Read Online Damaged and the Bulldog by Bijou Hunter - Free Book Online Page A

Winnie.
    I couldn’t help thinking about Winnie as the mother of
my children. I could imagine us together forever. No woman made me feel like
Winnie and losing her wasn’t an option.
    My mind was on her again when I heard a familiar voice
from the doorway of Cooper’s office.
    “It’s coming together,” the boss said, helping Farah
step over a toolbox. “The place will be fucking perfect. I can do business
here. It’ll be comfortable for you and the kids too.”
    Farah glanced around, seeing the building in the half
done mess it was. Cooper though was clearly visualizing the final product.
    “How’s it going?” he asked, shaking my hand.
    “I did the rewiring you wanted, but it’s put us behind
by a few days.”
    “Fair enough,” Cooper muttered. “Can I show Farah
around?”
    “You pay the bills.”
    “Hell yeah, I do,” he said and Farah rolled her eyes.
“Don’t mock my manliness, wife.”
    “Your manliness is pressing down on my bladder right
now, husband.”
    Cooper focused on her baby bump, getting a weird
possessive look that I suspected I would have one day. For now, I felt like I
was witnessing a private moment.
    I left them to explore the partly done building. The
back office was nearly complete and they remained back there for a while.
    Outside, I took a deep breath of the crisp autumn air.
Sweaty from working inside, I wore one of the bulldog shirts Winnie liked. Yet
the cold air had me thinking to get my long sleeve shirt. I was ready to return
inside when I noticed Tad walking my direction.
    Crossing my arms to deal with the cold, I shared his
smile. No matter his niceties, the guy scared me because he could snap his
fingers and end my life. Or just ruin me by taking away Winnie.
    “You have a minute?” he asked.
    “Is everything okay?”
    Giving a quick nod, Tad looked around then focused his
icy gaze on me.
    “Do you know why I have you take a chaperone on your
dates?”
    Startled by the abruptness of his question, I didn’t
answer. Tad ignored my silence and continued.
    “It’s not that I’m unaware of modern dating
techniques. I wouldn’t think to have a chaperone with Harlow,” he said,
scratching at his stubbled chin. “She can tell anyone no. In fact, she often
says no first even when she wants to say yes. Winnie doesn’t have that
ability.”
    Tad gestured for me to follow him. Walking to his
truck, he leaned against it before continuing.
    “I’m sure you know Winnie’s history. When Kirk brought
her to us, she was barely verbal. She refused eye contact and cried if anyone
touched her. Winnie told us you know about the baby, so you can imagine what it
was like. She cried through every medical exam and had a C-section because
there was no way she could handle delivering normally. Hell, she only held the
baby once. As soon as he started crying, she started too.”
    I didn’t know what Tad saw on my face, but he nodded.
“People do fucked up shit in this world and some people can bounce back easier
than others. Winnie got healthier. She learned to talk to people and eventually
to tolerate physical contact. By the time she was sixteen, she would hug us and
talk to people she knew. Therapy helped, of course, but mostly she needed a
safe home with people who wouldn’t hurt her. By her eighteenth birthday, Winnie
was doing well. I saw you two circling each other and figured dating was
coming. Then the Devils came looking for Harlow. Even after killing the fucker,
they regressed after being taken. Harlow is angry while everything scares
Winnie. If I could kill those bastards again, I would for what they did to my
girls.”
    Having a bad feeling about where this was going, I
kept my mouth shut.
    “You’re a good man,” Tad said, surprising me. “I don’t
think you’re interested in my girl for quick fun. If you were, you’d have
ditched her after the first chaperone date. You also seem to accept Winnie with
all her issues. So I know you are going out later in the week