Bad Boy Daddy
Chapter 1
Faith
THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM, I hated his guts.
He was the sexiest creature on God’s green earth, and he was all the things I would never have. He was cocky, arrogant, and confident, but in none of the ways I was used to with Wolf.
He walked into the Los Lobos hangout like he owned the place. He was late for his appointment and, for a brief moment, I wondered what he must have told the guards for them to let him past. I was the only one still in the bar, enjoying a rare moment to myself.
“I’m looking for Wolf,” he said.
I shrugged. “You’re late.”
I was different in those days. I wasn’t happy with the hand life dealt me, and I took it out on whoever I could. I’m not proud of the way I was, but things were getting desperate for me and I was too afraid to admit I’d made a mistake. Wolf Staten was my mistake—a cruel, brutish mistake—a mistake I could never unmake.
“Well, whatever you do, don’t trouble yourself,” he said, an arrogant smile on his lips.
Was this jerk taunting me?
The truth was, I was sick of Los Lobos and their smooth-talking, tattooed, musclemen. The fact that this one had arms like Mark Wahlberg and a smile to match didn’t change that. He was a criminal, just like the others, and if he wanted to speak to Wolf, he could damn well show up on time like everyone else.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I was supposed to jump to attention every time a guy like you walked in.”
“You always this friendly to your potential partners?”
“You’re not my potential anything,” I said.
“You don’t know that.”
I looked into his eyes. Something about his confidence bugged the crap out of me. I couldn’t say what. Usually when people came to Los Lobos, they were scared to death. This guy looked like he was on a morning stroll through the park.
“Yes, I do,” I said, pointedly.
He held me in his gaze, then shrugged cheekily. “You might be surprised.”
“Might I? I doubt it.”
“Stranger things have happened.”
He was infuriating.
“Forget it,” I said. “Whatever you’re thinking, forget it. Then forget what you forgot. You look like the kind of guy who could manage that.”
He let out a laugh.
My eyes glanced over his chiseled chest and torso. God, he was sexy.
“God, you’re touchy,” he said.
I sighed. “I have my reasons.”
“I bet you do,” he said, looking around the bar.
I didn’t know if he was agreeing with me or challenging me. I didn’t know how to read him. He was frank and direct, didn’t play games, and in the world I lived in, games were the only thing that mattered.
“We could do this all day,” I said, “but I’m not in the mood for banter.”
“Have it your way. You know where I can find him?”
“Who?” I said, knowing full well who he meant. I was prolonging our interaction without even realizing it. Was I that lonely for real contact?
“Wolf.”
“I’m sorry, is there something about me that gives you the impression I’m his secretary?”
“Jesus. What is it with you? Just tell me where he is.”
“Fine. He’s gone. They all are. You missed them.”
“Shit,” he said.
I nodded. “So, you know, don’t let me keep you.”
I’d become a bitch and I knew it. He knew it too, but he took it as a challenge. He was one of those guys who wanted what he couldn’t have.
He looked at me and a smile crossed his face that drove me mad. He was so sexy I had to bite my lip. I won’t say what I really wanted to bite. It wasn’t every day I was alone with a guy like this. Wolf was too jealous to allow it. The way this guy looked at me made my heart speed up.
“Girl, you’re lucky I don’t come over there and teach you some manners.”
A mental image of him bending me over the bar and spanking my naked butt flashed before my eyes. It made my cheeks flush.
I knew I was being a bitch. I didn’t mean to be. He was charming as hell. He was just my type too, sexy, the bad boy look, muscles, tattoos, a raw attitude that exuded confidence. I wanted him to leave so that I wouldn’t be reminded of all the things I couldn’t have. I already knew he was nothing like Wolf. This guy would be good to his girl. He’d treat her right. He wouldn’t hit her. I had experience in that department, and I could tell. The truth was, this guy was everything I’d given up forever by getting involved with Wolf, and it was torture to see it.
I wanted him to turn around and walk out the door so I didn’t have to look at him, but another part of me was desperate for him to stay.
Faith
THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM, I hated his guts.
He was the sexiest creature on God’s green earth, and he was all the things I would never have. He was cocky, arrogant, and confident, but in none of the ways I was used to with Wolf.
He walked into the Los Lobos hangout like he owned the place. He was late for his appointment and, for a brief moment, I wondered what he must have told the guards for them to let him past. I was the only one still in the bar, enjoying a rare moment to myself.
“I’m looking for Wolf,” he said.
I shrugged. “You’re late.”
I was different in those days. I wasn’t happy with the hand life dealt me, and I took it out on whoever I could. I’m not proud of the way I was, but things were getting desperate for me and I was too afraid to admit I’d made a mistake. Wolf Staten was my mistake—a cruel, brutish mistake—a mistake I could never unmake.
“Well, whatever you do, don’t trouble yourself,” he said, an arrogant smile on his lips.
Was this jerk taunting me?
The truth was, I was sick of Los Lobos and their smooth-talking, tattooed, musclemen. The fact that this one had arms like Mark Wahlberg and a smile to match didn’t change that. He was a criminal, just like the others, and if he wanted to speak to Wolf, he could damn well show up on time like everyone else.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I was supposed to jump to attention every time a guy like you walked in.”
“You always this friendly to your potential partners?”
“You’re not my potential anything,” I said.
“You don’t know that.”
I looked into his eyes. Something about his confidence bugged the crap out of me. I couldn’t say what. Usually when people came to Los Lobos, they were scared to death. This guy looked like he was on a morning stroll through the park.
“Yes, I do,” I said, pointedly.
He held me in his gaze, then shrugged cheekily. “You might be surprised.”
“Might I? I doubt it.”
“Stranger things have happened.”
He was infuriating.
“Forget it,” I said. “Whatever you’re thinking, forget it. Then forget what you forgot. You look like the kind of guy who could manage that.”
He let out a laugh.
My eyes glanced over his chiseled chest and torso. God, he was sexy.
“God, you’re touchy,” he said.
I sighed. “I have my reasons.”
“I bet you do,” he said, looking around the bar.
I didn’t know if he was agreeing with me or challenging me. I didn’t know how to read him. He was frank and direct, didn’t play games, and in the world I lived in, games were the only thing that mattered.
“We could do this all day,” I said, “but I’m not in the mood for banter.”
“Have it your way. You know where I can find him?”
“Who?” I said, knowing full well who he meant. I was prolonging our interaction without even realizing it. Was I that lonely for real contact?
“Wolf.”
“I’m sorry, is there something about me that gives you the impression I’m his secretary?”
“Jesus. What is it with you? Just tell me where he is.”
“Fine. He’s gone. They all are. You missed them.”
“Shit,” he said.
I nodded. “So, you know, don’t let me keep you.”
I’d become a bitch and I knew it. He knew it too, but he took it as a challenge. He was one of those guys who wanted what he couldn’t have.
He looked at me and a smile crossed his face that drove me mad. He was so sexy I had to bite my lip. I won’t say what I really wanted to bite. It wasn’t every day I was alone with a guy like this. Wolf was too jealous to allow it. The way this guy looked at me made my heart speed up.
“Girl, you’re lucky I don’t come over there and teach you some manners.”
A mental image of him bending me over the bar and spanking my naked butt flashed before my eyes. It made my cheeks flush.
I knew I was being a bitch. I didn’t mean to be. He was charming as hell. He was just my type too, sexy, the bad boy look, muscles, tattoos, a raw attitude that exuded confidence. I wanted him to leave so that I wouldn’t be reminded of all the things I couldn’t have. I already knew he was nothing like Wolf. This guy would be good to his girl. He’d treat her right. He wouldn’t hit her. I had experience in that department, and I could tell. The truth was, this guy was everything I’d given up forever by getting involved with Wolf, and it was torture to see it.
I wanted him to turn around and walk out the door so I didn’t have to look at him, but another part of me was desperate for him to stay.