Chapter One
Glory
When Ripper had said finding work in this town wouldn’t be easy, he hadn’t been joking. I’d been in Blackwood Falls a week and had applied at every restaurant, bar, and shop in town. Either they weren’t hiring, or they just weren’t calling me back. I didn’t want to stay with Ripper any longer than I had to, but if I couldn’t support my daughter I didn’t have a choice. As it was, my money was running out and soon I wouldn’t even be able to pay for my own groceries. The money from the college was nearly gone. I’d used most of it on medical bills, and what little was left wouldn’t get me by for much longer.
The club had loaned me a vehicle so I could get around town. I hated relying on the Devil’s Fury so much. Badger had insisted I use one of the club trucks, and even made sure someone put gas in it. It didn’t feel right taking advantage. I liked paying my own way, but if I couldn’t find a job, I didn’t know what more I could do.
As it was, I could tell Ripper didn’t care much for having Sienna around. He’d been nice enough, and I couldn’t blame him for not wanting a crying baby under his roof. He wasn’t her father, and he shouldn’t have to put up with sleepless nights. Even though he’d offered to stay at the clubhouse, I didn’t want to boot him from his own space. I’d mentioned it to Badger and asked about the one-bedroom apartment. He’d stalled and put me off. If something didn’t change soon, I’d have to press the issue.
I almost wondered if Badger wasn’t trying to play matchmaker. If he was -- I hated to tell him, but he was doomed to fail. Ripper and I weren’t compatible in the slightest. We wanted different things from life. For one, he went to the clubhouse every night to party and came home drunk and smelling like cheap perfume. I didn’t own him, and he could certainly go where he wanted or be with whomever he wanted, but the way he stumbled into the house late at night didn’t exactly endear him to me.
I parked the truck at the clubhouse and got Sienna from the back seat. Since it was the middle of the day, and I didn’t see any other cars in the lot, I hoped it was safe to go inside. The last thing I wanted to do was carry Sienna inside and find half-dressed women, or worse. The women of the Devil’s Fury had been very clear about what to expect if I ever stepped foot in the clubhouse when I hadn’t been invited.
“Come on, baby,” I murmured to Sienna as I pushed open the door. “Let’s see if Badger is in his office.”
I hated asking for help. There wasn’t anything wrong with letting people give you a hand up when you needed it, but I’d fallen so far it felt like all I did was ask others to bail me out. Ripper let me stay in his house, the club let me use one of their trucks, and now I was going to ask for more. I felt horrible about it.
The interior of the clubhouse seemed brighter than it had the other day. I scanned the room and noticed a few bikers at a table playing cards, a lone guy stood at the bar, and someone was behind it wiping the space down. Taking a breath, I gathered my courage and started across the room.
“Badger’s not back there,” the man at the bar said, his voice deep and husky. It skated across me and I held back a shiver. Didn’t stop my nipples from getting hard.
What the hell?
I’d never reacted this way to someone speaking before. Or from anything else for that matter. I shifted Sienna so she’d hide my reaction to his voice before I turned to face him. He stared at my daughter, a look of longing crossing his face for a brief moment, before he held my gaze.
“What do you need, Glory?” he asked.
“You know my name, but I don’t know yours.”
His lips kicked up on one corner. “Wolf.”
Of course, his name would be Wolf. The guy had predator written all over him. I had no doubt he huffed and puffed and threatened to blow up the skirts of every woman in town. Although, with a voice like his, not to mention his looks, I figured most would just spread their legs before he even had to ask.
“Do you know when Badger will be back?” I asked.
“You could always stop by his house if it’s an emergency,” Wolf said.
By his house? My nose wrinkled and I shook my head. No, there was no freakin’ way I was going to bother the guy at home. I knew he had a wife and kid, and I’d heard the woman was pregnant again. If our roles were reversed, I wouldn’t want some strange person dropping by my home unannounced.
Wolf stood and came closer. Whatever woodsy scent he wore wafted toward me, and I couldn’t stop myself from taking a deep breath. Not helping! I wondered if I could hold my breath, so I wouldn’t be tempted to do something stupid… like rub up against him. I didn’t know what the matter with me was, but I needed to fix it.
“What’s wrong, Glory? Maybe I can help.”
Wrong? Other than me desiring a man for the first time in my life? “There’s nothing wrong, exactly.”
He reached for my arm, giving my elbow a gentle tug toward the bar. He kicked out a stool and motioned for me to sit. It left him towering over me until he reclaimed his own stool.
“Sweetheart, you haven’t come to the clubhouse since that first day. You wouldn’t be here
