“They have a lot in common.”
“He won’t give her what she needs.”
Jazzy cocked a brow. “Then maybe she needs you both.”
Share her? I didn’t even want them being friends, but I recognized those were my possessive asshole tendencies. McKelle wasn’t going to give up sportbikes and the track. I wouldn’t expect her to. Every guy racing against her wanted to beat her, then fuck her. Same when she bent over the pool table, took her shot, then took their money.
But she had always been mine. I never worried about those assholes.
Ryatt had me skating the edge of sanity because I was worried. I was worried because I could see the appeal. Ryatt had just enough angst to make him reckless. The guy was sitting on probation. But he made her laugh. She’d been happy at the track. Happy without me.
If he wasn’t trying to take my girl, I might actually like him. I wasn’t going to think about how attractive he was.As if I could forget.
I jostled my knee. I was a liar, a good fucking liar, and I lied to myself the best. Ryatt didn’t deny he’d been with her. He didn’t have to. The silent languagebetween him and Romeo spoke loud enough. Romeo had to know.
Shannon entered the MC. Jazzy left me alone with my thoughts. Regrets cut like a knife to my chest. Maybe I was too late.
Romeo came out of the boardroom with Dozer and Blade. He headed over to his mom. Blade spoke to Rogue.
Dozer stopped at the table and sat on the stool next to me. “I shouldn’t have said anything earlier. Not everyone is going out tonight. Jazzy and Gabi aren’t going. Torch and Rogue aren’t into the scene at Liquid Chrome. Brenna and Pike are celebrating. They got a place over at the Shady Valley trailer park.”
“Brenna can get the tweakers to cut her grass with a pair of scissors.”
Dozer laughed. “They’re moving out at the end of the month.”
“Shady Valley, huh?” Just the name of the trailer park conjured memories I wish I could forget. Not only had Blue pulled Kiss out of a drug house in Shady Valley, but I could list my transgressive behaviors like a buffet menu. Shady Valley tempted all my vices. I intentionally deceived McKelle about where I was and who I was with. I neglected her when I wasn’t taking her for granted. Basically, I’d been a fucking asshole of a boyfriend.
“McKelle’s going. She’s over at Levi’s.”
I nodded. “Romeo and Levi. You and Pip. Blade and Hana. It’s not hard to guess who she’s going with. She’s going with Ryatt. Are they together now?”
“Bruh, I don’t know. I know they’re friends. Romeo hasn’t said anything. But he wouldn’t. Same reason I don’t. He’s close to Ryatt. But he’s always going to haveyour back. Don’t question his loyalty. Trust me. I know Romeo better than anyone in the MC. He wouldn’t fuck you over.”
“She hasn’t been back here all week.” She had to be spending her time with someone.
“I know you.” Dozer smiled, but it was tainted with concern. “I know you’re going to show up tonight.” Dozer glanced at Romeo, and then to Blade. “Don’t fuck this up.” He tugged on my cut. “If you show up and start something, it’s going to look bad. Hellers fight, but not with each other.”
“No problem.”
Dozer huffed. “I’ll take you to the basement if you start shit with Ryatt.”
I was definitely making my intentions known, not with Ryatt, but with McKelle. I was going to do what we did best. Fight and make up.
Dozer worried about me starting shit? Maybe Romeo should worry about Ryatt once he realized McKelle and I were never going to be over.
McKelle
“The last time you drank this toxic snow cone mix you threw up in the bushes.” Pippa wrapped an arm around Levi.
“But this time I’m drinking shots, not guzzling from a red cup.” Levi lifted her shot glass and tossed back the super sweet, cherry syrup vodka shot. “I’ve pumped extra breast milk all week for tonight. Romeo will have to feed Rosie tomorrow because she won’t take a bottle from me.”
“Are Kiss and Blue coming?” Hana asked.
“No,” I said. “I talked to Kiss earlier. They’re going to hang out at the MC tonight. She’s taking baby steps. One day at a time.”
Kiss confessed temptation still prickled at the back of her mind. Which was why Blue was so good for her. They were interdependent on each other. Blue kept her clean, and she kept Blue from giving into his dark thoughts.
I’d confessed my situationship with Ryatt to Kiss. Eventually, Cruz was going to find out. I wasn’t sure what scared me more, that he’d find out and tell me we were over, or if I really was ready to say goodbye.
