Malicious: A Nomad Biker Novel (Raiders of Valhalla MC Book 1) by Elizabeth Knox (free children's ebooks online TXT) 📕

I look from her to Astrid. “Princess, I’ll be right back to finish tucking you in. Okay?”

“Okay, Daddy,” she sniffles.

Leaving Astrid’s door open, I snag Charm by her arm and all but drag her down the stairs and through the back door onto the porch.

“Who the fuck do you think you are? You had no right to tell Astrid about her mother. That was for me to do. My burden to fuckin’ bear. You’re not their family. I am and you shouldn’t have told my daughter what happened,” I snarl, completely ignoring the fact Charm’s friend is standing there witnessing what I say.

“And what, you are?” Charm huffs snidely. “Let me tell you something, asshole. I’ve been in their lives every day for a while now and not once have I seen you around. I’m here for them while you’re what, off galivanting around on your Harley? Amanda was my friend, but she was family to me, more family than the blood I have. She trusted me with her kids, and I love them. So, excuse me for being there for Astrid when she’s only a little girl who wants her mommy. She’s inquisitive and she would’ve kept asking. You weren’t giving her the answer, so I did. You haven’t been here, you don’t know her nighttime routine. I bet you don’t even know her favorite color.”

“Get the hell away from me,” I growl, clenching my fists at my sides. I’d never hurt a woman. It’s not in me, but fuck if she’s not pissing me the hell off with her words right now. Acting like I don’t know my kids. This woman doesn’t understand the way Amanda and I were or how we decided to raise them.

She doesn’t know a damn fuckin’ thing.

Turning my back to her, I storm back into the house, go upstairs and soothe my daughter’s tears. I lie with her until she falls asleep, and head back downstairs, grab the bottle of whiskey Amanda always kept for me in the cabinets, and sit down at the table to drink the night away.

There’s no way I’ll be able to sleep now. Not when Charm’s words circle around and around in my head.

Chapter Five

Charm

“What the fuck is that dude’s problem? Did he really just get all shitty with you like that?” Even with Fern’s questions, I try my best not to let her get a reaction out of me. The guy did just lose the mother of his kids, and I’m trying my best to give him a break because of it.

“He’s taking his anger out on me, it’s obvious, but I’ll give him a pass for now. Their family has been through a lot of loss and the wound is still fresh.” When it comes to the two of us, I’m the compassionate one, while Fern is the woman who doesn’t give a damn if she’s a bit stern or gets in someone’s face. I try my best to be compassionate and patient with people. I guess we’re both extremes and while sometimes it’s hard to have a best friend who’s the total opposite of you, most of the time we mellow each other out.

“I totally get what you’re saying, but Charm, he reeled into you for giving Astrid the answer she was begging you for. Who the hell is he to say she didn’t deserve to know? Speaking from a woman whose mom died young, too, I wish someone was honest with me and didn’t try to sugarcoat it. Hell, you’ve been here for the last year and you’ve never even seen him once, right?”

I nod as we make our way through the path, both taking our leave after Fenrir essentially kicked us out to deal with the problem I caused, as he called it.

In all honesty, I didn’t realize it was going to be such a problem. I only thought I was helping by taking the burden off him, and giving her some peace of mind at knowing the answer. If I’d known he would’ve gone off on me in the way he did, I wouldn’t have said a damn word. At least, I don’t think I would’ve.

I never want to hurt anyone, even if he happens to be an angry biker. “I’m just so pissed for you, I mean, those kids are your damn life besides your grandma and you know it,” Fern speaks up out of nowhere, and I end up nodding again. She’s right more than she knows. I devoted so much of my life to my grandmother and making sure she made her transition in the most painless way possible, but every moment I wasn’t with her I was with Amanda and the kids. After my grandmother died, we all became much closer. Besides Fern, they’re the only people I’m close to in town.

“I know I don’t have many people in my life, but I am very grateful to you all and I love you dearly.”

“Fuck, I didn’t mean anything bad by it, girl. Shit, I’m sorry. I only meant that . . . dammit, I dug myself in the gutter. Want a glass of wine?”

Laughing at Fern getting flustered, I graciously accept. “You were reading my mind. I believe I have a dry chardonnay or a super dry red.”

“Chardonnay it is.” Fern scrunches up her nose as she speaks. She prefers wine coolers or the sweet stuff, but beggars can’t be choosers.

Fern and I get up on the porch and I put my key in the door, unlock it, and we make our way forward. She’s already on her way into the kitchen when I spot the light from the fridge at the end of the hallway. “I’m putting in some pizza rolls because I need some of them, alright? So don’t judge me with how they’re bad for me or whatever.”

“You do realize the only reason I have them is because you show up