She shakes her head helplessly. “My period is late,” she whispers again, voice trembling. “Kade, I’m trying to tell you—”
“STOP SAYING THAT!” I roar, slamming both hands onto the desk hard enough to rattle the window. Eden jumps, covering her mouth as tears spill. “Why,” I hiss, “did you take that pill?”
Her expression twists with a mixture of heartache and confusion. And there’s something else. Something I can’t read, and it only fuels the fire consuming me.
“Kade…” she breathes, her voice cracking. “Please listen—”
“Did you cheat on me?” I shout, the words tearing out of me like shrapnel.
She shakes her head fast. “No—I—I… it wasn’t like that,”
“GET OUT.” My voice breaks on the last word. “Get your shit and get the fuck out!”
Her whole body trembles as she reaches for the suitcase handle. Her hand shakes so badly she has to grip it twice before it catches.
“What about Martha?” she whispers.
“She can stay. I’ll talk to her tomorrow and let her decide.” I look her dead in the eyes, even though it physically hurts to do it. “But if she stays, you’re not welcome here.”
“What about my job?” she whispers, brows pinched in confusion.
“Look for something else,” I say, forcing the words out. “If I were you, I’d get out of Nottingham.”
Her face goes slack with shock. The ache in my chest flares so sharply I have to rub at it. She looks so fucking small. So lost. For a second I want to pull her into my arms and undo all of this—but I don’t move.
Instead, I walk to the door, open it, and wait for her to leave.
“No.” Fern’s voice slices through the tension like a blade. She pushes forward, fury written all over her face. “You can’t do this.”
“I’m the President,” I growl. “I can do whatever the fuck I like. Diesel, get your ol’ lady out of my face. Now.”
Fern steps closer before Diesel can grab her. “You have no idea what she’s been through!”
“Do you, Fern?” I snarl, leaning into her space. “Because if you’re hiding something from me—or covering for her—I swear to God, you’ll be following her out of that gate.”
She barks out a bitter laugh. “Understood.”
Then she storms after Eden. “Wait up. I need to pack my stuff.”
“What?” Diesel snaps, grabbing her arm. “Fern, what?”
“I can’t stay here while he does this to Eden,” she says, voice shaking with fury and heartbreak. “I’m sorry.”
“Pres?” Diesel pleads, desperate.
I don’t meet his eyes. “I can’t stop her.”
Diesel turns to Fern, voice rising. “Tell him what you know! Tell me what you know. Fern, why are you keeping secrets?”
“Oh, give me a break,” she fires back. “How many times have you men told me to trust you? How many times have I heard ‘Be quiet, Fern––it’s club business?”
“That’s different,” I bark. “The club is about the brothers. Our business stays among us.”
“And the old lady business stays amongus,” she spits. “That’s how it works.”
“It involves me!” I roar. “She’s my ol’ lady. I have a right to know what’s going on!”
The front door slams open. Jimmy strides in. His face is pale, his eyes scanning the room before locking onto me. Without a word, he shoulders past and walks straight into my office.
