Kace laughs. “Yeah, we’re taken.” Kace is a club member and Zane’s best friend. His girl, Ivy, just had a baby. The first Shattered Souls baby in
a long time. They fought their feelings for a long time, both fighting their own demons. They’re together now, but not without lives being lost. They make that shit work now though.
I ignore him as I look to see what Soul’s chick I’m gonna grace with my dick tonight.
“How’s the baby? Sleeping any better? Harper said he’s been keeping you guys up all night,” Zane asks.
“He’s getting better. The doctor said he has his days and nights mixed up, so we’re trying to keep him up more during the day. He’s fucking awesome though. When he grabs my finger and smiles at me, brother, it melts my heart. I’d fucking die for that kid,” Kace replies.
“I know the feeling,” Zane says.
“Gonna knock her up?” Kace asks.
Zane laughs, shaking his head. “Nah. We’re happy to be the cool aunt and uncle, and besides, we like our quiet house.”
“Holy fuck” I groan, clenching my fists. They both look at me and I wrap my hands around my beer. “I’m happy for you guys, it’s great you got your shit together, but can we stop talking about babies and marriage? We’re in a fucking strip club, our strip club. There are tits bouncing around and horny women who are wet and ready. Can we focus on that like we used to?”
“You doing alright?” Zane asks.
My smile slips in place and I lean back in my chair. “Never better.”
“Sure,” Kace says with a hint of sarcasm. “I know what it’s like trying to fuck away all those feelings. You can only do it for so long.”
“This is nothing like what happened to you, Kace. This club is responsible for killing Gillian’s sister. There’s no coming back from that shit,” I say, shrugging.
I didn’t mean to fall in love with her. I never let my heart get involved, but Gillian made that impossible. When she walked away, I fought to stay breathing. I drank, I got high, and I fucked. It’s still what I’m doing, because there’s no way she’s coming back.
“Riley, can I ask you something?” Gillian asks.
She’s sitting between my legs and I move her long black hair off her shoulder as I bend down to kiss it. “Anything, baby girl.”
“Why did Damon kill Rachel? I know it’s all club business, but it’s just something that’s been keeping me up at night,” she whispers.
Fuck.Me.
It’s been months since Rachel was killed and I just assumed it was something we would never discuss. I hoped she’d never ask because I knew I’d never lie to her. I kinda figured she wouldn’t want to know.
I turn her to straddle me and rest my hands on her ass. I kiss her, trying to reassure her that I love her. That what I’m about to tell her had nothing to do with her. She’s going to be so hurt and I don’t want to be the cause of that.
We rarely argue. We fuck our frustrations out, but I’m not sure that’s gonna happen right now. So I kiss her slowly and drag it out as long as possible.
She breaks away and smiles. “We’ll get to that, don’t worry,” she says.
I dig my fingers into her ass and grin. “Damon didn’t kill Rachel. It was Alex. She had a gun pointed at Kace. There was no choice.”
Her green eyes bounce between mine as her smile fades. “What?” she whispers.
“I’m sorry, baby.”
She pushes on my chest and stands up. “You’re sorry! My sister is dead because of you! Because of the club you are a part of,” she screams.
Tears begin to run down her cheeks and I jump up pulling her into my arms. “Baby, it was a bad situation. I know Alex did not make that decision without hesitation.”
She pulls out of my arms shaking her head as she grabs her hair. “No! You all hated her for what she did to Kace. He did not hesitate to save him and kill her.”
I don’t say anything. I sigh and cross my arms. Alex did exactly what needed to be done in that moment. It was Kace’s life or hers. No way was she walking away. Any one of us would’ve done the same thing.
“How could you not tell me the truth? How could you lie to me every single day for the last few months and feel no regret or remorse? I’ve laid in your arms crying about my sister, while you consoled me. But you knew it was your club that caused me that pain,” she says, sobbing at the end.