Page 52 of Crusher

I hang up before she can say anything back, while Lola puts the lights on and then speeds out of the gas station.

“You have a kid?” she asks through gritted teeth and uses her anger to weave in and out of the cars.

“I’ve been married for eight years, what the fuck did you expect?” I snap, “I never gave you any indication I wanted you. You took one look at me, saw my cut and thought, oh I’ll have him, even though I’m fucking happily married, so do me a favor, grow up, and concentrate on the fucking road!”

Okay, so happily married is a big fucking stretch, but I want to be. I want my wife to want me, I mean, I know she wants me, she just doesn’t trust me.

How can I convince her that I won’t hurt her again? That I want a lifetime with her?

***

I sigh as I stretch my neck from side to side, as I climb off my bike, walking inside the house after closing the garage. Despite the long fucking day, I smile, hearing my son's giggles coming from the backyard, and I head that way.

Sighing, I walk outside, but I freeze as a bark hits my ears before I lock eyes with a tiny fucking Pitbull puppy running my way before weaving in and out of my legs, and my son shouts with glee, “Daddy, Mama got us a puppy!”

“No shit,” I mutter as I bend and lift the wiggling little one up. Smiling slightly as she licks my face, her bright blue eyes actually pretty, I ask, “And what is her name?” Putting her back down before she runs after my son. My wife walks my way, looking fucking beautiful in my old high school hoodie and leggings.

Kayden might have let slip that if she wasn’t at work, she’d live in the thing. I may have put several more of the old ones I found at my parents’ place in her side of the dresser.

“Her name is Angel,” she says, then comments, “You look tired…”

I hum as she stops by me, but too far away for my liking. I grab her arm and yank her towards me before wrapping mine around her waist. When she doesn’t fight me and relaxes, I sigh with relief and hold her tighter as I press my lips against her head, then watch our son.

“Fucking exhausted. Not only did an eighty-two-year-old try to set me up with her great-granddaughter who eyed me like piece of meat when I went to help with her injuries. Didn’t even care when I flashed my ring tattoo, but my partner crashed the rig while said great-granddaughter tried to flirt with me in the back.” I admit and Alexiana looks at me in shock and I shake my head. I explain, “For years the woman has wanted me and for years I’ve said no and brought up your name more times than I can count. When I got to work this morning, the bitch had changed the schedule assignments to ensure she was paired with me.”

“Holy…” she gasps, and I nod as I take a pull of my beer.

“She’s been suspended until further notice pending investigation, but my boss said with the several complaints I’ve made over the years, including complaints from others, she’s losing her job,” I mutter, taking another pull just as my son confirms, “Isn’t a female dog called a bitch?” and I choke on my beer as my wife sighs.

“He’s your child,” she mutters as he shrugs and continues to run around with the dog, and I agree, “That he is,” before I ask, “Where did the dog come from anyway?”

“Your blood brother,” my wife replies, and I mumble, “I’m going to kill him.”

She chuckles, “No, you won’t because your son adores her,” and I huff, knowing she’s right. She shifts to look at me, her deep green eyes sucking me in, and she asks, “How are you so calm with all this? I mean, your wife who left you pops back in with a child to boot, how are you so sane?”

“I can’t change the past,” I answer as I hold her tighter to me, “And I know I’m to blame for all this. This is my penance for breaking your heart, your trust, and I have to live with it.”

She shakes her head and looks back at our son.

“It isn’t healthy to think that way,” she mutters, and I kiss her head then murmur, “I know, but I can’t change how I think, baby,” before I mention, “You never mentioned my choice to leave the club?”

I’ve been thinking about it more, wondering if she’ll learn to forgive me if I do what she originally wanted and choose her.

“You’re not leaving the club,” she states, and I pull back and raise a brow at her, but she shrugs, “Back then, I never would have allowed you to hang up your cut, I was testing you and you failed. You didn’t choose me after you did the worst I could possibly have imagined at the time, and now I’m telling you, you are not hanging up your cut, you’re not leaving your family.”

I tilt my head at her, and I confirm, “You’re testing me with the patch chasers?”

She furrows her brows before she whispers, “Maybe I am,” and I nod as a little bit of hope fills me.

We’ve got a dog, she’s falling asleep in my arms even if she acts as if she regrets it the next morning, and she’s testing me.

Maybe she is fighting for us, and she just doesn’t realize it.

“Okay,” I mutter before I press my lips against hers softly, holding her close and forcing her to lay her head against my chest. We watch our son run around with the puppy and I whisper, “A man could get used to this,” causing her to grip my cut and I half smile because, I really could and I won’t lose it.

Chapter 24

Alexiana