Dirty Mind (Nashville Outlaws #2) Page 7

  “I hear what you’re saying. I do. I know it wouldn’t be easy, but you can’t tell me you’re not gonna date anymore or—”

  “Marriage isn’t my thing. I think that’s pretty obvious by now. So why would you want your sister-in-law to get involved with a guy who can only give her temporary? Don’t you think she deserves more than that?”

  “I think she deserves whatever she wants, and I’m not the guy to decide that for her. Neither are you. If she wants to pursue this thing with you, knowing the potential fallout, would you have the kahunas to go for it?”

  I swore softly when I heard my doorbell, followed by a man’s voice. The gatehouse didn’t ring up, which meant Charli must have called down to give them a head’s up someone was coming. WTF? She’d invited a man to my house? If it was that puke she’d been with last night…

  “Uh Knox, someone’s at my door. Gotta go see who it is, okay? Don’t worry about us. We’re good. You just focus on showing your beautiful bride the time of her life in Maui and give her a kiss for me, okay?”

  “Will do, but if you need to talk, call me?”

  The fact that he would offer that, when he was supposed to be lost in his own world, meant everything. “Thanks, I’ll catch up with you when you get home.”

  I disconnected the call and grabbed sweats from my drawer before dashing into the bathroom to take a leak and finger comb my hair. I didn’t know who the hell Charli’s visitor was, but something told me I didn’t have time to waste.

  As I made my way down the stairs, I recognized that voice. And dread twisted my gut. Her father. Of course he’d come to tear me down, face-to-face. He didn’t seem like the kind of guy who’d shit-talk me behind my back when he could ream me out in person.

  I paused on the bottom step, taking in the scene. Charli was frying eggs and bacon at the stove and her old man was sitting at the island, his back to me. I cleared my throat to let them know I was there, and Charli whirled around so fast she almost dropped the spatula.

  “Hey!” she said, shooting a frantic look at her father. “I didn’t know you were up.”

  I refused to feel intimidated by anyone, so I strode across the foyer to the open kitchen. “Good morning, Mr.—”

  “Chee,” he growled, glaring at me. “Thought I told you that already.”

  “Right.” I took a deep breath. “What brings you by so early?”

  He gestured to his daughter. “Isn’t it obvious? I wanted to see what the hell’s goin’ on here. My wife tells me Charli’s gonna be stayin’ here with you and I wanna know why.”

  “Look,” I said, bracing my hands on the counter. “I’m sorry that you and your family have been dragged into this mess. I obviously should have practiced more discretion at the wedding and—”

  “No,” he said, stabbing a beefy finger in my direction. “You should have kept your goddamn hands off my daughter!”

  “Hey!” Charli turned on him, pointing the spatula. “I have a mind of my own and I can speak for myself, thank you. I didn’t do anything I didn’t want to do. And for the record, I have no regrets.”

  This girl was killing me. No one had ever gone to bat for me against an adversary as scary as her old man and I tried letting her know with a soft smile that I appreciated it, but I could defend myself.

  “Charlie and I are both adults.” I looked him in the eye. “You may not like what happened, but you don’t have the right to come here and—”

  “I don’t have the right?” He narrowed his eyes, like he was thinking about tearing a strip off me. “She’s my baby girl. That gives me the right.”

  I had no doubt Chee had been a menace in his day and probably still had some dirty ties to a criminal world I wanted to know nothing about, but if he sensed I was gonna back down, he’d stomp all over me.

  “Charli,” I said, quietly. “Would you mind giving me a few minutes with your dad?”

  “But…” She gestured helplessly to the skillets on the stove. “Breakfast is almost ready and…” She blew out a breath, ruffling her sideswept bangs. “I really don’t want y’all to get into it over—”

  “Please.” I sent her a look that let her know I wasn’t asking. I was telling her I needed to do this.

  “Fine.” She dumped the food onto a platter and turned on her father, arms crossed. “But know this. I want to work for Dade. And if you screw this up for me, I’ll be pissed.”

  To me she said, “I’ll just go and grab a shower.”

  I nodded, waiting for her to make her way upstairs before I opened my arms and leaned back on the counter. “Okay, you came here to have it out with me. Let’s have it out. What’s your problem?”

  He practically growled when he leaned in and smacked his palm on the solid countertop. “I’ll tell you my problem. I hate opportunists like you. You think just ‘cause you’re rich and famous you can treat women like shit—”

  “I do not,” I said, through clenched teeth. “Treat women like shit. I don’t care what you’ve heard. You don’t even know me. You don’t know the kind of man I am.” I slapped my hand against my chest. “But you really wanna know? Ask people who’ve known me for years, like Cece and Knox.”

  “I don’t know how the hell you managed to snow them, but you have. They think you’re the goddamn paragon of virtue, and it’s your exes fault things didn’t work out, but I’m not buyin’ it.”

  “You don’t have to buy it. I’m not trying to sell you shit. You can think whatever you want, but just know this, I do like your daughter. And I am gonna do right by her. I may have made a mistake at the wedding, being so public about my interest in her—”

  “Then you admit you are interested in her?”

  Charli was the most interesting woman I’d met in years. She was everything I would have wanted… had I met her when I wasn’t so cynical and jaded. “I’m interesting in helping her out of this mess that I created.” I pointed at my chest. “I know I screwed up. I shouldn’t have dragged her into—”

  “Why do you care?”

  “What?”

  “Why do you care if the paparazzi stalks her, gives her a hard time?” He was studying me now, leaning back on the bar stool, inked arms crossed, looking pensive and still mad as hell. “No skin off your ass if they think you’ve got a pretty new toy.”

  If anyone else had called Charli my new toy I would have busted them in the chops, but I knew her father was just trying to bait me, and I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of thinking he’d won.

  “Contrary to what you might think, public opinion is important in my business. My image is everything. If people don’t like me, they won’t buy my records and my career’s gone, just like that,” I said, snapping my fingers. “I’ve worked too hard to let that happen.”

  “So this is all about your career then? This do-gooder act? I should’ve known you had some selfish ulterior motive.”

  “Look, after my last break-up I did an interview or two, made an announcement on social media asking my fans to bear with me, to try and understand what I was going through. My fans have been great. The people profiting off my story have been assholes.” That was putting it mildly. They were the scum on the bottom of my boots. “If people think I wasn’t being sincere, that I’m falling back into old habits, with Charli…” I knew this didn’t paint me in a positive light, but I was trying to be honest with a man I was pretty sure could sniff out bullshit a mile away.

  “You could lose everything.” He nodded, stroking his long white beard. “So, why’d you kiss her like that? You must have known someone would snap a picture.”

  I nodded, wondering if it was time to lay all my cards on the table. “So, uh, I’d seen Charli a few times before. The first time at a concert of mine a few years back.”

  He frowned. “Are you sayin’ you hooked up?”

  I shook my head. “No, nothing like that. We didn’t even have a chance to meet, but not because I didn’t try.” I didn’t expect him to understand, or even believe me, but I
suspected this would be my only chance to tell him my truth. “I don’t have to tell you that Charli’s special, Chee. Every time I’ve seen her, it has felt like a gut punch. I can’t explain it. I know I have no right to feel the way I do, and I had no business acting on that attraction, but I’m only human, okay? I like this beautiful, amazing woman. And I think she likes me too.”

  “So you slept together.”

  He wasn’t asking, he was stating it like a fact. Had Aidy told him? Shit. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want him to lose it, but I didn’t want to lie either. “With all due respect,” I said, finally, “that’s none of your business. Your daughter is a grown woman, not a teenager mixed up with an older man who’s trying to take advantage of her. Anything that may or may not have happened between us… we’re two consenting adults, Chee. And I’m not gonna apologize for anything.” I looked him in the eye, expecting an eruption. “I’m sorry if you don’t like it, but that’s the way it is.”

  He cracked his knuckles as he stared down at his gnarled hands. “I don’t know what the hell to think of you.” He swiped a hand over his mouth. “I came here wantin’ to bust you up. Never expected you to be…” He shook his head, looking confused and a little pissed. “Like this.”

  I didn’t need to ask him to explain what he meant. I understood. We’d faced off like men, and maybe we’d earned a little of each other’s respect. The hard way. “I know you’re concerned about her. If I was in your place, I’d feel exactly the same way.” Now that he’d taken a step back, I could too. “But I can promise you this, she’s here, in my house because I do care about her. Am I trying to protect my own ass?” I shrugged. “Sure, I am. But that doesn’t mean I can’t look out for Charli at the same time.”

  “And how do you plan to do that, exactly?”

  “I’ve given her a job, fair compensation, a place to stay.” I pointed to one of many windows wrapping around the eating area. “It’s a completely separate house. The only time we’ll see each other is when we’re working. And being here means she won’t be hassled by people looking for a statement.”

  “I have to say, having those little weasels hangin’ around my house pissed me off.” He pointed at me. “And I blame you for that.”

  I nodded, raising my hands. “As you should. Like I said, I accept full responsibility for that. Are they still there?”

  He shook his head. “They’re droppin’ like flies. I guess they’ve gone off to hunt for fresh blood, the sleazy little vultures.”

  “I’m glad they’re leaving you and Aidy alone. If you need private security to keep them off your property, I’m happy to send someone over.”

  He eyed me before muttering, “Speaking of my wife. She seems to think you’d be perfect for our daughter. Why?”

  I cleared my throat, trying to find the right answer to explain away his wife’s crazy without offending either of them. “Uh, I don’t know. I guess she thinks I could take good care of her.” I gestured around me. “You know, financially.”

  Chee snorted. “You’ll never meet a girl who cares less about money than that little lady.” He smiled. “When she was a little bit of a thing, she was happiest when I took her camping. She loved roughin’ it. Cece not so much. But Charli was my little tomboy. She loved sports and cars, motorcycles—”

  “Charli rides?” Damn it. Charli on the back of my bike was a visual I didn’t need. I was having a hard enough time resisting her and her old man had just made it damn near impossible. No wonder being with her felt so right. She loved all the same things I did.

  “Sure.” He chuckled. “Had her on a hog even before she learned to drive stick.”

  “She drives stick?” My mouth went dry as I imagined her shifting gears in my ’70 Chevelle SS 454.

  “Sure.” He scowled, shaking his head. “Both my girls do.” He chuckled. “In fact, you get a flat tire, need an oil change, plugs changed, Charli’s your girl. When she was growing up, she was out in the garage with me all the time, working on some side project. She knows a hell of a lot about cars and bikes, that little lady.”

  My head was spinning. It seemed the more I learned about Charli, the deeper I felt. If I didn’t grab a lifeline soon, it was gonna be too late to save myself.

  “What’s wrong?” Chee snapped, looking me up and down. “Looks like you saw a ghost.”

  I dipped my head, pressing my thumb and forefinger into my eyes. “Nothing, I just—”

  “You’re still here, Daddy?” Charli made her way across the foyer into the kitchen. “I thought you’d be long gone by now.”

  “Uh, no.” He gestured to me. “Your boss and I were just gettin’ to know each other.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Well, I didn’t hear any screaming, so I guess that’s a good sign.”

  I was looking at Charli in a whole new light. Trying to picture her in a cute pair of denim overalls, grease streaking her cheeks, dirt under her fingernails… Damn. I’d never been more grateful for a waist high counter.

  She gestured to the platter of food. “As long as you’re not gonna kill each other, shall I plate this up?”

  When Chee hesitated, I said, “You’re welcome to join us for breakfast.”

  “Thanks, but I gotta get goin’. Got a doctor’s appointment in a bit.”

  Charli’s eyes widened as she grabbed his hand. “Daddy, is everything okay?”

  “Everything’s fine, baby girl.” He smiled. “Just a routine check-up.”

  She heaved a sigh and sank back against the counter at her back. “Thank goodness, you scared me.”

  “Nothin’ to worry about.” He hauled himself off the stool. “I guess if I’m tellin’ you to quit worryin’ about me, I’ll have to learn to take my own advice someday, huh?” He put his arm around her neck when she rounded the corner to walk him to the door. “Let you do your own thing, like your own life…” He shot me a look. “Find your own boyfriends.”

  She laughed, patting his round stomach. “The day you stop passing judgement on my boyfriends is the day I’ll check for a pulse.”

  He laughed, reaching for the door handle. “Dade,” he said, raising his hand. “Good talk.”

  “Yeah, see ya around, Chee.”

  Chapter 7

  Charli

  I was still trying to process what I’d just witnessed. Was Daddy actually being civil to Dade or were my eyes playing tricks on me? They must be. Because Daddy hated my new boss. Like hated him with a passion.

  “What was that about?” I asked, hooking my thumb over my shoulder after I’d closed the door.

  He shrugged. “We talked. I can’t say I’m his favorite person, but at least he didn’t take a swing at me.” He smiled. “I guess that’s a good thing.”

  “I’m sorry about my family,” I said, skirting around the island so I wouldn’t have to brush past him. Even in sweats, with bedhead, he was hard to resist. “They still treat me…”

  “Like the baby of the family.” He popped a pod in the coffee maker before setting a mug in and pushing the button. “I can relate.”

  “You’re the youngest too?” I asked, reaching into an overhead cabinet for plates. Weird, I’d been in his house less than twenty-four hours and already had the lay of the land.

  “Yeah, an older brother and sister.” He made a second cup of coffee, before adding, “But my sister’s twelve years older than me so it’s almost like having a second mother, which believe me, I do not need. One is enough.”

  I giggled, nodding in agreement. “I hear ya. Can you imagine two Aidy’s running around this world?” I shuddered dramatically. “Let’s hope they never clone Mama.”

  He laughed as he brought the mugs to the table before returning for the cream and sugar.

  “I’m just gonna pop this in the oven to warm it up,” I said. “I pre-heated the oven earlier, cause I wasn’t sure when you’d be down.” I popped four slices of bread into the toaster and retrieved the butter from the fridge while he set the table.


  It was weird, working together, like a real couple, as if this was our home.

  “Um, I hope you don’t mind me making myself at home like this,” I said, grimacing. “I tend to be like Mama that way, stomping all over boundaries.”

  He was leaning against the island, watching me, when he said, “No worries, I like having you here, Charli. This is… nice.”

  I hoped he still felt that way after a month ‘cause this just might be the sweetest gig I’d ever had. His home and grounds were stunning and I had no doubt the guest house would be just as nice.

  “Thanks.” I stacked the toast on a plate and set it on the table before he snagged my wrist as I walked past him.

  His eyes scanned my face, landing on my lips. I could have sworn he was gonna kiss me until he blurted, “Compensation. We, uh, didn’t talk about that last night.”

  I hadn’t even considered that. But something told me Dade would be generous. “Um, right. Well, what do you think is fair, since you’re providing a place for me to stay?” I slipped out of his grasp and put an oven mitt on before taking the food out of the oven and setting it on a coiled placemat I’d left on the table.

  He pulled my chair out, quietly instructing me to, “Have a seat.”

  “So, does 1k a week sound fair?” he asked, reaching for the sugar and adding a teaspoon to his coffee. “And I have a small Cadillac that I keep here for my parents when they come to visit. I’d rather you drive that, if you don’t mind. Paps probably already have your license plate. Maybe ask your dad to put your car in the garage? Or leave it in the garage here, or at your sister’s place?”

  He’d obviously gone to great lengths considering my safety, and I appreciated it, but I didn’t want to live in a bubble. Eventually I’d have to return to real life. Which for me meant an old Honda and a shoebox apartment. Not a huge estate and a Cadillac.

  “I don’t think that’s really necessary, do you?” I asked, buttering my toast. “Driving another car? They can’t be all that interested in me. I’m just some girl you got drunk and kissed at a wedding. You’re the celebrity, not me.”