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Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Shiv

Present Day…

T he row of my brothers' bikes is a damn good sight to see. I took off for a while, so it's been a minute since I've been back at this bar. Five of my closest friends all tying the knot and sealing the deal with the women they're so damn in love with had me needing to check out for a bit. I was struggling, and drinking wasn't helping matters. Not that I was struggling with them moving on with their lives. I was struggling knowing that the only woman I want to spend my life with, I'm never going to have. That reality was hitting hard, and it felt like I was suffocating being surrounded by all that love. So, I went out on the road to find my air again.

Looks like things haven't changed much since I've been gone. The guys are occupying their usual table, winding down from their day with drinks in hand. The relief I see on their faces when they spot me coming has me realizing I'm right where I need to be. While out on the road I got to thinking maybe I needed a change. That maybe I should move on and take the nomad route. But now, I know that was a shit idea. These men are my family. And as each one greets me with a hug and lets me know how happy they are to have me back; I know I made the right decision to come home.

I may not be getting the happy ending I was hoping for, with the wife and kids of my own, but I'll always have the Savage Knights, my brothers. And, besides, soon enough, there will be a whole brood of little rugrats running around calling me Uncle to make up for the silent void in my life. Axle already has one on the way, and I'm guessing any day now Maisy will be making her announcement too. Or maybe even Hailey.

"You want a drink, man?" Riff asks, tipping his full glass of brown liquor in my direction.

I shake my head. "Nah, man. I'm off booze. I'll just grab a club soda."

Nods and grunts of approval echo around the table and Riff slaps me on the back like a proud father. I guess everyone was starting to see me spiral out of control and were getting concerned. They didn't say anything. Not that they had to. I learned right on my own that no amount of alcohol changes my reality. At least without it, I don't have as many regrets. I also don't have as many nights where I get to travel down memory lane which only leads to that dead-end road of heartache and makes me feel like I've been hit by an emotional Mack truck in the sober light of the next day. So, yeah, fuck that. I'll be sticking to water from here on out.

Grit flags down his girl to get me my drink. I turn and see Hailey heading toward our table with a big damn smile on her face directed right at me. Guess she's happy to see me, too. And man does that warm my heart. It's not just the guys who have become my family, their women have, too.

A new waitress picking up drinks from the bar catches my eye, and my entire body freezes. From the back of the girl, I'd almost mistake her for the one who stole my heart five years ago and still hasn't given it back. But I'm guessing I'm only seeing things because I was just tripping down that dead-end dirt road again. Because if there's one thing I know for sure, there's no way in hell my ex would be working in this bar. This place would be beneath that woman.

I shake the thoughts from my head and greet Hailey as she gets to our table. She, too, gives me a warm welcoming hug, only to earn herself a growl from Grit.

"Easy, cowboy. You know I'm just giving a friend a hug." Her cute reassurance has Grit backing down and me shaking my head. Damn, these men are possessive of their women. Can't say I blame them. All of their girls are stunning and sweet as pie with just the right hint of spice. And all the men come flocking whenever the girls don't have their Savage Knight leathers on or their men nearby.

"I'm glad you're back, Shiv. It wasn't the same without you here."

"Yeah, it's good to be back, doll. How's this one treating you, by the way?"

I point to the man who looks like he's about to haul her ass to the back room and fuck her right into tomorrow. Damn, not only are they possessive, but they're obsessed. Can't say I blame them for that either. If I had a woman of my own, I'd want to be dick deep 24/7, too. Because sex with the sweetbutts is fun, but nothing compares to sex with the woman you're in love with. I've never had an experience even remotely close to what I shared with Chrissy. And fuck, I've just gone there again.

"This one's behaving," she teases, as Grit grips her around the waist, mumbling how this one is not as he dives into the side of her neck and starts making his move. "Grit, I'm working," she breathlessly feigns her protest, but I know in about one minute, he's going to get his way and they're going to be disappearing. And I was almost right, although it only took thirty seconds. Grit is out of his seat and carrying his girl towards the back room of the bar, and I'm shaking my head. I guess I'll need to catch up with him later, and flag down one of the other waitresses to get me my drink now.

I turn to get the attention of the other girl I saw, and that's when I see her head-on. No. Fucking. Way. It's her. There is no mistaking it. I'd know my ex from a mile away and this girl is only fifteen feet from me, serving up drinks at a table. What the fuck? She's a goddamn waitress in this bar? In Trigger's? My brother's damn bar. I must be fucking hallucinating.

"What the fuck is she doing here?" The words come out sharp, but that's because I'm feeling anything but soft toward the girl who shredded me to pieces once upon a long fucking time ago.

"Who?" Trigger's voice barely cuts through the noise running through my mind. I'm trying not to lose my shit right now, but fuck. What the hell is she doing here? In my damn town. In the bar I spend most of my evenings in shooting the shit with my MC brothers. Last I knew, she was engaged to some rich prick and was going to be moving to the big city, live in some swanky penthouse, and have her fancy-ass life. Why the hell did she move back? She didn't even move back home. Her family lives two towns over. So, why the hell did she move here? To my damn town?

"Oh, Chrissy?" Trigger says her name like he's fond of the witch. "Yeah, she's the new girl. She replaced Riley since Axle wanted his woman bedridden for the remainder of her pregnancy." Trigger chuckles to himself, but I'm not sure what the fuck is so damn funny at the moment. "Why? You know her, Shiv?"

Do I know her? I was going to marry that girl. I was so damn in love with her I couldn't see straight. And that's how I ended up not seeing the truth. Not seeing that I was just the dirty secret she kept from her rich, obnoxious father. Not seeing how I was just the bad boy she was having fun with on the side while she was setting up her real life. Yeah, I was so damn in love I didn't see it coming when I learned she was engaged to someone else. I had my own damn ring for her burning a hole in my pocket when I learned the truth. But when I saw the huge rock on her finger, I knew I was the fucking asshole in the situation. Fuck, I was such an idiot.

"You need to fire her ass, Trig. That girl is bad fucking news."

The words spit from my mouth like sharp tacks, as every single memory of the last time I saw her comes flooding back into my mind. Me waiting on her damn table, shocked as shit to see her because she'd told me her father despised the restaurant I worked in. Her dad ordering the best champagne on the menu to celebrate his daughter's big engagement. While some arrogant douche was wrapped around her shoulders, nuzzling into the side of her neck. And not even an ounce of remorse or guilt on her face when she looked me in the eye and placed her order. It was as if there'd been nothing between us.

"You want to elaborate?" Trigger asks, turning his attention back in my direction. "Because from what I've seen, she's real solid, honest, and one of the best girls I've got working in this place now."

Oh, I know. She's a damn good little actress. Trigger has no idea. I believed it all, too. Her good girl act. Her sweet innocence. She's like a fucking witch who can fool a prince with her charms, then she'll stab you in your back in your sleep. Or right in the middle of your chest when you're wide fucking awake and least expecting it.

"You know the bitch I've been telling you about? My ex?"

He nods, knowing exactly which cunt I'm referring to. There have been one too many nights where we'd get to chatting over a drink, sharing our baggage and my fucked-up past, which definitely included a trunk full of suitcases all tagged with Chrissy's name on them. The girl who's now smiling sweetly at the group of guys she's waiting on. The guys who I'd like to give a big fucking warning to, telling them to stay the fuck away from her. I'd like to tell them that she kills on impact. She's fucking toxic. "Yeah, well, that's her. Chrissy is the one."

I can tell he's shocked as shit by my revelation as his brow practically hits his hairline. Yeah, he's been suckered by her, too. He looks back toward the witch I'm referring to and shakes his head again.

"Look, man. I'm not saying I'm not going to respect your wishes. But I'm down two girls at the moment and she's all I've got for now. So, until I can find someone to replace her, which may take a few weeks, she's going to be sticking around."

Yeah, I get that he's in a shit predicament, but the thought of having to see her around for a few more weeks pisses me the fuck off.

"Fucking great." I shake my head, irritated as hell that the bitch has invaded my territory in the first place. This is my fucking bar. "I get that you have a business to run, but I'm not making any promises on my end. Don't expect me to play nice, Trigger, because that cunt is dead to me."

He looks like he's about to say something when his phone goes off in his pocket. He immediately pulls it out to read his text and gets completely distracted by whatever he sees on his screen. I turn my attention back to the one who still hasn't seen me yet. I'm wondering what her reaction will be when she does. Hopefully, it will piss her off just as much as it's pissing me off right now having to look at her. Why the hell did she have to go and get even more beautiful? It was bad enough when she was the most stunning girl in Rickshaw, and now, she's the most stunning beauty in the whole fucking world.

"Look, Shiv. I have to get home, so we need to table this conversation for now. But we'll talk more later. Just do me a favor and don't make a scene in my bar. Okay?"

"Fine," I mumble, giving him the answer he wants. I may not make a scene inside his bar, but I can't make any guarantees for what happens outside the bar. I'm going to be finding out why the hell that girl is here. And then I'm going to be making damn sure she knows she's not welcome here. Trigger may not be firing her ass, but I'll be making it to where she wants to quit. Hell, if he needs me to fill in for her until he hires a damn replacement, I will. He won't even have to pay me since it's not like I need the money. I will gladly volunteer my services and time, and it will be a fucking win for everyone, except for her hopefully.

Though, it probably won't even rock Chrissy's boat if she loses this job. I'm sure she'll just turn to Daddy for money until she finds something else. Seriously? Why the fuck is she working here? I find it real hard to believe her father would approve of her being in a place like this. I doubt that man would ever step into an establishment like this one, let alone have his daughter working here. And besides that, where's that rich douchebag husband of hers? Did something happen to him? There are so many questions churning in my head, and I need answers. And, I'm going to get them, but not right now. Right now, all I'm going to do is get my drink.

I'm halfway across the room when the petite little blonde, with her tight little body that hasn't aged a day since I last saw her five years ago, turns and spots me. She almost loses the entire tray of empty glasses she's holding when her eyes crash into mine. She quickly works to steady herself and I step right into her space as she does. Thankfully, the big round tray is between us because the urge to be closer is too fucking strong. Why does this girl have such a magnetic pull on me?

"Sean." Her lip trembles as my given name whispers from her mouth. "What are you doing here?"

Please tell me she doesn't think that after all these years I chased her ass down to cast some sort of revenge on her. To finally give her a piece of my mind. When I saw the truth that night, there was no need to waste my time or my breath on that girl. I'd already wasted too much to begin with. I took off, and I sure as shit didn't come hunting her down. There's no way in hell.

"I'm getting a drink with my men. Why the fuck do you think I'm here?"

My tone is brisk. But then again, this isn't what I'd call a happy reunion. The tray wobbles again in her hand and I watch as she recovers, noting how that big rock is nowhere to be found on her finger and neither is any other band. Interesting. Maybe the douche learned for himself what a liar she is and was smart enough to cut her loose. I just wonder if he found out she'd been two-timing him, too, and called the whole thing off before it began. Or if he was a sucker who got dragged down the aisle and then learned the truth after it was too damn late.

"Um…I thought. Um…my dad…" She takes a long shuddering breath and starts again. "I was told you left town and were never coming back." It's obvious her nerves are getting the best of her, and that soft, melodic voice of hers is getting the best of me. I hate seeing her struggle but there's no way I'm falling for her act again. Not a fucking chance.

"I did leave town." I wave my hand to the area around me for her to clue into the big fact that we're an hour away from where we're both from. "This isn't where I grew up. Guess you forgot. I was from Rickshaw, too, just the wrong side of the fucking tracks."

The anger in my tone definitely can't be missed. She spent all her time over at my place because she told me she was more comfortable there than in her own home. A fact I should have clued in on right from the start. But I was so damn blinded by my love, I didn't see through the lie. The real reason was because she didn't want me meeting her family or coming to her side of town and ruining her sweet setup.

She swallows hard and for some damn reason her eyes fill with tears. I guess she doesn't like my condescending tone. Well, too fucking bad. I didn't like her condescending opinion in believing she was better than me and could string me along until she had her fill of my cock. Then leave me broken and buried in a ditch of pain while she went off with her prince charming to live happily ever after in her damn fucking castle, or I should say, up in her fancy-ass high-rise.

"Chrissy!"

Hailey's bubbly voice comes barreling into our tense encounter and has us both turning in the girl's direction. I'm thankful for the distraction, because the longer I stared at her shimmering eyes, the more I wanted to offer her comfort and take her pain away. But the thing is, she's not in pain. She's just upset I'm not fawning all over her like the rest of the world always has. I doubt anyone has ever been cold to her in her life, and that's what's got her all upset at the moment. She used to tell me what an asshole her dad was, but after seeing her with her father that night, I'm guessing it was all part of the act. More lies to rope me in and keep her tucked away with me in my trailer so I'd be none the wiser to her game.

"Can I ask you for a favor?" Hailey starts talking to Chrissy, and I decide I'm going to pass on that drink and get the fuck out of here. The air in the bar feels thick and my ability to breathe is once again becoming restricted. Maybe I should have stayed out on the road, after all. No. Fuck that. This is my goddamn town, and these are my brothers; if anyone should leave, it's her. And I'm going to make damn sure she does.

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