Rake's Redemption (Wind Dragons MC #4)(15)

“Cute,” he replies, voice closer now. “I could if I wanted to.”

Egotistical bastard.

I look up to see him almost at our table. “Well, until you do own it, you should probably just leave me alone.”

“Who are you here with?” he asks, then comes to a stop when he sees Cara sitting there, peering up at him with curious brown eyes.

“Who’s the hottie, Rake?” his friend calls out.

Adam turns to his friend and says, “Shut the . . .” He turns to look at Cara, an apologetic expression on his face, then takes a seat next to me, opposite her.

“You never told me you had a kid,” he says to me, tone gentler now as he studies her intently.

“How do you know she’s mine?” I ask him.

“She looks just like you,” he says, giving Cara a little smile. “I’m Ra— I’m Adam. What’s your name, sweetheart?”

“Cara,” my daughter replies, flashing Adam an unsure look.

“That’s a pretty name,” he tells her sincerely. “And how old are you, Cara?”

I know exactly where Adam is going with this, but he’s wrong. Cara isn’t his child.

“I’m six.”

I can almost see him mentally calculating how long it’s been since we were together. If she were Adam’s, she’d have to be at least seven years old.

“She’s not yours,” I say under my breath, so only he can hear me, trying to put him out of his misery.

“Of course she isn’t,” he says in a soft, yet bitter tone.

He has no idea. None.

Let him be bitter—I couldn’t care less. I owe him nothing.

Or at least that’s what I tell myself.

Our food arrives, and Adam waits quietly as the waitress sets it down.

“Thank you,” Cara tells her politely, while I do the same. She smiles, then winks at Adam before she leaves. I ignore the stroke of jealously that hits me, because it has no right to be there.

“Listen, Bailey,” he starts, looking a little uncomfortable. “Anna and Lana haven’t spoken to me properly since that night. . . .”

He rubs the back of his neck, then watches Cara as she picks up a fry and pops it in her mouth. “Would you like some, Adam?” she asks, always considerate.

“No, thank you,” he tells her, smiling. “You’re a polite little thing, aren’t you? Your dad must be proud.”

Cara’s face suddenly drops, and I kick Adam’s leg with my left foot.

“I don’t have a dad,” she whispers sadly.

Adam’s expression softens. “Well, then it’s his loss, because you are one pretty, kind little girl.”

Cara lifts her face. “That’s what Mom says too.”

“Your mom is right,” Adam says, then turns to me while Cara continues to eat. “My own sister won’t give me the time of day. Lana gives me evil looks I didn’t even know she was capable of. They want to see you. I’ll stay away, all right? You have your girls’ nights, or whatever. As long as a few of the men are there with all of you, I won’t cause any shit.”

“It’s fine—”

“Bailey,” he says, sighing. “They want to be around you as much as you want to be around them.”

I nod my head, giving in. “Okay then. I’d like that.”

“And Bailey?”

“Yes?”

I don’t miss the way his jaw tightens. “Stay away from Talon.”

I open my mouth but then close it. I’m not going to justify that comment with a response. I will stay away from Talon because I don’t like him like that, not because he tells me so. I also don’t want to start any unnecessary trouble with everyone, especially for Anna and Lana.

He nods his head, like he knows he’s gotten his point across, then looks to my daughter. “Nice to meet you, Cara.”

“You too, Adam.”

He pushes back his chair, stands, and returns to his table. The four of them leave moments later.

I try not to look at the beautiful woman by Adam’s side.

Every time I’ve seen him, he’s been with a different woman. Are they so replaceable to him? Just like I was. It hits me just how much he’s changed, how much I don’t know about him anymore.

He really isn’t Adam anymore.

He’s Rake.

When Cara and I finish eating, I go to pay the bill, only to find out it’s already been settled.

Is that his way of saying sorry?

I don’t know.

I don’t want to think about him at all.





SIX




ANYONE who says men don’t gossip is lying.

After getting phone calls from both Anna and Lana, demanding to know why they had to find out from Rake that I have a daughter, I told them I’d meet them tonight to catch up. Not over alcohol, but dinner instead. I told them I’d cook, so they could come over to my house.

I decided to make sushi, because I remembered Anna loved it, and some homemade spring rolls and a few other bites. Cara and I often cook together, trying new recipes. She loves to help bake cakes and other sweets, so we both made a red velvet cake with cream cheese icing for dessert. After finishing up in the kitchen, I take a quick shower and get dressed in jeans and a black T-shirt that’s tight around my boobs and a little loose around my stomach. I give Cara a bath and put her in her favorite pink pajamas.