“What the fuck are you doin’?” he asks, his voice bitter and clipped.
I lift my hand and drag it down my face, letting out a deep exhale.
“What does it look like? I’m moving on.”
“It looks like you’re a fucking idiot. One who not only fucked up the best relationship he had but also wants to end up with every fucking STD there is. Did you get a head injury when you were shot?”
The words land like a punch in the gut.
I laugh once. Trying to keep my cool. “Funny,” I mutter. “And who are you to make that determination for me?”
His eyes narrow, and I can tell he’s getting more pissed as the seconds pass.
“Just someone watching his brother and friend making the biggest fuckin’ mistake of his life.”
I lean forward on the stool, resting my forearms on the countertop. “Don’t start that shit with me.”
“Oh, I’m starting it,” Bash shoots back. “Because somebody needs to say it. You just let the best thing in your life walk out that door while you fucked around that woman.”
I gestured toward the door.
“You think she walked out because of me? Because of her?” I jerked my head toward the door Jennalyn disappeared through.
“No, that’s not the only reason she walked out. I know why she did. But how do you think she feels seeing the bitch that’s giving her a hard time, all over your ass?” His jaw clenches. “You really that stupid? Or you just pretending not to see it?”
Jennalyn’s been giving Vee a hard time? Vee didn’t mention it to me. But why would she?
“Not my problem. Vee ain’t my woman,” I finally snap, hoping he’ll just leave. But he doesn’t; he just glares at me, his nostrils flaring with anger.
“Not your problem?” he asks. “What is it that you’re running from?”
I am so fucking over having to explain myself.
“Not that it’s anyone’s business but mine. I’m not running from shit. I can’t do what Vee wants. I can’t share her with anyone else. It’s me and her or nothing.”
Bash just stands there. Not saying a word. As we both stare at each other like we’re in a standoff in the old west or playing a game to see who blinks first.
“I felt the same as you. Not just the not sharing but the age difference between me and Arizona. It took her being taken and tortured for me to come to my senses. I almost lost her before I ever made her mine. Don’t fuck up like me, Hank.” He takes a deep breath. “It scared the shit out of me, and I never want to go through that again.”
“That’s not even close to my situation,” I mutter.
“The fuck it isn’t. I was oblivious to what was right in front of my eyes and so are you. You say you can’t share, yet you haven’t even fucking tried.”
“I don’t need to try to know I can’t.” I growl, slamming my hands on the counter. He’s my boss and an officer in my club, but at the moment I don’t give a damn.
“Keep telling yourself that lie, Hank. But we both know that’s what it is.” He turns to leave, but stops, and looks back at me.
“The women in this club, the ones we make our ol’ ladies change us, Hank. They change us for the better, but not before they go through hell. It took that for me to see what was right in front of my eyes. Vee hasn’t had to endure that. Don’t let her slip away. Don’t say you can’t do something when you haven’t even tried. You might surprise yourself.”
With that he leaves, heading back inside the club, the loud bass music filtering out as he opens the door.
But my eyes drift back to the front door. To the spot where she disappeared.
And the worst part? If she walked back in right now… I’d be on my knees begging before she even made it inside the club. Begging her to choose me. To make me her only ol’ man, not sharing her. I never see that happening. It’s better for me to just continue pushing her away.
Even though I hate it. Even though I want her.
Chapter 28
