We hold steady, but settling is the last thing I feel.
“Law, you’ve got to know that with everything going on with Ruby and the way you spoke about never wanting a woman after Special K, it’s going to take some time for us to get our minds wrapped around this.”
“Sounds likeyouhave ayouproblem, then,” I mutter.
“Show some goddamn respect, asshole. She was your wife. Your kid is still recovering from being takenhostage for over two weeks. The least you can do is keep it in your pants for a while.”
“From the way you talk, sounds like you want it to be forever.”
Chains shrugs as if it’s not the worst idea.
“And Law is right.” General turns to Chains. “He has a right to a life. He chose before to stay the way he was, and now that’s changed. What if he remembered herandfound new love? Would that make it better? People find new people all the time after the death of a spouse. You saying it’s okay for all of them but not him? Because he has a kid who can’t seem to understand that her dad needs to be happy too? That he should be miserable just to keep her happy and the rest of us from feeling uncomfortable at the idea of someone new coming in?”
Chains looks away. This time, though, I see a bit of guilt in his eyes. He might have started talking the first time because he was angry and the liquor in his veins gave him the courage, but now that seems to have wavered a bit. Or maybe he’s just getting his head out of his ass.
“You might not like it, but look at him. Really look. Has anyone seen him this happy? He smiles. He never smiled unless he was drunk and talking about Ruby. Now he does it all the time. Is that because of the memory loss or because he found someone?”
No one answers General as he looks around at everyone.
“Law has been there for all of us. Some of us a few times.” He takes a second to give Chains a pointed look. “We might not like how shit has gone down, but we ain’t running off someone’s woman just to make Ruby happy. I love Ruby.We all do. If things were different, she’d be a brother and busting all our balls.”
“Already does,” someone says in the back, and the air cracks with laughter.
“We respect her, and we respecthim. Law is a brother, and we ain’t putting one over the other because of what their official status is in this club.” General looks back to Chains only and puts his hands down. “You’ll like her once you get to know her.”
Five seconds. That’s all it takes for Chains to figure it out.
“You knew?”
General shrugs. “Yeah.”
“And you didn’t tell us?” Chains gestures to the rest of the club. Not everyone is as mad as they once were. For the man who loves pain, he does a great job of talking people out of inflicting it upon others.
“Didn’t think it was anyone’s concern.”
“Still isn’t,” I say with a glare, aiming it at everyone in this damn place as I raise my voice to make sure they all hear.
“I’m only going to say this once, so spread the word to the others who ain’t around. Who I fuck is no one’s business. I don’t get in your bed and start shit, so don’t get in mine. I appreciate you all looking out for Ruby, but last I looked, she’s grown. And from the way you guys are talking, or what you ain’t saying, it sounds like she’s got a man in her life. One who can deal with her issues. She doesn’t need all of you going after me. Her man can do that, or he ain’t a man at all. So respect her, respect her man, and for fuck’s sake, respect me. I might not be an officer, and I get that we’ve gotno clue as what I am to this club, but I’m not a traitor. I didn’t turn over my patch, and unless Casper takes it, it’s staying right here.” I smack my vest, crest over my heart, to prove my point.
“If you’ve got opinions onmylife, keep them to your damn self. I’m tired of coming over to a place that should be my home to have half of you gossiping behind my back and the rest not making eye contact with me. Either deal with shit or take a goddamn vote and take my patch. I’m done with this shit.”
I give General a nod. “Thanks for having my back,” I say, and then I’m out. On my bike and driving away without a second glance back. I already know where I’m going, and I don’t give a shit that I’m doing it. I need something good right now.
I park close to the hospital entrance, then make my way in and up to her floor. Once I get there, I see Nurse Vicky behind the nurses’ station. She gives me a pinched look, like a nun who sees me chasing after a girl in church but keeps it to herself because she took a vow of silence. Instead, the old bat just says, “Room 314.”
I raise my eyebrows in shock but say nothing as she lowers her head and gets back to work, dismissing me.
Turning left, I head to the room she mentioned. I’ve been here enough that I know which direction to go. I won’t go into a stranger’s room, though—who the fuck knows what’s wrong with them that brought them here—so I usually stand outside the door. Thankfully, I don’t even make it that far before my girl’s coming out with a smile on her face.
One look at me and she’s rushing over and wrapping me in a hug. One I return instantly and just hold her as I breathe in her scent. She usually doesn’t wear anything but the sterile shit hospitals prefer to keep patients from reacting to certain scents. But when I bury my head in her neck just so, I can smell her unique scent. The one that makes me feel calm.
“You okay?” she whispers in my ear.
I nod. “Just needed you, Babygirl.”
She pulls back enough to let me see her smiling face. “Well, don’t you know how to make a girl feel special?”
“Just telling it like it is,” I say with a shrug. It’s the truth, and that’s what I plan to do in this relationship—be honest. Not sure what I did in my last ones, with Special K or Ruby,but I plan to tell Diana anything she asks. I might not tell her all at once, but if she asks for details, I’ll speak up. Holding shit in isn’t what I want to do anymore. I couldn’t speak for months while in a coma. Not saying I crave talking, but I remember a void before I woke up. One that I screamed into, and no one responded. And the weight of holding in things sat on my chest, making me wake with an ache. It was the only thing I remembered about the coma. I never told anyone; not sure how to really talk about it. But if she asked, if anyone does, I’ll tell. I’ll tell them anything.
