Sure, I worked my way up, but I never would have gotten here if it weren’t for Zero.
And where is he now?
In jail.
With a cellmate who has a grudge against me.
A cellmate who will more than likely kill Zero in the next few hours just for knowing me.
Some sort of fucking friend I am.
Zero’s death will be on me.
Texas pokes his head around the door. “Pres?”
I raise my chin. “Yeah?”
“Cherry’s wanting to speak with you.”
I signal for him to send her in. She steps inside the room immediately like she’s been there waiting. If I had the energy to find that funny, I would.
“Wraith, I need you to tell me why people are calling you pres now.”
I exhale, gesturing for her to take a seat. She hesitates while Texas shuts the door, but then she sits in his seat. “Rayne, it’s just how things work here. While Zero’s away, I have to step up and act as president. The brothers all need me to. They have to have someone to look to as their leader. I tried not to, I tried it the other way, I was avoiding it, but it wasn’t working. The club needs me to lead them this way.”
She relaxes her posture. “So, Zero, he’s not…” her eyes mist up as she blinks her tears away, “… dead?” The word comes out as a breathy whisper.
Fuck.
“No. But I am going to be honest with you, he’s hurt. He has been beaten by fellow inmates, but he’s alive.”
She closes her eyes. “Is he going to make it?”
“He’s gonna fight like hell. You know how stubborn he is.”
“That’s not what I asked. Do you think he’s going to stay alive in there?”
Jesus fucking Christ, this woman. No wonder Zero fell for her. She’s strong, I will give you that.
My breathing quickens. I turn away trying to figure out whether lying to her right now will be in her best interest.
“Don’t lie to me, Wraith. Hide the truth from Prinie all you like but not from me.”
I turn back to face her, and I already see it on her face.
She knows.
“No. I don’t know how long he has.”
She doesn’t burst into tears.
She doesn’t scream or break down.
Her face falls. Cherry folds her arms across her chest as if trying to find some sort of comfort. “So, he’s gonna die in there.”
I’m not sure if it’s a question she is asking me or if she’s mulling that over. I inhale as I lean forward trying to narrow the space between us. “Thing is, Cherry, he told me to give you a message. I wasn’t going to give it to you until something happened because who knows? He’s a tough fucking asshole.”
“He really is. But just in case… what did he say?”
Fuck, I hate this.
“He said to tell you he loves you. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to him… he said it with so much fucking gusto it made me want to puke… that you mean everything to him.”
She lets out a stifled laugh at the same time a fat tear falls down her cheek. “Thank you, Wraith. Thanks for not sugarcoating it. Thanks for being honest with me. As the first lady, I need to be able to handle shit like this.”
This woman is what first lady material is made of.
“You’re gonna be okay, Rayne. We’ll take care of you. It doesn’t matter if you’re an Old Lady for an hour or a lifetime. Once you’re an Old Lady, you’re a part of this club. We look after our own.”
She reaches out grabbing my hand over the table. “I know, but just like you’re all gonna take care of me, I’m gonna take care of you guys, too. We’re all going to be hurting if the time comes. We’re a family now.”
I turn my hand over, giving hers a squeeze. “I’m not going to tell Prinie about this. I think it’s best after the discussion we just had.”
“She’s not in a good way.”
“She’s in pain. Being here… all this place represents for her is loss. I’m not sure how to change that.”
A lump is caught in my throat because I am part of that loss too. I’m not helping her, only hurting her. “I wish I knew an easy way to ease her pain.”
Cherry chuckles. “Whiskey?”
If I smiled, I would now. She’s funny. “I know I need to keep clear of her.”
Cherry clicks her tongue to the roof of her mouth. “Honestly? You need to do just the opposite. But I understand you’re trying to do what your president and best friend wanted. Why, I’m not sure. I don’t know the reasons behind Zero wanting you to stay away from Prinie, everyone’s keeping it close to their chest.”
I raise my brow at her. “She hasn’t told you?”
“You thought she had?”
“Yeah, I just assumed with you being her friend, she would have confided in you.”
“No. Whatever happened between you two is locked up tight.”
I tense a little knowing our secret really is just between Prinie and me. Somehow that makes me feel like maybe she’s too intimidated to admit what happened between us to someone else.
Maybe she’s scared for me.
Of what might happen to me if someone found out.
It confirms my thoughts—I am no good for her.
WRAITH
The Next Day
Yesterday was a big day. I’m mentally drained. Lying in bed all night all I wanted was to go to Prinie’s room and check on her. I spent the night awake wishing she was here, in my arms. The night, even though it was humid, I would have been fine with the warmth of Prinie’s body pressing
