Dylan POV
Last night was so fucking stupid. I never should have let Blaze come back here with me. What the hell was I thinking? I keep replaying it in my head, every filthy second, and it’s making everything worse.
“I can’t have my husband seen around bikers,” Rosalie snaps, her voice sharp and cold as she stands in the middle of my living room like she already owns the place.
I drag a hand through my hair, trying to keep my voice steady. “Rosalie, my father’s world deals with a lot of different people. I can’t just cut ties with certain connections because it looks bad.”
“Make sure nothing is seen in public then,” she says, eyes narrowing. “I won’t have my reputation ruined before we even get married.”
“Fine. I’ll be careful.” I try to shift the conversation. “Why did you come here today anyway?”
She steps closer, arms crossed tightly. “We agreed to talk. It’s been long enough. My only condition, Dylan, is that I want a child. Soon.”
“I already told you I’d rather wait until after the wedding—”
“No,” she cuts me off, her tone leaving no room for argument. “My mother is dying. I don’t have time to wait. Your father agreed. My father agreed. So why are you still fighting me on this?”
“Because I barely know you,” I say quietly.
“You know enough,” she replies bitterly. “I know exactly what kind of world you come from. You would have looked into me thoroughly, so don’t stand there and bullshit me.” She suddenly reaches forward for me like she's about to touch me. “What the hell are those marks?”
I flinch back hard, heart slamming against my ribs. “Nothing!”
Turning away from her I practically bolt into the bedroom, slamming the door and locking it behind me. My hands won’t stop shaking as I grab fresh clothes and start pulling them on as fast as I can.
“Dylan! You can’t just lock me out like this!”
I can, and right now, I need to.
When I finally step back out, she’s waiting in the kitchen, holding up the bottle of pills I gave her.
She slams it down hard on the counter. “Why the hell would you give me these if you never planned on actually trying? These are supposed to help with getting pregnant, Dylan. We’re not even trying. ”
My stomach twists painfully. Those aren’t fertility vitamins. I had them switched for contraceptives. I can’t risk getting her pregnant. I can’t even risk fucking her in the first place.
“Wouldn’t you rather we actually spend time together first?” I ask, voice low. “Get to know each other properly before throwing a child into all of this?”
“We’ll have nine months,” she says coldly. “My mother has maybe a year, two at the most. I can’t wait any longer, Dylan. So if you won’t agree, I’m going to tell my father no. He’ll find someone else, and your father can watch this entire deal fall apart.”
Fuck.
I stare at her, feeling completely backed into a corner. If she walks away, my father is going to lose it. The connection to the senator is too important.
“Fine,” I whisper.
She blinks, surprised. “Really?”
It’s not like she can actually get pregnant while she’s taking those pills. But the thought of having to fuck her… I don’t even know if my body will let me.
“Yes.”
She lets out a happy squeal and throws her arms around my neck, hugging me tightly. “Thank you!” She leans in to kiss me and I instinctively jerk my head back.
“So you agree, but you still won’t even kiss me?” she asks, clearly hurt.
“I haven’t brushed my teeth yet,” I mutter, pushing past her and heading straight for the bathroom.
I lock the door behind me and grip the edge of the sink, staring at my reflection.
I look wrecked, exhausted, marked up, guilty.
I brush my teeth aggressively, trying to scrub away the taste of Blaze from last night, but it’s useless.
Every time I close my eyes I see him. Feel him.
Hear the filthy things he whispered while he was buried inside me.
My cock twitches at the memory and shame floods through me instantly.
How the fuck am I supposed to do this? How am I supposed to fuck a woman when the only thing that gets me hard is thinking about him destroying me?
I’m completely screwed.
Five minutes later I walk out of the bathroom and freeze. Rosalie is already lying on my bed in just her underwear, the sheets pulled up around her like she’s ready and waiting.
“What are you doing?” I ask, voice tight.
“You said yes,” she replies, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
“Not now! I have things I need to sort out.”
She pulls the blanket higher and looks at me expectantly. “So when?”
I can’t say I don’t know. She won’t accept that. My mind races for something believable. “Tonight. I have to deal with my father right now, so… eight?”
I have no idea if that’s enough time for me to mentally prepare myself, but it’s the best I can come up with.
“Fine.” She gets up and starts pulling her dress back on. When she’s dressed she walks over, leans in, and kisses my cheek softly. “I’ll see you tonight.”
The second the door closes behind her, I sink down onto the couch and drag both hands down my face.
This is completely fucked up.
Even if I somehow manage to fuck her, she isn’t going to get pregnant. Not while she’s taking those pills. But I’m running out of ways to delay this. I’m trapped in a corner and I know my father won’t help me out of it. I still have to try.
I send a quick message and get myself sorted. When I step outside, the black car is already waiting. I climb in and my father looks over at me with that cold, calculating expression I’ve known my whole life.
“We need to talk about this child situation,” I say before he can start.
“It’s part of the deal, Dylan.”
“I’m not ready for a fucking child.”
He laughs like I said something amusing. “That’s what she’s for. She carries it, she gives birth, she raises it. You work. You don’t need to do anything with the child beyond providing the DNA.”
He’s completely set in his ways. Nothing I say is going to change his mind.
“I need you to go back to the Iron Kings,” he says suddenly.
Oh fuck. “No. Last time I was there I nearly got caught in the middle of a war between two clubs. I’m not doing it again.”
His expression doesn’t change. “No? Then I need something from your friend. Davina, right?”
I tense up instantly. “What about her?”
“Come on, Dylan. I’m not a fool. She’s fucking the president of another club.”
My entire body goes cold. “I…”
“Look, go into the club, mention Grim’s name, see what reaction you get. Tell them you had a run-in with him and he was with the West Crew. They’ll ask questions. You say enough to get them talking, then you listen and report back to me.”
“You want me to walk into a biker club and casually drop the name of a rival member?” I ask, stunned. “Are you serious?”
“I need real information. Clubs talk, even rivals. They all know what’s happening. You have a choice, go to Grim directly, or go through Davina.”
I can’t risk going near Grim again. He’ll try to finish what we started last time, and my life is already complicated enough. “Fine. I’ll go to Davina. So I just say I bumped into Grim and he was with the West Crew?”
“Not exactly. In our world, words aren’t enough. We need credibility.”
Before I can react, his fist slams into my face. Pain explodes across my eye and cheek. I groan and glare at him, holding my face.
“What the fuck?!”
“Grim hit you and threatened you. The only safe place you could think of was the club with your friends.”
Titan already knows too much. He won’t buy that I went there for protection. Still, I nod. I’ll figure out a better story when I get there so it doesn’t look suspicious.
The car stops and he gestures for me to get out. “Keep me updated. Do you have the gun?”
“Yeah, I’ve got it,” I lie.
I step out and the car drives off. I walk around the corner toward the clubhouse, already trying to come up with a believable excuse. I’ll tell Siren I want to set up a time for her to meet Rosalie. I can play the bruised eye off as nothing important.
This is all spiraling out of control, and I have no idea how to stop it.
I walk inside and spot Siren sitting with one of the other old ladies. She smiles brightly when she sees me and I force myself to smile back as I sit down.
“Rosalie was busy today, but I was thinking we should set something up for you two to meet? Outside the club,” I add, knowing how she feels about this place.
“Does she have an issue with the club?” Siren asks, tilting her head.
“No, not at all. I just think you two would get along great, and meeting outside the club could be better..”
“I’m free whenever. Just let me know,” she says warmly.
I smile and pull her into a quick hug. “Thanks, that’s great. I’ll check when she’s free.”
Siren pulls back and her expression changes as she looks at my face. “Are you not going to mention the eye?”
“It’s nothing,” I say quickly. If I make it sound like my father is already dealing with it, it’ll be more believable when Titan hears about this later.
“It’s nothing? You’ve got a pretty obvious bruise. Who hit you?”
“Look, all you need to know is it’s sorted,” I mutter.
“I don’t care if it’s sorted. I want to know who hit my friend.”
I sigh and lean forward, lowering my voice. “Just some guy from another club. But I dealt with it, Siren.”
“You?” She laughs, clearly not believing me. “How the hell did you deal with a biker who punched you?”
Titan looks up from across the room. I sigh heavily.
“I just did,” I whisper.
“No. Echo!” Siren suddenly shouts.
I groan as Echo stands up and walks over. “Siren, I said it’s fucking sorted.”
Echo leans against the side of the booth, looking between us. “What’s going on?”
Siren doesn’t even hesitate. “Some guy from another club hit him.” She points straight at my bruised eye.
I groan again. “It’s sorted, and it’s not a club issue.”
“It’s a club issue if you’re Siren’s friend,” Echo says firmly. “So talk.”
I hesitate, my eyes flicking around the room nervously. “I…”
“Come into the church room. Titan, follow,” Echo calls out.
I stand up reluctantly. “Thanks, Siren,” I grumble.