by A. M. Myers
He meets my gaze and grins as blood trickles from his nose. “That’s not what she said last night.”
Before I can even think about it, I swing and land a punch right to his face, satisfied by the crunch I hear when my knuckles connect with his nose. He moans in pain but Streak holds him upright, nodding to me to go again. I remember walking into the clubhouse and finding the photos everywhere as I land the next punch and when the one after that connects, I think of the message scrawled in red above the war room. On the fourth punch, the dreams I’ve been having where Piper’s picture is up there on those walls with Dina, Laney, and Sammy fill my mind and I land two more before Blaze grabs me and pulls me back.
“That’s enough.”
I shake him off and nod as Streak releases James and he falls to the ground, whimpering as he tries to crawl back up his steps.
“Dude, are you fucking crying?” Streak asks, looking down in disgust and jumping out of the way when James tries to grab his boot. A few people ride by on bikes, staring at us in horror and Streak kneels down next to James like he’s checking on him. “You all right, man? You need an ambulance?”
“Streak,” Blaze admonishes with a tired sigh and I glance over my shoulder as the couple on the bikes stops to see if he’s okay. I wave to them and smile and they watch me for a second before pulling away.
“We’ve got to go,” I tell Blaze, glancing around the neighborhood and he nods.
“Streak, get him back in his house.”
I hold up my hand and step forward before crouching down next to James and slapping his shoulder with just enough force to make my point. “You ever even think about coming near my woman again and I’ll be back. You can fucking count on that.”
“I’ll only stay away…” he says through clenched teeth. “If Piper wants me to.”
I flash him a smile with too many teeth as I squeeze his shoulder until he whimpers again. “Then, I’ll see you soon, friend.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Piper
My head pounds incessantly as I lean back in the dining room chair and close my eyes, taking a deep breath to try and fend off some of the pain. Rubbing my fingertips into my temples, I release a sigh as a wave of relief washes over me but as soon as it comes on, it’s gone again. My stomach rolls and I clamp my mouth shut, fighting the urge to vomit as I shake my head. Oh, hell, I am never drinking again. When I open my eyes, my gaze locks onto our wedding photo hanging on the wall and my chest starts to ache.
I’m mad.
I’m hurt.
And I miss my husband like crazy.
We’ve only been apart for twelve hours but in that time, I’ve been a wreck of conflicting emotions, bouncing from one to the next before circling back around as I spent the night over at Eden’s apartment, drinking way too much wine and bitching about Wyatt and his shitty ass behavior before I passed out on her couch. When I woke up this morning, I had three missed calls from him but there has been no contact since shortly after he left the studio last night so I have to consider the possibility that he is still mad, too. Not that he has a leg to stand on. I shake my head. He can’t honestly think that I am cheating on him, can he?
Last night, when he lobbed that accusation at me and threw our past in my face with hate shining in his eyes, I was hurt but as soon as he left and I had time to process everything that had happened, that quickly changed to anger.
Does he really think so little of me?
And why the hell did I even tell him the truth if I’m going to be punished for the lie for the rest of our lives?
I assumed that once he took some time to calm down, he would realize that it wasn’t true but his silence is scaring me. Tears sting my eyes as I remember him ordering me to pack my stuff and get out of the house last night but before they can slip down my face, the anger takes over again. This past week has been hell on him and I know that but I refuse to be treated this way, I refuse to allow him to use my past mistakes against me anytime something goes wrong. That is not the kind of marriage I want to have and I have a hard time believing that is what he wants either.
My heart jumps into my throat as the door handle turns and my head jerks up as Wyatt walks through the front door. We both freeze, our eyes locked, and all the pain and anger of last night arcing between us like electricity. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, he sucks in a breath and flashes me a sheepish smile. Despite my anger, it feels like I can breathe again. The man standing in front of me is the one I love with every cell in my body, not the version of him I was confronted with last night.
“How are you?” he asks and I scoff.
“Pretty fucking shitty.”
He nods and sinks into the chair across from me as I grab my cup of coffee and lift it to my lips, taking a small sip. Sighing, he runs his fingers through his hair and my eyes widen at his red, swollen knuckles.
“What did you do?”
Glancing down at his hand as he sets it on the table, he shakes his head. “Nothing. Just got pissed and punched a wall.”
“You’re lucky you didn’t break your goddamn hand,” I mutter, rolling my eyes at his poor judgement.
God…
Of all the stupid things…
He nods and leans back in his chair, meeting my gaze again as he drops both of his hands into his lap. “Can we talk?”
Nodding, I arch a brow and cross my arms over my chest, waiting for his explanation. I had to keep telling myself last night that I didn’t do anything wrong and I didn’t deserve the treatment I got. Something Eden had to remind me of repeatedly when I tripped up and tried to rationalize his behavior with the shit that has been going on with the club.
“I’m sorry…”
“You’re going to have to do better than that, Wyatt,” I snap, interrupting him as I lift my coffee cup to my lips and he nods, dropping his head. He meets my gaze again and I can see the weight of the burden he insists on carrying on his shoulders. My heart aches at the strain on his face and the haunted look in his eyes. It’s a face I recognize all too well and my worry for my husband grows every day. Leaning forward, I reach across the table and hold my hand out to him. He stares at it for a second before looking up at me with hope and slipping his hand into mine.
“I’m not just letting go of what happened last night. It was a shitty thing to do and we’ll talk about it in a second but I’m more worried about you right now.”
His head jerks back in surprise. “Me?”
“Wyatt, you’re not sleeping, you’re barely eating, and I can see you slowly slipping away from me. You’re starting to look like I did before I left.”
“It’s just this shit with the club,” he whispers, running his free hand through his hair. The move has always been his go-to whenever he gets stressed but I’ve been seeing a whole lot more of it lately. With a sigh, I abandon my seat and walk over to him before climbing into his lap and straddling his thighs so I can cup his face between my hands.
“I know it’s stressful and I know how worried you are about me and everyone else but you also have to learn to deal with that instead of internalizing it and letting it eat away at you. What’s happening isn’t your fault and absolutely no one blames you.”
He drops his forehead to my chest and releases a heavy breath as a little bit of tension seeps out of his body. I run my fingers through his hair as tears sting my eyes and my chest aches for my big strong man and his fragile heart.
“I don’t know what I’ll do if I lose you,” he whispers and I shake my head, forcing his gaze back to mine.
“Hey. I’m not going anywhere.”
Pain flashes through his eyes as he grips my hips like he’s trying to keep me from floating away. “What if something happens to you? What if this guy…”
“Stop, Wyatt,” I whisper, pressing my hand to his cheek as a tear slips down my face. “You’re making yourself crazy and I think that’s a big factor in what happened last night.”
“I can’t just sit here
and do nothing, Pip… but there’s nothing to do. We’re all looking into this and we can’t find anything. He’s probably watching all of us and laughing as we flounder.”
I shake my head. “So, why are you letting him win? You’re doing all you can do and you know that. You’ve given me a gun to protect myself and you’re still so consumed with fear and anger that you can’t even enjoy the quiet moments like this where it’s just you and me together.”
“I don’t know what else to do,” he admits, his voice cracking and my heart shatters in my chest. Oh, my sweet, sweet husband. I lean down and press my lips to his. His arms wrap around me and he pulls me into his chest as he kisses me like he may never see me again and more tears slip down my face. I have to find a way to help him, a way to allow him to just breathe freely for a little while or he is going to break. An idea forms in my mind and I pull back, flashing him a smile.
“I have the best idea.”
He cracks a little smile as he stares up at me but his eyes still hold an incredible amount of pain. “Why does that look on your face scare the hell out of me?”
“‘Cause you’re silly,” I say, flashing him the biggest smile I can as I jump off his lap and slap his thigh. For me, seeing him smile is the quickest way to cheer me up and I only hope that it is the same for him. “Now, come on, let’s go.”
“Where are we going?”
I turn and grab my hoodie off of the couch, pulling it over my head, before glancing back at him with a grin. “It’s a surprise.”
He shakes his head and reluctantly follows me outside but when I stop next to the Bronco and demand the keys, he crosses his arms over his chest with a laugh.
“Oh, hell no. I’m driving.”
“How are you going to drive to your own surprise, crazy?” I ask, propping one hand on my hip and holding out the other one, palm up. He sighs, studying me for a second before he digs his keys out of his pocket and plops them into my hand. Once we get in the truck, I reach over to the glovebox and pull out the bandana he always keeps in there before passing it to him.
“Put this on, please.”
He shakes his head. “Absolutely not.”
“Wyatt,” I whine, being extra ridiculous as I cross my arms over my chest. He may be resistant but he needs this and I am not above making a fool of myself for him. When he still doesn’t budge, I poke my bottom lip out and he rolls his eyes. Sighing, he shakes his head again and grabs the bandana before slipping it over his eyes. Once his vision is obscured, I start the truck and back out of the driveway.
“So, now that I have you where I want you,” I say as I drive down the street. “How about we talk about last night?”
He scoffs. “Do I have a choice?”
“Nope.”
“Fine,” he says. “Say what you need to say, baby.”
Sucking in a breath, I nod. “Obviously, I didn’t cheat on you and I would never do that to you.”
“I know.”
“But you throwing that in my face was fucked up, Wyatt. I understand you were mad but you can’t punish me for the lie I told ten years ago for the rest of our lives. That’s not fair.”
“I wasn’t trying to throw anything in your face, Pip. I just…”
I arch a brow. “Just what?”
“I lived with that lie for ten years, you know. It was my life and there are so many goddamn ways that I could lose you that I’m fucking terrified I won’t see the end coming.”
“Which brings me to an important question,” I whisper as my heart thunders in my chest and my heart aches. I hate that he is so certain that there is an end coming for us and I can’t help but wonder if the pain of our past is too big, too powerful for us to overcome. Sucking in a breath, I shake my head. Oh, God, I’m so nervous to ask this but it needs to be done. I just don’t know if I will like his answer. “Can you trust me?”
Silence descends over us, slamming into me like a brick wall and tears sting my eyes as I wait for his reply.
I wish he would have immediately said yes.
I wish he would have gasped and told me that of course he trusts me.
Anything other than this quiet that feels like it’s going to drown me.
My heart thuds in my ears and I glance over at him as my stomach twists. Finally, he sighs and I feel like I’m going to throw up.
“I don’t know how to answer that.”
I nod as a tear slips down my cheek and I wipe it away. “Can you explain?”
“Well, I don’t think you would ever cheat on me,” he says, running a hand through his hair. “But I’m terrified that you’re going to walk away from me again. Especially with all this shit going on, I’m terrified that I’m going to come home one day and you’re just going to be gone.”
I want to tell him that it will never happen but I can’t say that with one hundred percent certainty. Besides, I don’t think he would believe me if I did. The past hangs heavy between us, haunting our love, something I didn’t really realize until last night, and I don’t know how to fix it. Right now, even with all the crazy, I feel good but something could change so quickly and I don’t know how to reassure him that I’m here to stay.
“You can’t tell me that will never happen, can you?”
I shake my head, my bottom lip wobbling. “No. I can tell you that, right now, I feel strong and ready to face the world with you but I can’t promise it will never happen again.”
His promise to me the morning after he fucked me on the kitchen counter springs to my mind and I wipe the tears from my cheeks as I look over at him.
“What happened to ‘I signed up for forever, for better or worse’? This is worse, baby. I have to live with the night my parents died and the profound impact it had on me for the rest of my life. Nothing can change that. Is this something you can live with or is this something that is going to destroy us?”
“Can I take the goddamn blindfold off?” he asks, desperation in his voice as I pull to a stop at our destination. “I need to see your eyes.”
“Okay,” I whisper as I put the truck in park. He pulls the bandana off and his gaze meets mine as he holds his hand out. Scooting across the seat, my heart hammers, waiting for his answer and when I reach him, I melt into his arms. He presses his lips to my forehead as he releases a breath. When I look up at him, he smiles and reaches into his pocket, pulling out a ring box and my eyes widen.
Why does he have a fucking ring box?
We’re already married…
“I got this for you right after we got back from Charleston and I’ve just been waiting for the right moment to ask you.”
My eyes flick to his. “Ask me what?”
“Will you marry me again, baby?” he asks, popping the ring box open to reveal a gorgeous diamond band that matches the one he gave me when we got married the first time. “I know you can’t promise me that you’ll never stumble again but you were right. I did promise you forever, for better or worse so if you fall, I’ll be there to pick you back up and if you completely lose your shit and run, I’ll be right behind you. I love you, Piper Jayne Landry, and I want to renew our vows with this new family we’ve built and kick this new chapter in our lives off right.”
“Wyatt,” I breathe, staring at the ring as the diamond shimmers in the morning light. He cups my cheeks and directs my gaze back to his.
“But most importantly, I want you to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that nothing is coming between us ever again. Not another man. Not this threat to the club and definitely not your demons. I’ve loved you since I was ten years old and I’m gonna love you even after death rips us apart so what do you say? You wanna marry me?”
I stare down at the ring, my heart beating like crazy and butterflies fluttering around in my tummy. How the hell, after all these years, does this man still make me feel like a thirteen-year-old girl getting her first kiss? I turn and look up into his hazel eyes, feeling the strength of his love as a smile stretches across my face and I nod.
“Wyatt… I’d marry you a million times and it still wouldn’t be enough.”
He grins. “Is that a yes?”
“Yes,” I whisper, nodding and I giggle as he grabs my left hand and slips the ring on my finger with the other two. Once it’s on, he tosses the empty box onto the seat and pulls me closer, slamming his lips over mine and I’m transported again to the place were our love is the only thing that matters. In this one perfect moment, there is no drama and pain from our past and there is no threat looming over our lives. There is just us, as we were meant to be before life threw a couple of wrenches into our path.
“So,” he whispers in between kisses. “What is this surprise you brought me to?”
I grin as he starts kissing down my cheek to my neck. “Take a look for yourself.”
He pulls away and we both turn as the front door opens and his parents step out onto the front porch. My stomach flips. I haven’t seen August or Gretchen in years and I have no idea how they will react to the news that Wyatt and I are back together but in this instance, my feelings didn’t matter. This is what Wyatt needed so even if it’s terrible, I will deal with it for him. Glancing over at me, he smiles.
“You brought me home?”
I nod. “I figured if you were going to feel safe anywhere, it would be here.”
“Are you nervous?” he asks, brushing my hair out of my face as he studies me and I nod. He smiles. “Don’t be, baby. My parents love you.”
“I broke their son’s heart and ran away for ten years… Fuck. They think I cheated on you.”
“Come on,” he replies, his grin growing as he opens his door. “Let’s go tell them the good news.”
“Did you not hear me?” I hiss, the realization of just how bad this is going to be crashing down on me. Why the hell didn’t I think this all the way through? He jumps out of the truck, holding his hand out to me, and I release a nervous breath as I scoot to the end of the seat and step down, mentally hyping myself up. Okay, so it’s going to be awful and uncomfortable and they may never forgive me but for Wyatt, I would walk through fire.