how to throw and catch a spiral.”

When Vaughn winked at me, the last part of my uncertainties died. We were finally free and beginning a new life.

Vaughn parked his truck on the street in front of Cooper’s big house. I made quick work of the walk up the drive with crutches, but the front steps on their deck were tricky. As Vaughn picked me up, Cooper opened the door and frowned.

“Working my glutes,” Vaughn said, causing me to laugh.

At the barbecue, everyone treated me with kid gloves until Harlow and Winona arrived. While the blonde smiled easily and her bruises were healed, her adopted sister mostly hid behind her hair while avoided talking to anyone. With someone else to pity, I was in the clear.

Harlow got her break from the sympathy train when Dylan arrived. Lark babied him a lot while Aaron just frowned. Was Dylan a member of the family or a former suitor? For me, he was family. Like an annoying cousin I enjoyed in small doses. Sitting at a table, I mocked his Mohawk while he told people I got injections to make my lips so big. Sweeter than sweet Lark ordered us to be nice then proceeded to claim we both wet the beds growing up. Yes, Dylan was definitely family.

Bailey braided my hair then Lark’s. My sister ended up with a few braids sticking straight out. Farah received the double braid effect. Tawny decided to avoid her turn by chasing Sawyer in the yard while the dogs chased them both. Watching his woman play tag, Judd smiled in a way I rarely saw from the grumpy guy. Clearly, the new medicine and finally moving into their place had calmed Tawny.

By the time Vaughn had his hair braided, I was in stitches. Harlow laughed too and I even noticed Winona smiling under hair. My man stood up with his double braids and flexed a few muscles.

“I’m manly enough for any hairstyle.”

Even as the guys gave him shit for this statement, the girls all agreed my man was buff enough for braids. Vaughn just winked at me then decided he would go maternal by holding Scarlet. Like any girl, the baby enjoyed his attention.

“I’m glad you’re here,” Lark whispered in my ear.”

“Me too. I missed everyone.”

Bailey finally gave up coaxing Tawny to get braids. Flopping into a chair, she sighed loudly. When no one noticed, she sighed again even louder. I decided to baby her a little while my man played Uncle. Wobbling over to Bailey, I caressed her hair.

“One or two braids?” I asked.

Bailey leaned back and smiled at me like I was the best person in the world. “Two please.”

Cooper and Tucker frowned at their sister’s manners. I just shared her smile and worked on her hair. When I had trouble with my casted arm, Lark stood next to me and helped.

Surrounded by family and friends, I was blessed. Like an idiot, I ran away from home with big plans. Like any idiot, I crashed and burned.

Returning to Ellsberg, I lowered my expectations on what my future would offer. Instead of giving me the bare minimum, life blessed me with a sister in love, new friends, and the man of my dreams. I literally never fantasized of a life as amazing as the one before me.

As if feeling the same way, Vaughn held Scarlet and grinned at me. No longer the outlaw, he finally had a family, home, and future.





Epilogue – Vaughn


By our seventh anniversary, we had five kids and weren’t done yet. Raven was blessed with easy pregnancies and could run around until the moment of delivery. Oh, and did those deliveries become legend.