“It doesn’t matter. It’s done with now,” she mutters, clearly irritated by my questions.
“If you don’t tell me, then I’ll make my own version up and it might get blown out of proportion. Maybe it’s not as bad as I’m thinking.” She remains quiet. “Let me tell you what I’m picturing.” I run my finger along her collar bone. Her eyes stare into mine and she licks her lips. She wants me to kiss her. I gently cover each bruise with my fingers until my hand is placed on her neck pretty much how I imagine Reggie gripped her. “I think Reggie grabbed you just like this,” I whisper. My mouth is inches away from hers and I feel her breath hitching. “And then, I think he . . . ” I slowly run my tongue over her lower lip, and she sucks in a breath. “Tried to kiss you. Did he hurt your lip when you tried to stop him?” She shakes her head. “So that means he bit your lip on purpose?” I ask. Anna doesn’t reply.
I gently brush my lips against hers. When she doesn’t pull away, I run my free hand into her hair and gently tug her head back. She gasps and it’s the opportunity I need to take the kiss deeper. Our lips seal together, and I swipe my tongue against hers. It takes everything in me not to completely overpower this moment and drag her somewhere more private because my entire body is crying out for her. Anna’s hands grip my shirt and she pushes up on her tiptoes like she’s trying to get closer. My cock strains against my jeans and the second she feels it pushing against her stomach, she freezes. The moment vanishes and we step apart, panting for air. “I’ll be on the next visit,” I growl. I’m angry for allowing myself to get carried away and kiss her like that, and I’m pissed that Reggie put his hands on her.
“No,” she says. “It won’t happen again.”
“Damn right it won’t cos I’ll be there.”
She chews on her lower lip. “Oh my god, I let you kiss me and you have a girlfriend.” Her face is full of regret and worry.
“You mean Bonnie?” I ask. “She’s not my girlfriend. She’s . . . ” I pause. What do I say, my comfort blanket? Instead, I go with, “It’s complicated.”
“Life is always complicated. I can’t get involved with complicated.” She looks pained for a second before shaking it off and stepping past me. “Sorry,” she mumbles. I stare after her.
“What did you do?” asks Cree after they leave. “I was getting somewhere with her hot friend.”
“I made a move and she blew me off,” I sigh. “Where’s Bonnie?”
Cree laughs and slaps me on the back. “Dust ya self off and carry on. I like it.”
I leave the bar soon after Anna and head back to the clubhouse. It’s a short walk between the bar and the club. Tiny is waiting for me. “She tried to see Ziggy. I thought she was gonna wake the whole club up. She’s crazy.” No one is a fan of Michelle, not even the club’s prospect.
“Where is she now?” I ask.
“Your room. She said she was getting a shower, so I left her to it.”
I go into my bedroom and I’m not surprised to see Michelle lying across the bed naked. I roll my eyes as she smiles seductively. “I’ve been waiting for you.”
“Put your clothes on, Michelle,” I sigh. I grab one of my shirts from the floor and throw it at her. “We’re past those days, don’t ya think.”
She jumps up and pushes herself against me. I clench my fists because despite my feelings of hatred, she’s still the mother of my kid and my first love. “You’re always there for me,” she mutters. “Why did I fuck it all up?”
I take her upper arms and gently move her backward to put space between us. The door opens and Bonnie walks in. She glances back and forth between us. “You need me or not?” she asks. I shake my head and a look of hurt passes over her face. She closes the door and I lean over to lock it. Michelle takes the opportunity while I’m distracted to rub her hand over my cock, but I close my eyes briefly and then remove her hand.
“Get some sleep. You’re a mess,” I mutter.
“I just want things to be good again,” she cries. “Like before.”
“Before you messed it all up, you mean?” I hiss. “I’ve told you before, stop taking that crap and get well again. I can’t have you around here like this.”
“If I was clean, you’d have me?” she asks with hope in her voice.
“Yes. I’d have you back with the club where you’re safe. I’d let you be around Ziggy.” I take her face in my hands and use my thumbs to wipe away her tears. “You could take him to school and the park. You could have it all back if you just got clean.”
“And you? Could I have you back?” Giving her false hope would be cruel, so I shake my head.
“Get better for Ziggy. He needs his mom around.”
Michelle scoffs. “Your mom would never let me come back here. She’d die before letting me be around for Zigg.”
“It’s not up to my mom. Get clean.” It’s not that simple, we both know that. If it was, she’d never have gotten that bad in the first place. She loved me and Ziggy. She just made some bad choices and ended up on a slippery slope— one I didn’t spot until
