Rake's Redemption (Wind Dragons MC #4)(73)

“So you like Slice more than Ranger then?” I joke, sharing an amused glance with Lana.

“Slice is my best friend compared to Ranger. The bastard,” she says, slamming her fist into her palm.

“Really? Should we invite him to ladies’ night?” I tease, dodging the pillow she throws at me.

“There aren’t that many good-looking men in the Wild Men MC,” Anna points out. “Don’t you think? There’s a couple. Talon, Ranger, of course, Slice, and there’s that red-haired guy. He’s pretty hot.”

“Our men are better,” I say, smiling widely, flashing teeth.

Anna and Lana wholeheartedly agree with me.

“Bailey!” I hear Rake yell, and something in his voice has me standing on my feet. Anna and Lana do the same, worried expressions on their faces. The door opens and Rake stands there, angry tension radiating from him. “Come here.”

I quickly step to him and he holds me in his arms, his chest rising against my cheek.

“We have a f*ckin’ problem, baby,” he says, running his fingers through my hair.

“What?” I ask, dread settling in the pit of my stomach. “What happened?”

“Rake?” Anna asks, coming closer to stand next to her brother. “What’s going on?”

“Cara’s father is here,” he grits out, the word father leaving his lips like a curse word.

I lift my head. “Wh-what?”

Oh shit. He’s here? Does he have a death wish? How did he even know to come here? I’m definitely missing something here, because nothing makes sense.

And to make matters worse, I forgot to tell Rake that he showed up at the school that day. If I’d told him, all of this probably could have been avoided.

“Shit,” I whisper, flashing Rake an apologetic look.

“What is it?”

“He showed up at my school asking to see Cara, but then I didn’t hear from him again. I completely forgot to tell you about it.”

“Seriously? That’s kind of important information, Bailey,” Rake growls at me, scowling. “She’s mine too, and if this bastard thinks he’s taking her, he has another thing coming.”

“What am I going to do?” I ask hesitantly.

“Let’s hear him out, then tell him to f*ck off,” Rake says, scrubbing a hand down his face.

“I want my daughter,” I tell him, needing to have her near me. “I want to go to her, now.”

“She’s with Faye and Sin at their house,” he says, running his hand down my back soothingly. “Trust me, no one is safer than her right now. We just need to deal with this *.”

“So he’s actually here right now? At the clubhouse?” I ask, my eyes wide.

I still don’t get it. He walked into a biker clubhouse demanding to see my Cara and me?

Rake nods, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, yeah he is. He wants to see you. I’ll take you there because he won’t negotiate otherwise, but you will not leave my side, do you understand?”

I nod, swallowing hard. “He’s not taking Cara.”

“No, he sure as f*ck isn’t. I’ll explain everything to you later.”

Fuck.

Why does this shit happen to me?

Rake turns to his sister and Lana and says sternly, “Both of you stay here.”

“Rake—”

“Just listen this time, Anna,” he says, pushing me forward until I’m out the door, then closing it behind him.

“Whatever happens,” he says, staring down at me intently. “I will make sure it’s okay. All right? You have nothing to worry about. He wants to start shit; I’ll handle him.”

I nod, not sure what to say.

I didn’t really understand what was happening right now.

We keep walking until we reach the living area, where Arrow is standing, arms crossed, looking imposing as hell. Next to him is Wade. It’s hard to believe he’s Cara’s biological father, because she looks nothing like him. It’s unfair that he gets to be called that, since the only thing he did was not wear a condom, but apparently that qualifies for the title.

“Bailey,” he says, standing and facing me.

“Wade,” I say, forcing myself to keep my expression neutral. “What the hell do you think you’re doing here?”

“Like I said before, I want to see my daughter,” he says, putting his hands in his pockets. “Just want to see my little girl.”

I tighten my lips. “How did you know where I was?”

First the school, now the clubhouse? This is getting a little scary.

He licks his lips and looks away. “I have my ways.”

Another bullshit answer.

Arrow steps closer to the man. “Answer the lady. Or I’ll ask her to leave and I’ll ask you the same question in a much less nicer way.”

Wade smirks, but I don’t miss the flash of fear in his eyes. “My brother is on his way here. You can’t touch me.”

His brother?

“Who’s your brother?” I ask him, looking to Arrow and Rake, who don’t give me an answer.

I don’t like the smugness on Wade’s face right now.

Not one bit.

“He’s a Wind Dragon,” Wade tells me, satisfaction etched all over his expression.