Page 82 of Bleed Me

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The electric charge in the dining room was so intense even the one-year-old picked up on it. Her tomatoey fingers were starting to slow, her sweet little blue eyes darting between me and Justice as I snarled, “Are you askin’ me to fuck Saph?” Wisely, Sapphire stayed quiet, staring at her plate, letting me and my Old Lady talk. This was huge. I was committed to her on a soul-to-soul level. Now she was asking me to cheat? “Can’t we use some clinic?”

Justice, still holding her crystal necklace, breathed in deep, as if preparing for a battle. “Yes, we can spend several grand to do this. If it don’t take, we could try again, but… that don’t feel right to me.”

“And me fuckin’ another woman does?”

She squared her shoulders. “Don’t talk to me as if I haven’t considered the ramifications.” Her stare narrowed. “But I still have beliefs. You were with Saph for one motherfucking night and morning. Bam! We have Grace.” Grace banged a sippy cup on her tray, drawing Justice’s attention. She pointed to the loved baby. “She was meant to be, Giver. Can the same be said for artificial insemination?”

Biting back a rude comment, I replied, “The parents who it has worked for would say yes.”

“Why is this scenario making you so mad?”

My chair skidded back as I stood. “Because this Stallion ain’t for rent. Something I thought you would appreciate.”

Awareness crossed her expression, but I was too pissed to care. I stormed out of the house. On my bike, I raced away, my ego totally bruised. At a red light, I yanked out my cell. When Dagger answered, I asked, “Up for a beer away from the compound and my women?”

“More than one? Hell yeah. This sounds like it’ll be entertaining.” He reminded me of a little dive bar that was considered ‘safe’ from prying ears.

The bar was dark and perfect for how I was feeling. There weren’t many tables nor many guests. Halfway through a cold one, Dagger walked in, easily spotting me at the bar. He sidled up next to me, laughing at my beer, then told the bartender, “We need some whiskey over here.” He eyeballed me again. “Let’s make that a whole lotta whiskey. Stat.”

She winked at him. “Coming right up, Dagger.” I lifted a brow at him. The old one-eyed coot shrugged. “You ain’t the only Stallion wanted.”

Jesus. He already fucking knows. “Justice?”

He sighed. “Yeah, kid. She said she knew I’d be the one you’d call.”

“Sorry. We just got off the road. Didn’t meant to involve you—”

“Damn! You are on a self-pity trip tonight! Like I have anything better to be doin’.” The bartender dropped off full shot glasses, silently daring him to a challenge. “Until later, that is.” His wink had her smiling and sashaying her hips while walking to tend to other patrons.

When Dagger’s eyes had yet to return to me, I balked, “Hello! The reason you came here is?”

He blinked. “Oh yeah. You.” He sucked on his teeth. “Not fucking fine Ginger. Ummm. Where were we?”

“Fucker.” I downed the shot.

He shook my shoulder. “Jesus! Lighten up! Women wantin’ your sperm ain’t so bad!” The bar went quiet.We both peered over our shoulders to observe everyone now staring at us. Laughing, Dagger lifted his fingers in the air. “Two more shots please?”

I mumbled, “I’m callin’ Vice next time.”

Still fighting laughter, he said, “All right, Daddy Dagger will be more serious now.”

“Did you just call yourself Daddy Dagger.”

Shots appeared in front of us, Ginger cooing, “I’ll call you daddy.”

Is anyone taking me seriously right now?

Daddy Dagger rumbled, “You sure will, you sweet thing—”

“Dagger!”

The bartender, laughing, walked away as Dagger said, “Okay! Okay!” He took the shot. “All jokes aside.” He inhaled and exhaled, then got quiet. “I was part of her rescue.”

That got my attention like a sailor manning his ship. Justice.

He exhaled again, definitely not appreciating the memory that was now in his head and heart. “I don’t have the energy to explain the shape we found that girl in, but I can tell you that she is a true believer in signs. That belief system got her through some horror that would take any Stallion to his knees. Feel me?”