“Explain,” Scott ordered. “Right the hell now.”
“He means a lot to me,” Ashley said, before I could get a word out. She stepped between us, holding her hands out either side.
Scott eyed me over her head. “You ain’t just screwing around?”
“Never.”
“So, you’re telling me you’re together, yeah? For real? You ain’t just bored up here and using Ash for relief?”
I grimaced at his words. Just the idea of using her like that made me sick.
Before I could answer, he held up his hand. “No need. Your face said it all. Got it.”
He looked back and forth between us for several moments, weighing up our revelation.
Time dragged as I remained tensed and ready for another attack.
But then he stepped back.
He raised his hands, indicating that he was standing down. “All right.”
Ashley frowned at him. “What? Really? That’s it?”
“Yeah.”
“Is this a trick?” she pressed, having as hard a time as I was with believing his easy acceptance of the two of us together.
“No, it ain’t,” he told her.
“But I—”
He cut her off and grunted at me, “You and me are gonna talk more.” He took off into the house, calling over his shoulder, “I need a fucking drink after seeing that shit.”
Ashley turned beet-red. Fuck. She’d just become comfortable sexually, just overcome her inhibitions and now his reaction was making her feel shame over it. “Here, little warrior,” I said, ushering her over. She came to me, her eyes wide and full of concern as she took in my bloodied eye. “Oh my God!” she cried, examining it, her soft fingers brushing over it. “It’s deep, baby.”
“It’s fine.” I wrapped my arm around her, tucking her into my side protectively, as we then followed after Scott.
Squeezing my arm, she whispered, “I thought this place was super secure?”
“It is.”
“Then how did my dad breach it? How is he even here right now?”
“I gave him access to the security system for his peace of mind. Plus, I did technically invite him.”
She stopped short, tugging on my arm, so I was forced to do the same. Rounding on me, she hissed fiercely, “What are you talking about?”
“I told you that I’d run something by him, that I was working on something.”
“So, you knew he was coming?” She gestured angrily behind us at the side of the house. “You let that happen, knowing he would walk in on us? Why? What’s wrong with you?”
“Yes, Ashley. I wanted your fiercely overprotective biker president father to catch me treating you to a hardcore rough and wild fucking right out in the open,” I said, sarcasm dripping.
“Fine,” she huffed. “I still don’t get it.”
“I told him to come by in a couple of days, once he’d made a decision about my proposed plan. He’s here earlier than I anticipated, than we agreed upon.”
She combed a hand through her hair in exasperation. “That’s him. He never can keep to anyone else’s schedule. He lives by his own rules.”
I took her hand again and she let me lead her back into the house. “At least it’s out now.”
She squeezed my hand, urgency spilling from her. “Finn, you don’t get it. That punch was probably only the beginning. He’s out of his mind when it comes to me. Once he beat a guy to a pulp for buying me a drink.”
“This is different.”
“How? If anything, it’s far, far worse.” She cringed. “He saw us… together.”
“Even if he had the means to beat me to a pulp, he knows he can’t. He’s relying on me too heavily.”
She gave my arm a slap. “You’re an arrogant son of a bitch, aren’t you?”
I grinned. “Turns you on, doesn’t it?”
“Never,” she said, lying her sweet little ass off.
“Don’t got all day!” Scott yelled from inside.
Ashley muttered a slew of curses under her breath and stomped into the room with me following in after her, readying myself to do what needed to be done.
17
~Wraith~
“THIS IS GOING TO SCAR!”
Scott merely stared at his daughter as she yelled at him.
She hadn’t stopped since we’d all congregated in the kitchen.
“You and your ridiculous rings, Dad! God!”
He just shrugged and told her, “Gonna be a clear warning to the boys about what happens to anybody who dares to touch my baby girl.”
“Urgh. Caveman mentality!”
“Call it what you want, my girl. That shit’s what keeps you safe.”
She rolled her eyes and continued dabbing at the bloodied graze beside my eye with a cotton ball soaked in alcohol. My first aid kit was open on the kitchen counter as I sat up at a stool, trying to be a good patient for once. I’d been fine doing it myself. After all, I’d had enough practice over the years. But she’d insisted, wanting to be helpful. Well, it was clear that it was really a lot more than that. She felt responsible for it. And it was obvious from her antsy demeanor since Scott had shown up that she needed to keep busy.
She was having a hard time being around him.
I’d wager that her furor over him punching me was really rooted elsewhere. There was so much tension between them. Her anger, resentment, and frustration toward him was all being channeled into the immediate scar situation.
Basically, they needed to talk, and get it all out there.
But now wasn’t the time, unfortunately. It would have to wait.
The Rogues threat had to take precedence.
A welcome silence fell for a while as Ashley concentrated on preparing a needle and thread to stitch me up. The fun part.
The peace was short-lived and she muttered, “The last thing Finn needs is another scar.” She jerked her head up, fuming at Scott, “You saw them when he was recuperating at the clubhouse. Don’t you think he has enough already, that he’s been through enough pain, huh?”
“Those weren’t my doing, baby girl.”
Although, his words made it seem like he wasn’t
