I want to tell her.
I want to open up.
To feel like I have someone I can talk to about what really happened that night. Get another opinion. In another time and place, Cherry would be that person. But now she’s the Old Lady of my brother, her loyalty is no longer mine.
Sure, she’s my best friend, but she’s the first lady of this club.
Her loyalty is how it should be—to Zero.
Always.
Anything I tell her will go straight to him.
I’m not stupid enough to think girl code comes before club code.
“Wraith and me… we’re not a good match. We’re both hot-headed. There’s too much arguing. I need someone calm. Someone easy going. Someone who’s willing to fight for me.”
Cherry smirks. “Someone like Phantom?”
“Yeah, exactly, someone like Phantom.”
Cherry wraps her arm around me, pulling me into her embrace. “But he’s not Wraith, is he?”
I let out a heavy exhale cuddling into her side. “No… no, he’s not.”
Why can’t shit be simple?
Why does everything have to always come back to Wraith?
He doesn’t want me.
He’s no good for me.
So why should I continue to pine for the man who scared the shit out of me?
WRAITH
We’re all in church, while Zero conducts a call to Hawke to discuss our treaty. Hawke runs on a weird time schedule—he’s always up at stupid hours, which works in our favor right now. He believes it’s a one-on-one conversation, it’s why the rest of us stay silent, but Zero wants all of us to hear what’s happening, so Zero has it on speaker, and we’re all in on whatever shit Hawke sprouts.
“So, like I said Hawke, once a month the Snow White capsules will be ready for distribution. You’ll get your cut, and we’ll get ours. This will run on a monthly basis for the foreseeable future.”
“Forty-sixty, that’s how this is going, right?” Hawke asks again.
“Jesus man, do you have a memory problem. Yes, we get sixty, you get forty. Do I need to tattoo it to your damn forehead?”
“Don’t be a wiseass, Zero. Play nice. Just crosschecking. Okay, we’ll expect the first shipment at the end of the month.”
“Let’s see how this goes, Hawke. I am hoping we can put aside decades of unrest between us with this deal.”
Hawke grunts. “You do the right thing… I’ll do the right thing, and you make sure to take care of that little Cherry Bomb of yours. She’s integral to all of this.”
“I plan on looking after her real good. Talk later, Hawke.”
Zero ends the call, sliding his cell across the table a little harder than he probably meant to.
I raise my brow. “So, that went well,” I mumble.
Zero side-eyes me, then turns, completely ignoring me. “Neon, find the appropriate buyers. Maybe the Vegas brothers, or NOLA will take some of the load?”
“Sure, I’m on it. Actually, I was thinking about transportation. We need to buy a pharmaceutical truck for the deliveries. We should do them ourselves to cut costs, and it will help with any discrepancies which might come into play.”
Zero dips his chin. “I like it. Search through our accounts, find the funds, then purchase something. Get it done. Let me know how it goes. For now, I think we’re done here.” He slams his gavel on the table, then everyone stands to walk out.
I go to exit, but Zero grabs my wrist. “Hang back.”
My muscles tense as Texas, being the last to leave, closes the door of the chapel behind him. I slump back in my seat preparing for another earful which I more than likely deserve.
Zero folds his arms over his chest. “I shouldn’t have come at you like that.”
I jerk my head back in shock.
I wasn’t expecting that.
“I don’t know what the fuck is going on, or has gone on with you and Prinie, and I don’t want to. But honestly, man, you’ve been part of this club for a long-ass time. I’ve watched you grow. I’ve watched you fall apart. I’ve been there to put you back together. Hell, you’ve been there for me more times than I care to recall. We’re brothers, so the code means something to me. What I don’t understand… is this some sort of a game to you?”
“Prinie was never a game. Ever.”
“I know what you’re capable of if you lose control, and it scares me, Wraith.”
Memories of my hands around Prinie’s neck flood my mind. “I understand all too well, but I don’t want to hurt her.”
“Then you need to stay the hell away from her!” Zero exhales, running his hand over his bearded chin. “I love you, man, like you’re my own flesh and blood, but you scare the hell out of me when it comes to Prinie. She means everything to me. If I have to choose between her safety and you…”
“I understand… I don’t want to be that man with her.”
Zero reaches out gripping my forearm. “I don’t know that you have it in you to change, brother.”
A sledgehammer smacks straight in my chest, so intensely I can’t breathe. I sit as he stands, then walks for the door. “I love you, brother, but I love her more. That’s all I’m saying.” He walks out the chapel leaving me reeling.
Zero was always the first to believe in me, hearing he doesn’t now has me questioning it myself.
My predilections are too far fucking gone for her.
Maybe Zero is one hundred percent right.
I need to steer clear at all costs.
Standing, I walk out of the chapel, feeling all kinds of fucked-up in the head right now. Heading for
