Bad Boy Daddy by Chance Carter Read Free Book Online Page A

don’t know. Maybe a hundred.”
    “They would have spanned out. They knew you wouldn’t be able to get far without help.”
    “Now they know I have help.”
    “Yes, you do,” he said, and I could have cried when he said that. If it wasn’t for him, I’d already be back at Wolf’s mansion, suffering God knows what torture.
    A waitress came to us with menus. Jackson ordered two ice waters and two cups of coffee.
    “Jackson,” I said. “If you want to back out, I won’t hold you to any of this. You did what I asked. You got me away from Nevada. They won’t find me here so easily.”
    He shook his head. “I already told you, we’re together now, Faith. There’s no backing out on that.”
    “If they find you, they’ll kill you.”
    He nodded. “Yes, they will.”
    “So why don’t you get out now, while you still can? There’s no sense in both of us being in danger.”
    “Stop it,” he said. “You know it’s too late for that. I told you I’d give you a life for a life. I meant it.”
    “What does that even mean?”
    “My father died a few days ago,” he said, looking down at the table.
    “I’m sorry.”
    “It’s all right. He lived by the sword and he died by it.”
    “It must be difficult for you.”
    “What’s difficult is that I’m his only son. His only child.”
    “I see.”
    “If I die, his line dies. I don’t want that to happen.”
    “Well, putting yourself in danger to protect me isn’t going to help the situation.”
    “But you’re going to give me what I need to protect the future, Faith.”
    “You mean?” My breath caught in my throat.
    “Yes. You’re going to give me a child, Faith. That’s what I meant when I said I’d take everything you had to give.”
    “A child?”
    “Yes.”
    “How can we? In this situation?”
    “You leave the situation to me. I’ll take care of Los Lobos. That’s what I can offer.”
    “And I’ll give you a baby?”
    “That’s the deal.”
    I didn’t know what to say. I was dumbfounded. He was so certain of what he wanted. I’d never heard anything like it.
    “A life for a life,” I said. “That’s what you meant?”
    “Yes, it is.”
    “How do you know I’m the woman you want to have a child with.”
    He smiled. “Call it a hunch.”
    Tears rose to my eyes and I struggled to keep them back. It must have been the shock. I didn’t know if I was delighted or terrified by what he was saying.
    “You could have had any number of women give you a baby. I’m sure they’re lining up for you wherever you live. You didn’t need to pick one that was being hunted down by the most dangerous gang in all of Nevada.”
    “I wanted you .”
    “It doesn’t make any sense. If you wanted a child, you should have chosen someone safer.”
    “I choose you . I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life.”
    I looked at him, looked into his eyes, trying to read their meaning. What was he saying to me? Was he just telling me what he thought I needed to hear? Was I just hearing what I wanted to hear to shield myself from this terrible situation? I didn’t want to be a fool. I didn’t want to be naive.
    The waitress returned with our drinks.
    “Are you ready to order?” she said.
    Jackson looked at me. “You must be starving.”
    “I am,” I said. I turned to the waitress. “Could I get the chili with a side of toast, a side of bacon, and a caesar salad.”
    She looked over my thin frame, surprised I wanted to eat so much. “You want anchovies on the salad?”
    I shook my head.
    Jackson smiled. “Good girl,” he said, impressed I was willing to eat my fill in front of him. “I’ll have the steak and eggs, the steak medium, the eggs over easy.”
    “Toast with that?”
    “Toast and steak sauce.”
    “Coming right up,” the waitress said and left.
    When she was gone, I looked right at Jackson. I was still reeling from what he’d said.
    “You want me to have your baby?” I said again, incredulously.
    He laughed.