“Fine, you can go home,” he said.
“What the fuck, Shooter? It’snot safe,” Dom yelled.
“Fuck you, Ican handle myself!” Isnapped at Dom, giving him the middle finger.
“Fuck you, you can’thandle shit!”
“Fuck you, Ihandle more than you know, but you wouldn’tknow that since you’re never there!”
Dom’sface turned adeep shade of pink. “Fuck you—”
“Enough of the fuck yous!” Shooter yelled, interrupting us both. “Goddamn it!”
“Prez?” Gauge said. “You sure that’sagood idea?”
“Fuck you too!” Iyelled, turning my middle finger on him. “I’ve handled myself perfectly well all these years and that’snot going to change now.”
Shooter folded his arms over his chest. “Listen, Jolie, I’mnot in the business of keeping women locked up, and you clearly ain’tgoing to listen to any of us despite what you’ve just been through.” He pulled apack of cigarettes from his pocket and lit one, letting out along trail of smoke.
Ifolded my arms over my chest and nodded in agreement. How could Itell him that Ihadn’tfelt safe in days, that the memory of hitting Jeff in the head with my stiletto haunted me. That Icould still feel the reverberations echoing up my arm from it. Or that the memory of hands on my skin made me want to vomit.
“Besides,” he continued, “you’ll be safe if Gauge goes with you.”
“What the fuck did you just say?” Gauge growled.
“Iagree,” Dom said. “What the fuck, Shooter?”
Iraised my hand. “I’malso inclined to agree with these two assholes… What the fuck?”
Shooter took another long drag on his cigarette. “You wanna go home, then Gauge goes with you and he don’tleave your side. So raise hell, give him shit, or cuddle in bed for all Icare, but he stays glued to you no matter what. It’sthat or you stay here, and as much as Idon’tagree with locking women up against their will…Iwill do it if it'snecessary to keep you safe.”
“This is ridiculous,” Isaid with ashake of my head. “Idon’tneed ababysitter.”
“That may be, but you’re going to have one until we catch the motherfuckers who started this. It’snot just you we’re protecting, it’sDom’swhole family. You’re all caught up in club shit now whether you, or I, like it or not, and that makes you family, and we look after our family. So you’re right, you need to go home. And I’msending Gauge to look after you all and putting prospects out front at all times.” He cocked an eyebrow at me. “That okay with you?”
“No,” Isaid with aroll of my eyes. “It’snot okay, and for the record, you are not my family. Ialready have one of those and that one is more messed up than this so-called family.”
Dom stepped forward. “Prez, I’ll go with her. It’smy goddamn responsibility.”
“Is it?” Igave adry laugh and Dom’seyes blazed with anger.
“Oh fuck off, Jolie. You’re so high and fucking mighty all the time! Acting like you’re so free of blame for the shit that goes down in that house, well fuck you. You’re half of the goddamn problem. Dropping out of school and working in astrip club!” Dom looked me up and down in disgust, his hands giving me aslow round of applause. “Real fucking classy, Jolie. Mom must be so proud of her only daughter right now.”
Ilurched forward, my fist throbbing when it made contact with Dom’scheek. He barely moved but Iknew it had to hurt, and he flinched as Iswung at him again. Gauge dove in between us, grabbing me by the waist and pulling me backwards. Dom had squared up, chin lifted, shoulders back. Ididn’tthink he’dever hit me, but he looked as close as he ever had. Not that Icared, because Iwas done. Iwas so fucking done.
Ipointed afinger at him and laughed bitterly. “Because you’re something to be proud of? At least Istuck around—Istuck it out! You? You ran away from everything and everyone. You got yourself anew make-believe family while Itried to hold together youractualfamily. We needed you, Dom—Ifucking needed you—but you were too busy playing bad boy biker with your friends and acting like we didn’texist! And the worst part is, we never knew what we’ddone to make you run from us!” Iscreamed in his face. Years of anger, resentment, and hate poured from me. “When this is done, we are through. For good this time!” Iscreamed again, meaning every word. “Do you hear me, Dom? Inever want to see you again!”
Gauge’sgrip was still tight on me, but Ididn’tfight him. Icouldn’t. Iwould have fallen to my knees if Idid. Iwas astrong woman, but even strong women could only take so much.
“This is why you can’tgo with her, Dom,” Shooter yelled. “You two would kill each other before the end of the night, and there’sbeen enough goddamn bloodshed today.”
Dom and Iwere glaring at one another like we could kill each other with asingle look, and Iknew that something had just irrevocably changed between us. Something had shifted that could never be put right. Pain squeezed at my heart. Iwas suddenly so tired that Icouldn’tthink straight. Iwanted my own bed, not some twisted, pink, Barbie-inspired harem hideout manned by some smooth-talking, suit-wearing pervert. Iwanted wine and Cheetos and old movies. Iwanted my own clothes, ahot bath, and to forget about everything that had just happened to me. But mostly, Iwanted to know that my mom and Marcel were okay, and if the only way Iwas going to get that was if Gauge came with me, then so be it. Ihated Gauge and everything he stood for; he was part of the club that had torn my family apart.
Iturned to Gauge, apleading look on my face. “Please, please just take me home.”
My voice came out stronger than Icurrently felt, and when he looked down at me, his brow still furrowed in thought, Iworried that he would say no. That he might reject my plea and push me away like everyone else did. But then this was Gauge, and Gauge had given me his word that he’dkeep me safe, and for some strange, inconceivable reason, Ibelieved him.
“Okay,” he said, his gaze full of warmth.
