“I came by Luca’s—”
“I know. He told me.” I don’t give him a chance to finish what he’s saying.
“Can the three of us talk?” he asks, gesturing between him, Luke and me.
My eyebrow arches as I stare at them.
“Please Vee. Just talk to us.” Luke all but pleads and I’m taken aback. Begging isn’t in his character.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” I tell them softly.
Luke just grins, one that’s so familiar. He’s given it to me a million times. “Yes there is. I’ve missed you.”
“We’ve both missed you,” Josh adds.
God I’ve missed them. But there’s no version of this story where it ends happily and I’m with the three men who consume me.
They’re both looking at me like they’re waiting for an answer and I don’t have one. I have no clue what to say.
“We just want to talk,” Josh adds. “No pressure.”
I shake my head. “Not tonight. Luca’s expecting me.”
I step away making my way back down to my new friend who greets me with a smile. When I glance over my shoulder, I see Luke and Josh still standing there, but now Carlos is with them.
All I want is to leave, but I stay where I am—watching, waiting—until the two men finally leave.
Chapter 20
Vee
HoldingAsh’ssweetlittleboy in my arms has me in tears. He is absolutely perfect. I always thought baby fever was a figure of speech. I was so wrong. Holding Jacey in my arms makes me want a little one of my own. I could see a beautiful little girl with Josh’s eyes. Twin little boys, one with Hank’s tenderness and the other with Luke’s creativity. Or any combination of the three. But that perfect image fades away.
The reality is, I’m a cancer to the club. I’ve pitted three brothers against each other. Maybe it would be best for everyone if I leave. Let my finger randomly pick a new town in a state far from here and start fresh. I’d miss Luca and my besties. But I could always keep in touch with them.
As much as I want to stay and visit with Ash at the hospital, I know this is precious time for her little family. I can tell by the tired look on Ash’s face; that she is ready for some rest, and she definitely isn’t going to get that with a room full of people. And I need to think about what I am going to do.
The drive to my apartment passes in a blur. When I pull into my parking spot, I sit there for a minute and stare off into space.Could I just up and leave? Build a life in a new state? Arizona did and other than being held captive by her asshole father and the man she was sold to, it turned out okay for her.
“Maybe,” I whisper. Just maybe I’ll pack everything up and leave. Start fresh. I just need to know that things will go back to normal between Hank, Josh, and Luke before I disappear.
Opening my car door, I get out and open the back driver side door, grabbing my bags. I load up my arms, planning to take everything in one trip. But it doesn’t work out that way. I leave my bedding and head to my apartment.
I juggle my bags and open my apartment door, the familiar scent wrapping around my body, grounding me. There’s no obnoxious smoke or alcohol scent. No overwhelming smell of sex taunting me. It’s home. And I’ve missed it. I inhale, taking a deep breath and my heart sinks as a tinge of Hank’s familiar woodsy cologne remains.
I drop my bags. I walk over to the window, pulling back the sheer curtains and open the window, then open the balcony doors. As much as I hate doing it, I need to rid my apartment of his smell.
When I leave my apartment, I opt for the stairs instead of the elevator, not wanting to risk running into anyone in the building and needing to fake polite conversation. Stepping outside the building, I’m momentarily blinded by the sun, needing to hold up my hand to block it from my eyes. Something on my windshield catches my attention. When I get closer, I see it’s a rose. A lone red rose. There’s no note. Just the flower, wrapped in pink tissue paper. My head quickly swivels from left to right, looking for who put it there, but there’s no one. The parking area is empty of anyone but me.
I carefully lift the wiper blade and remove the flower, then get the bag with my bedding out of the trunk. Making sure my doors are locked, I head back to the entrance of the building. A shiverruns down my spine and I glance over my shoulder. But there’s nothing there.
“You’re being silly,” I mutter under my breath.
It has to be Josh. A single rose isn’t something Luke or Hank would do. I bet anything Josh saw me at the hospital and followed me. Leaving the rose was his way of letting me know he was still there, while still giving me space. Something I don’t think he’s going to give me for long, with his previous visits to both the clubhouse and the bar.
I should toss it. I even think about it when I get in my apartment. But something keeps me from doing it. Instead, I open my cabinet and take down a glass, making a pseudo vase since I don’t have one. Flowers aren’t something I’m used to getting. Mind blowing orgasms. Yep, those I’ve gotten. Candy and flowers and all that girly stuff. Never.
I drag myself to the bedroom and flop down on the bed, letting my body fall backward. My eyes are focused on the twirling blades of the ceiling fan, wishing it was a random wheel that would land on the answer to all my problems. Shocker. It isn’t.
