Taz's Addiction

By Lila Fox

Terrified her grandfather will throw her away as her mother did, Charlie changes herself to be the person she thinks he always wanted. After she loses him, she stays with Bennie, her grandfather’s friend, but she only has a short time with him before some monsters take him. Now she’s alone.

Taz wants to make sure Charlie knows she has him and that she isn’t alone, but so many obstacles stand in their way, almost tearing them apart. After a misunderstanding and the way she takes charge of her safety with her new friends at the club, their relationship seems doomed.

In the aftermath of violence and conflicting feelings, Taz has to convince her that he wants her and not the phony person she’s portrayed for so long.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Evernight
• Release date: Jan 11, 2022
• ISBN: 9780369505095

Book preview

Chapter One

Taz walked into the door of the office attached to the three-stall garage. Bennie’s was a garage, another business the club owned, and Taz was the one in charge of it because he knew the most about cars. Bennie, the guy who used to own it, had sold it to the club a few years back because he hated dealing with paperwork and taxes, but he still wanted to work there, so it worked well for everyone. He managed it when Taz was away.

He walked up to the counter and slapped his hand down. Yo, Bennie.

The older man with hunched shoulders shuffled into the lobby from the office on the other side of the counter. In the lobby, seating was available for people waiting for their vehicles and a place that was used to check people out.

Hey, Taz.

The man was as old as the mountains but still insisted on coming to work every day. He lost his wife over a decade before, and they hadn’t had any children, so the garage and the people had become the family he craved.

Taz didn’t care if the guy was over eighty. He still did the job. Maybe not as fast as he had in the past, but Taz still trusted him more than most.

Did that part that I ordered come in? Taz asked.

Yeah, ask Charlie.

Taz’s eyebrows rose. The new employee?

Hey, I’ve never seen a harder worker in my life.

Good. I’ll go and get the part. Anything I need to deal with?

Bennie shook his head. No. I’ll call you if I need you.

I know. He turned to leave when Bennie stopped him.

Hey, I hope you approve of the new employee.

Taz narrowed his eyes because of the spark of devilment in the old man’s eyes. What the hell was he up to now?

I’m sure I will. Taz walked through the first stall and moved on when he heard Roger, one of the employees, talking.

Come on, Charlie. It will be fun.

Taz stopped to see a pair of small legs under a car and Roger squatting next to them, holding on to the bumper. Bennie hadn’t mentioned the new employee being young or small. This job could be tough, and Taz didn’t want the guy to get hurt because he wasn’t strong enough.

Taz heard a muffled, Fuck off, and smiled. He cleared his throat, getting Roger’s attention.

The man scrambled to his feet. Oh, hey, Taz. I was just getting back to work.

Good. He waited until the guy walked away before he looked down at the legs in baggy overalls and old boots.

Hey, man. I need that part for a Ford I ordered. Bennie said you had it.

Hold your horses, Charlie grumbled.

Taz’s eyebrows went up at the attitude. Most people scrambled when he asked them for something. Maybe Charlie didn’t know who he was? He better learn quick to jump when he said jump. He kicked the guy’s boot. Come on. I don’t have all fucking day, kid.

He heard the guy throw the tool down on the concrete and growl before he started rolling out from under the car.

It took him a long moment to understand the person in front of him was a pretty young woman. She wore oversized gray overalls and a black t-shirt. Grease coated her arms, hands, and her face, and she didn’t seem to mind.

Yo, dude. Charlie snapped her fingers in front of his face. What the fuck do you want?

You’re a woman.

Charlie rolled her eyes and snorted. Well, aren’t you a smart one, Sherlock.

His eyebrows came down. Watch the attitude. He could tell she didn’t fear him, and that both pissed him off at the same time it intrigued him because she was clearly half his size. If it weren’t for the grease all over her, the overalls, and her attitude, she would have looked like a cheerleader.

Listen, mister. I don’t have all fucking day, so if you tell me what the fuck you want, I’ll get it so I can get back to work.

What’s your real name? he asked.

She seemed confused for a moment. My name’s Charlie.

No, your real name.

Her eyes narrowed. That is my real name.

Bullshit. Not unless your parents really wanted a boy.

What’s it to you, fucker? The only name I’ll answer to is Charlie.

I’ll find out eventually, he said.

I don’t care. You call me by any other name, and I’ll fuck you up.

His eyes widened, and he bit back a smile. She wasn’t serious, was she?

She narrowed her eyes again. Are you going to tell me what you came for?

Yeah. He’d get more information about her later. I need the module circuit control and starter for a 2018 Ford Fusion.

Yeah, they came in yesterday.

He followed behind her, and that was when he noticed the thick blonde braid that ran down her spine. It was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen.

She grabbed a rag off a bench as she walked by and headed toward a shelf next to the back door. There, she rifled through the things and then handed him two boxes. Here you go.

Good. Thanks. I’ll be seeing you.

She snorted and walked off.

He watched her go and couldn’t believe he was left speechless. Why in the fuck was he letting that little girl fuck with his mind? Hell, she might not even be of age. She hardly filled out the clothes she had on, although he had to admit they looked like a pair of the men’s overalls they kept on hand.

Taz didn’t want to admit he was curious about her. He usually didn’t give a shit about women. They’d always been around for one thing, and one thing only, and that was to fuck. It was only lately that he got to know the women who weren’t sluts. The ones who belonged to some of the guys were different from any he’d ever met in his life, and they intrigued him.

He’d never had someone care about him the way these women did. And it wasn’t only their men, but the whole club got a bit of their sweetness as they tried to take care of all of them. It was becoming addictive.

He’d started wondering what it would be like to have one of them for his own. One he could fuck anytime and not have to wait for another guy to be done with her. He’d never have to worry about fucking a slut with another guy’s cum being inside of them.

Fuck. He was going to get some answers before he left there, and he made his way into the office to see Bennie behind the desk. Taz closed the door and sat in one of the chairs. Tell me.

Bennie grinned. I knew you’d like her.

Taz rolled his eyes. I didn’t say that. I’m just curious.

Her name is Charlie Newman, Orion Newman’s granddaughter.

No shit. Now I know where she got the mouth from. He just died, didn’t he?

Yeah, about two months ago.

How did she end up here? Taz asked.

Orion and I were friends. I made him a promise that I’d look after her. The garage her grandfather owned was sold because she couldn’t get anyone to work for her. They didn’t want to take orders from a woman even though she was much better with cars than they were.

Bennie sat back in his chair. I asked her to come and work for me. She’s living in the apartment above the club’s laundromat.

Does she like it here?

Bennie shrugged. "It’s hard to tell with her. The last time I saw her was about a year ago, and she was a nice gal, but she changed after her grandfather got ill and died.

Why do you think she’s changed that much? Just because of her grandfather’s illness?

Bennie shook his head. No, or maybe that’s part of it, but Orion told me once that she was bullied all the time when she worked in the garage. Orion intervened when he was there, but we both suspected it got worse when he was ill and she was by herself in the shop.

Do you think someone hurt her? Taz asked.

Bennie nodded. I do, but she won’t talk about it.

She doesn’t have any other family?

No. It was just her and Orion. Her mom dropped her off one day when she was four or five and never came back.

Fuck, that sucks.

Bennie nodded.

I’ve got to go, but I’ll be back, Taz said and stood.

Bennie grinned. I thought you might.

Taz stopped at the door and turned back. Why in the hell would you want to set her up with a biker like me?

Because I’m not going to be around forever, and I’ve always respected you. You may be a badass, but you’ve never hurt an innocent.

No. I can safely say that.

I know you’d take care of her. She’s got a mouth on her and a big chip on her shoulder, but I know you don’t scare easy.

Taz chuckled. No, I don’t.

Will you make me a promise? Bennie asked.

Sure, or I’ll try.

If something happens to me, will you take care of her?

Taz snorted. Nothing’s going to happen to you, old man. You’ll outlive all of us,

Just promise me.

Taz was surprised by the seriousness of the old guy’s tone of voice. Okay, yeah. Fine.

Good. Thank you.

Taz grinned.