by S. Nelson
“No. Only the two.”
“So why did you call me your girlfriend?”
“Because you are.”
“Since when?” I wasn’t going to get my hopes up because everything pertaining to Lincoln lately confused me.
“I told you. Since we had sex.”
“But then I told you I loved you, and you told me you didn’t feel the same way.”
“So.” Anger lit his one-word reply. Why was he getting upset with me? I was only trying to clarify what we were to each other, if that was even possible.
“I don’t understand.” My head started to hurt.
“Listen, I have to go. We’ll talk when I get back, okay?” I gave him a noncommittal half-shrug. “And don’t go anywhere.”
He walked out before I could ask him how he was gonna stop me if I tried, which would’ve been pointless, seeing as I couldn’t get far with no money.
Stewing in the room lasted a whole twenty minutes before I decided a drink was in order.
Nothing crazy, just something to help take the edge off until he came back.
36
“So, what’s the real reason you didn’t tell me about Maddie? You hidin’ her away for some reason?” Zander’s curiosity riled me, and although he hadn’t said anything wrong, his assessment of the situation was spot on, pissing me off because there wasn’t a fuckin’ thing I could do otherwise. I had to keep her at the clubhouse until further notice, or until Marek told me she had to go someplace else.
I couldn’t take her out to eat, or to go see a goddamn movie because the threat against her, against us, was still prevalent, even though those bastards still hadn’t made a move. Yet.
“It’s complicated,” I finally replied, tapping the steering wheel to the beat of the song on the radio to distract myself. It wasn’t working.
“Yeah, you said that before.” He looked out the window. “I hope it gets better as we get older.”
“If Mom and Dad are any indication of what’s to come, we’re fucked.” Zander’s only response was a halfhearted grunt. “What’s goin’ on, man? Everything okay?”
“Kim’s been texting me. I think she wants to get back together.”
“Do you want that?”
“I don’t know. She messed me up pretty bad when she broke up with me, and over text, which was… I deserved better than that. I don’t think I can trust her, but….”
“But what?” He didn’t answer, so I did it for him. “But you still love her.”
Love was an annoying concept, one that screwed up a lot of people, giving some a reason to act stupid.
“Yeah, I think so.”
I hated that with everything goin’ on at the club and life in general, Zander and I hadn’t gotten much time to hang out, something I was set on changing very soon. I missed him. He was a cool dude, calm, hardly letting anything bother him. His resemblance to our father was uncanny, but thankfully, he didn’t inherit the ol’ man’s temper.
“Then you have some stuff to think about. If you do give her another shot, make sure it’s what you want. Don’t let her pressure you into anything because you feel some type of way toward her.” I offered my advice, but it was up to him to make his own decisions. Zander was nineteen, only a couple of years younger than me, but he was certainly old enough to make his own decisions. One of them being moving in with Luke, who had recently returned home. He’d been staying in Seattle with his ex-girlfriend, Aubrey, but shit went south when her grandmother died. She’d taken off on him, and he hadn’t heard from her since. That was months ago.
Looked like relationships weren’t any of our strong suits.
“I’ll figure it out.” He changed the station, tapping his hand on his thigh when he came to a country song he liked. “So gettin’ back to my original question.” I kept my focus on the road ahead even though I knew he was looking at me. “What’s the deal with Maddie?”
“I thought I already said it was complicated.”
“So? We have some time before we get to the house. Out with it.” I finally turned toward him, his smile easing my anxiousness.
I’d never hidden anything from my brother before, and I wasn’t about to start now. “The Reapers were keepin’ her against her will, doing things to her…” I needed to take a breath because referencing what happened was enough to enrage me all over again. “Anyway, after one of my fights, we got into it with them, and she was there. And now she’s with us.”
“Is that how you got that scrape on the side of your head?”
“Mom told you what happened?”
“Yeah, and she wasn’t happy at all. More worried than anything, though.” He punched me on the arm. “Glad you’re okay.”
“Me too.”
“Ya know, they probably didn’t take too kindly to you snatching her from them, but I’m glad you did.” Zander knew a bit about the Savage Reapers and the dealings between our clubs, more so in the recent past than as of lately. He never showed any interest in joining the Knights, preferring to go to school instead. He was finishing up his first year at a local college before deciding where to go next. “I don’t know her, obviously, but from the few minutes I spent with you two, I could see there’s a connection between you.”
“What?” How did he know that?
“Anyone with eyes can see it.” He smiled at my shocked expression. “You definitely don’t have a poker face. It’s why I win whenever we play cards.”
“Fucker.” I laughed after he hit my arm again, shaking my head because he was right. I wasn’t as good at hiding my emotions as I thought. It was probably the reason Maddie felt comfortable telling me she loved me. She probably picked up on my feelings toward her, believing I felt the same way. Don’t you?
“She’s hot.”
“Who?”
“Maddie.” My grip on the steering wheel tightened. “Don’t get any ideas,” I growled.
“Why would I hit on your girlfriend?”
Oh shit! That’s right. I called her my girlfriend, more in anger and annoyance than anything else, without a doubt confusing her more than she already was.
“You wouldn’t.”
“Exactly. But you better get your head out of your ass because if you don’t man up, someone else will.”
“What makes you think my head’s up my ass?”
“Because I’ve known you forever.” He tapped his window. “Turn right up there.”
“What did Mom say about you movin’ out?” A change in subject was necessary.
“She asked me why I wasn’t takin’ you with me.” He chuckled, which in turn, spurred my own laughter.
“She probably did.”
“Speaking of, why the hell are you still living at home? It’s not like you can’t afford a place of your own.”
“I dunno. Never had a reason to before.”
“Now you do.”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t tell me you want to stay at the clubhouse with Maddie forever.”
“It won’t be forever. Only until the threat is gone.”
“Then what? You bring her home, where you still live with your parents?” I pulled into the driveway of a single house, the place that Zander and Luke would call home for the foreseeable future. Turning in my seat after I threw my truck in Park, I caught the moment my brother rolled his eyes at me. “I’m sure she’ll love that.”
Instead of making up some excuse, I responded with, “Maybe you’re right.” That was the extent of mental energy I was givin’ the topic right now, too much other stuff running through my head to give it the proper amount of weight it deserved.
“Damn right I am. Now, come on. I wanna show you the place.” Our parents, as well as Luke’s, Tripp and Reece, had splurged on furnishing their house with whatever they needed, which basically meant a house full of new stuff.
Instead of a porch, there was a small stoop in front with an overhead covering, two white pillars on each side. The front door was a rich mahogany c
olor, the maroon shutters on the white-sided house a nice contrast. A small foyer was what we walked into, the staircase off to the right. Hardwood floors spread throughout all the rooms, which was perfect because these two could be messy sometimes, and it was easier to clean floors than carpet.
“Zan, that you?” Luke yelled from somewhere else in the house. The place wasn’t huge, but it wasn’t tiny either. There was a nice-size living room, which was all decked out with a comfy-looking sectional, as well as curtains, lamps, a large-screen television hung on the wall, and a few other pieces of furniture.
“When did you move in here?” The house looked like it had been inhabited for years.
“Two days ago,” he answered, walking ahead of me toward the kitchen.
Luke removed dishes from a moving box and put them right into the dishwasher. “Hey, man,” he greeted, stepping forward and clasping my hand before giving me a side hug.
Luke was only two months younger than me, and while I hadn’t seen him as much as I’d wanted over the past year, we picked up right where we left off.
While Luke took after Reece in the looks department, he’d inherited Tripp’s height. He wasn’t quite six four, but he was a couple inches taller than me, putting him around six two. Where I was lean and ripped, Luke was bigger. Again, not as big as his dad, but he had the potential to be so if he spent his life in the gym, which I doubted he had interest in.
Lightly tapping him on the back of the head, I said, “You need a haircut.” His ash-brown strands hit the top of his collar, waving out and looking like he just got out of bed. “Call Riley. Tell her to hook you up.”
“Call me for what?” My sister walked into the kitchen, Kaden two feet behind her. She gave Zander a hug before greeting Luke. We’d all seen each other at Roman’s birthday party a couple weeks ago, but it seemed like life was getting back in the way again, so any time to spend with each other was always welcome.
“Linc says I need to get it cut,” Luke answered, pushing his fingers through his hair and making it stick up in places.
“He’s right,” my sister agreed. Kaden leaned into her ear and said something, her eyes darting around the room before her face turned a light shade of red. My eyes connected with Kaden’s right after he said whatever he did, and he winked.
“Gross.”
He laughed as did I. I didn’t even want to imagine what he’d told my sister, so I focused on getting a tour of Zander and Luke’s new place. But before I could ask to see more, Reece and Tripp came walking around the corner. “Where did you two come from?”
“Upstairs,” Tripp answered, his arm slung over his wife’s shoulders and pulling her close.
“Doin’ what?” Luke’s eyes narrowed as he looked at his parents.
“Putting up the rest of your curtains.” Reece adjusted her ponytail to include the chestnut-colored pieces that had somehow come loose. I wanted to believe she was a tiny bit disheveled because of hanging drapes, like she said, but one look at Tripp, and I could guess other reasons were to blame.
“Among other things,” Tripp added. His wife slapped his chest and smiled. “What?”
“You better not have done anything up there?” Luke sighed and rubbed his hand over his face.
“Stop being so dramatic, sweetheart.” Reece broke free from Tripp and hugged her son. “Your dad’s kidding.”
“He better be.”
When Tripp caught my eye, he shrugged then winked, much like Kaden had done. While I dealt with my own issues, at least the other people in my life seemed to be happy. Maybe I’d get to the same place, hopefully sooner rather than later.
After finally touring the rest of the new place, we all hung out in the kitchen, snacking on chips and dip as well as a cheese and cracker plate Reece had brought.
This was the first time since Maddie had come to be with us that I was able to relax and enjoy myself without being bombarded with a thousand what-ifs.
That was until my phone started blowing up. The first time it rang, Ace’s name came across my screen. Deciding to call him back in a bit, I let the call ring out until it went to voice mail. Seconds later, it rang again. Then again.
“You wanna answer that?” Tripp asked, looking more concerned than curious. He walked up next to me while everyone else continued to chat away.
“Hello?”
“Fuck, man,” Ace hurried to say. “You gonna be long?”
“No. Why?”
“It’s Maddie.”
I reached for the handle of the gun tucked inside my waistband, my heart skidding to a stop. “What’s wrong?” I looked to Tripp as I asked the question, his own posture straightening, much like mine.
“She’s safe.” Air escaped my mouth in a slow trickle. “But she’s drunk, ramblin’ on about you. She even cried. I think you better get back here.”
“I’m on my way.”
“Everything okay?” Tripp rested his hand on my shoulder.
“Ace said Maddie’s drunk… and emotional.”
“Don’t the two go hand in hand?” He laughed, but I didn’t, too worried about her state of mind, especially after all that went down between us.
“I gotta go.” I said my goodbyes, asked Riley to give Zander a ride back to his car, rushed out to my truck, and sped back toward the clubhouse.
What the hell was I gonna walk into when I got there?
37
The moment I stepped inside, I saw her sitting at the bar with Ace. Instead of focusing on how much I didn’t appreciate him being so close to her, I strode toward them with purpose, attempting to tamp down the anger bursting to life inside me.
Maddie swiveled in her chair to face me once I was a few feet from her.
“There’s the guy who doesn’t love me,” she whisper-shouted, tugging on Ace’s arm, as if he didn’t see me walk up behind them.
She certainly came out of her shell.
Instead of responding to her comment, I stared a hole right through Ace. “Who the hell let her drink so much?”
“She was like this when I got here. I think she snatched the tequila from behind the bar.”
“Tequila?” He pointed to the bottle, which was almost empty. “How much was in there when she started?”
“Beats me. Hawke is the only one I’ve seen touch that garbage.”
“Great.” I walked around Maddie and stood on her other side. “Do you know how much you’ve had to drink?”
“A lot,” she slurred.
“Why?”
“’Cause I’m sadnfused.” Her words slammed together, but I understood her.
“Why don’t we get you back to the room?” I touched her arm, but she shrugged away from me.
“Why? So you can have sex with me again? Kiss me as if you like me? Then kill my heart? No, thank you.”
“What is she talkin’ about?” Ace rose from his stool. Before I answered, I saw Brick walking toward us, followed by Trigger, both of whom were talking amongst themselves until they heard Ace’s raised voice.
“Mind your business, man.”
“Did you fuck her?”
“No,” Maddie answered for me. “He made love to me.” She slapped the bar before reaching for the almost empty bottle of nasty tequila. “But he doesn’t love me.”
“What’s goin’ on here?” Brick walked up in front of me, his attention bouncing between Ace, Maddie, and me. Trigger walked behind the bar and grabbed the alcohol from Maddie’s hand, tutting and shaking his head at the same time.
“Apparently, our boy here had sex with Maddie.”
“What?” Brick and Trigger shouted simultaneously.
“The fuck is wrong with you?” Brick asked, shoving me backward. I tripped over my feet but steadied myself before I fell on my ass.
“Don’t hurt him,” Maddie cried, turning in her seat, barely able to sit upright. “I love him. He’s my girlfriend.”
No one corrected her misspeak.
“You shouldn’t waste your time on him, sweeth
eart.” Ace stood close to her. Too close. And I couldn’t unhear him calling her sweetheart. I didn’t like it one bit. Ace glared at me. “He shouldn’t have led you on.”
How did everything go south so fast? Not only had I hurt Maddie, but she was tellin’ everyone what happened between us, and now they were lookin’ at me like I was an asshole. Maybe I was. Or maybe my only fault was that I hadn’t been stronger at resisting Maddie when she told me she wanted me.
“Come on,” I said, reaching for her hand. “You need to lie down.”
“She might have alcohol poisoning,” Brick growled, clenching his fists at his sides. I was man enough to admit having Brick’s anger pointed toward me was a bit terrifying. I could get in a few good shots if we were to fight, but his sheer size would work to his advantage. And the guy was much quicker than he looked.
“She should be fine,” Trigger chimed in. “She didn’t drink too much to be hazardous.” He pointed toward the line on the bottle. “It was right here when she snatched it.”
“That’s still too much,” I said, angry I left with Zander instead of staying with her to try and work through our issue. Well, my issue.
“I agree.” Trigger uncapped a bottled water and pushed it toward Maddie. “Drink up.”
She made a face but did as she was told. Now, if only she’d listen to me, we could get away from the three men shootin’ daggers at me. If the roles were reversed, would I have assumed the worst about Ace or Brick? Would I have condemned them for having sex with a chick they saved from the Reapers, knowing she was emotionally fragile?
The simple answer was yes.
However, although Maddie had suffered greatly, she was strong, stronger than anyone knew, including herself. My gut told me so.
Water droplets dripped off her chin, and when I moved to wipe them away, she leaned into me. “I missed you.” She grabbed on to my arm, her hand skating down until her fingers entwined with mine.
“Better?” I asked, flashing her a tight smile.
“Yes.”
“Wanna go lie down for a bit?”
“Will you stay with me?” The hopeful look in her eyes sealed the deal. There was no way I could leave her alone after all this.