Cherry’s sitting with Chills and her baby while Kevlar stands in the doorway talking on his cell. I’m sure he’s discussing with Ethan everything that’s happening with Zero. If it was him who tipped off the Sergeant, I owe Ethan a huge fucking favor and even a thank you. I never thought I’d see the day I’d owe Ethan any-fucking-thing. That man has had it in for the club for as long as Kevlar has been a member. I don’t know why the sudden turnaround, but I’ll take anything to help Zero out.
Honestly, though, with packages going missing, the Baron making his ugly presence felt in places he shouldn’t, Zero being locked up and in constant danger, plus this constant shit with Prinie being so fucked-up, I am continually out of my fucking depth.
I don’t know how Zero handles all the shit thrown at him while trying to manage a personal life—this shit’s fucking chaotic.
My eyes are heavy as I lean back needing sleep more than anything. But with everything going on, my mind will be racing so fucking fast I won’t be able to relax. The threat of retaliation from Hawke and his band of merry Militia rattles through my head. I rest my forehead on my fist, just taking some much-needed time out.
“You okay, pres?” I glance up as Ruby walks over with a cold longneck.
She places it on my table, and I rub the back of my neck. “Honestly, Rubes, I don’t fucking know.”
Her face falls. “Do you want me to get someone for you?”
I eye her up and down, I can see the appeal. She would’ve been a hot commodity back in Chicago as a club girl before Luc and she got serious. Maybe she’s what I need right now. A woman to talk to, who I can’t fuck up with. “Take a seat, Rubes.”
Her eyes shift to Luc, then back to me before slowly sitting in the seat opposite me.
“Don’t worry it’s nothing like that. I know you’re off-limits. That was decreed when you came to the club… club girl or not, the brothers all know you’re with Luc.”
She visibly relaxes. “Okay… then how can I help?”
“When a man is into a woman, but he can’t be with her for a solid reason, but the woman won’t accept that reason… how does the man make the woman see his point of view?”
She raises her brow, then sits taller. “Well, in all honesty, if the woman hasn’t given up on the man after he repeatedly tells her he can’t be with her, but it’s obvious the man is into her and is fighting it… then they just need to let all that baggage go and give it a try. If she’s still hanging around after he’s been a dick, then she really cares about him, and truthfully, he’s fucking lucky and doesn’t deserve her.”
My chest tightens. “Don’t hold back there, Rubes.”
She snickers. “I never do. I just wanna say that if this ‘man’…” she uses air quotes, “… really cares about her, then they will find a way. Love always finds a way in the end.”
“That’s fucking poetic of you.”
She shrugs. “Yeah, but it’s true. Look at me and Luc. A club girl and a prospect. We moved across the other side of the country to stay together. If you find something worth fighting for, Wraith, then fucking fight for it.”
As if on cue, Prinie walks back inside, sweaty as fuck from her workout. I have to say seeing her all hot and bothered like that has my cock all kinds of woken up. I focus in on her as she makes her way to the stairs, pulling her AirPods from her ears. Her eyes widen when she notices Ruby talking to me, and our eyes lock as she continues to walk, not paying attention to where she’s going and steps straight into the side of the pool table.
“Fuck,” she blurts out breaking our stare as she quickly turns, scurrying off up the stairs.
“Mm-hmm, there’s still fight in the both of you yet,” Ruby leans in whispering to me.
“I never said the man was me, or that the woman was Prinie. I was generalizing. You know… asking for a friend.”
Ruby giggles. “Sure thing, pres. Well, if I was your ‘friend’ and Prinie was the woman he was after, I would be following her up those stairs right about now. There are obviously things you, I mean they, need to talk about.”
There’s no point in even trying to hide it, Ruby knows for sure who I am talking about.
Hell, the whole club does.
I don’t know why I try to hide it anymore.
Maybe I shouldn’t.
Maybe I do need to just fucking fight for her.
“Thanks, Rubes.” I take a sip of the beer she brought me and stand.
She bites down on her bottom lip. “Go get her, pres!”
Walking quickly to the stairs, I take them two at a time, heading for Prinie’s room. My heart pounds when I reach her door while my head screams at me to back away. What would Zero think if he saw me right now. But the thing is, he isn’t here, and honestly, I don’t know when he’ll be back.
I need to take care of Prinie.
I need to take care of me.
I can’t keep fighting this. No matter how hard I try, it doesn’t work.
I gently wrap on her door, my stomach swirling in anticipation, but she doesn’t answer.
What the fuck is she doing in there?
She’s been so distraught lately.
Fear cripples me.
What if she’s done something?
I burst through the door, but
