“I’m trying to eat healthy foods. Being locked up here, I’m bound to gain fifty pounds.” She laughed awkwardly again. “I know I’m not forced to stay here. Don’t listen to me.” She waved her hand.
Little did she know she was forced to stay at the compound. If she tried to leave, I would stop her and lock her in the room. Fortunately, it hadn’t come to any of that.
“Well, I feel bad you can’t get out and at least go for a walk.”
“I know. But I don’t want to risk Dorian finding me. He has a lot of resources.” She kissed my cheek and crawled back into bed.
He sure the fuck did have a lot of resources. Grizzly and Toby had found out Dorian Adrienne was the kingpin for the most notorious human trafficking ring in the Chicago metro area. When Brynne had told me he had an import-export business, I’d thought of guns and drugs, not people. Sick bastard.
“Alright, I’ll bring you a banana and milk.” I made my way to the door.
“And maybe one of those waffles I asked you to buy.” She smiled brightly.
“Do you want butter and syrup on it?”
“Nope. Just plain, please.”
“You got it.” It was the weirdest shit. She didn’t look sick, but her food requests had been boring and plain as of late.
Copper and Cash were in the kitchen eating at the island. They jerked their chins.
“Morning.”
“Big day today,” Copper said, raising his coffee cup to his lips. He treated me differently after finding out I was with Brynne. The biker had high morals and standards, which contradicted the MC life he’d chosen.
“Mhm.” I took a frozen waffle from the freezer and put it into the toaster.
“It’s gonna be okay, brother. When she finds out the truth, it’s going to be painful. She’ll likely hate you and push you away.” Fucking Copper. Why was he saying all this?
“Christ.” I dropped my head.
“But she’ll forgive you.” He came to my side and gripped my shoulder. “I see how much you love her.”
“We all see it,” Cash said.
“She’ll just need time to process her mom being alive and your connection to her. I know I gave you a hard time about crossing the line, but I get it now. She’s incredible. It just sucks you all met under false pretenses.” Copper was a good man, definitely better than me.
“I appreciate it.”
“We got your back, boss.” He gave me a brotherly hug. “You won’t lose her forever.”
I didn’t deserve to be let off the hook so easily. Forgiven and supported by my MC brothers. Despite being with Brynne all this time, I hated myself. Loathed the man I saw in the mirror. Selfishly, I’d gotten closer to her because I knew I’d lose her and wanted what little I could get from her.
But how could I lose someone who was never mine? She didn’t really know me. She didn’t have all the facts.
I wasn’t the man she’d fallen in love with.
I was an outlaw biker and her step-brother.
When Brynne learned the truth, she’d feel deceived and look at me like I was a stranger. She’d hate me, and rightly so. Because I didn’t deserve her, but I needed her more than I’d ever needed anyone. Her love had healed the broken pieces in my soul. She had kissed away my pain and soothed my aching heart. She had given me hope, something I hadn’t had since before my mom’s death.
Later today, I’d pay the ultimate price for my sins. I’d take my punishment like the guilty man I was. I’d be stripped of my one true love. Left with only the memories etched on my heart of our time together. They would live on in me for all of eternity.
“How can I lose her when she was never mine to lose?” I left Brynne’s food on the counter, went out the back door, and broke down under the big Montana sky.
I let it all go.
Cursed my goddamn lot in life.