Doc: Salvation’s Bane MC 12

EXCERPT

“Dad!” Linnie called out to me from the parking lot.

I hadn’t noticed her right away because the car she got out of wasn’t the car she
was supposed to be getting out of. Instead of the sleek red Mercedes I knew
Chucky usually drove, she got out of a light blue Taurus. Car had to be at
least fifteen years old. Judging by the slight trail of smoke coming from under
the hood, the poor thing had had it.

Relief flooded me, but I did my best not to let it show.
Instead, I lifted my hand and waved to my daughter, plastering a big welcoming
smile on my face. “Hey, sweet Caroline!” There you go, Trix. She wanted
me to use Linnie’s given name? I hoped she never got the song out of her head.

Linnie ran around the front of the car to the driver’s side.
She appeared to be begging the person driving to get out of the car. I was
prepared for some sixteen- or seventeen-year-old punk wanting to date my
daughter. It was bound to happen sooner or later, though I’d hoped she’d be at
least forty when it did. What I wasn’t prepared for was the slender beauty who
stood and allowed Linnie to snag her hand and lead her toward me. Wasn’t
expecting this. If this was Linnie’s girlfriend, I was so fucking fucked,
because I was sure it was bad form for a man to lust after his daughter’s
girlfriend.

The woman was young. Probably barely out of her teens, if
that. She had long, jet-black hair that hung down her back in tight spirals,
shimmering with bluish-silver highlights in the sun. The breeze blowing off the
sea made all that shining silk blow to one side and whip around her body with
every sudden gust. Her skin was pale, a sharp contrast to the gleaming ebony
hair. She wore pink shorts with large yellow flowers on them and a
short-sleeved white T-shirt. The same flower in pink was inlaid with a smaller,
identical flower in yellow. Definitely one of Linnie’s friends, romantic or
otherwise. Which meant I needed to look the fuck away. Because, no matter how
young she looked or dressed, something in me noticed the woman beneath. Even if
she was trying to hide that woman.

“Dad! Dad!” Linnie waved as she tried to run with her friend
in our direction. The woman with her, however, refused to follow Linnie’s lead
willingly. She looked reluctant as hell to come near us. Every now and then,
her gaze fell on me, and she’d immediately look away. Kept coming back to me,
though. Like she couldn’t decide whether or not to be afraid of me. “I want you
to meet my teacher.”

That got my attention. This lovely young woman was most
certainly not Janet Wankum. Which made me wonder exactly how old this girl was.
If she were Linnie’s teacher wouldn’t she be at least eighteen? No. Not
necessarily. This was a private music class. This could be another student
further along than Linnie helping out Ms. Wankum. I couldn’t help but let my
gaze sweep over the girl again in a more thorough perusal. Thank God for
sunglasses. Surprisingly, I recognized her. Should have by the hair, but she
always kept it in a bun at the base of her skull. Though I hadn’t known she was
a teacher, I knew she was a stellar musician. I remembered seeing her play
various instruments from the piano to the guitar and violin. Thought she played
the flute too, but I wasn’t sure. What I hadn’t realized at the time was how
stunningly lovely she really was.

Yep. She was luscious, her eyes a gleaming silver that
seemed to look into a man’s soul. Her body was slender yet filled out to
perfection. Her breasts were small, but with her compact body and finely
muscled thighs, she gave the appearance of someone athletic. Maybe that of a
delicate ballerina. Not a musician.

“This is Talia. Her dad’s in an MC too.”

I’d seen her with the younger kids, helping them with all
the patience of a woman twice her age. I’d caught her staring at me more than
once, but she never approached me or gave me the indication she was anything
other than afraid of me. I also thought I knew her father. Which probably
explained her trepidation. If she lived in a biker compound, she’d be wary of
another MC member.

“Rocket? From Grim Road?”

Her lips parted in surprise, and her pale gaze met mine
briefly before she lowered her eyes submissively. Goddamn if my cock didn’t
give a jerk.

“Yes,” she said with a quick nod. “Rocket is my dad. You
know him?”

“I do. Good man. Leads his club well.”

“Of course, you know that outlaw,” Trix spat. “He’s a thug,
and that girl is as bad as he is. She’s trying to steal Janet’s students.” Trix
lunged for Linnie, trying to pull her away from Talia. My daughter gave her
mother an impatient look and shrugged her off.

“Mom, Ms. Janet asked Talia to help. She has more students
than she can handle but doesn’t want to drop anyone. Since Talia is the most
advanced of any of us, she helps. Ms. Janet has us two days a month and so does
Talia.”

“I’m not paying for this little… tramp to sit back
and play on her phone while you have another practice session.” Trix nearly
spat the word “tramp.” “You can practice at home, Caroline. From now on, you’ll
let me know what days you’re supposed to be with Janet, and those are the days
you’ll go.”

Caroline looked like her mother had slapped her. “Mom! I
can’t believe you said that! Besides, I know Dad’s the one paying for my
lessons, because he gives me money for them every week I’m with him.” She
stepped away from Beatrix and snagged Talia’s hand again. The older girl tried
to twist free, but Linnie was having none of it. “Talia is a wonderful teacher.
Even Ms. Janet says so.” Linnie looked at me with pleading eyes. “Daddy,
Talia’s not like Mom says.”

“It’s all right, Caroline.” Talia spoke softly, patting
Linnie on the shoulder and gently tugging her hand away. “Not everyone
understands my dad or our way of life. I’m used to it.”

The girl turned to go, but Caroline was persistent. “Please
don’t go yet, Talia. You promised to eat dinner with us. Remember?”

“I said I’d think about it.” She glanced at her watch. It wasn’t a fancy watch
like the kind that connects to your phone, but one that looked vintage grandma.
Tiny face. Elastic metal band. “I’m sorry, but I really need to go.” To say
Talia looked supremely uncomfortable was an understatement. She wouldn’t look
at Beatrix at all and only cast furtive glances my way. Mostly she had her head
down.

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