“Fuckin’ looks like you,” Bear sneered.
“It’s not me! I don’t own clothes like this!” Clio said and threw the phone back to Chance. “What are you playing at, Bear? Is this a power move or something?”
“Don’t fuckin’ twist this back on me, Clio. That’s you with another man walking into a motel, and you’re pretty fuckin’ cosy. Ain’t the first time I’ve seen you with him!” Bear thundered.
“That’s not me,” Clio yelled back.
“Clio doesn’t have clothes like that, not that I’ve seen,” Chance said, turning a suspicious gaze on Clio. But the time stamp….” Chance broke off and gazed at Bear. “That can’t be Clio. If that timestamp is correct, Clio was at the doctor’s.”
“Got proof she was there?” Bear snarled; his gaze focused on Clio. Clio’s face turned incredulous, and a look of hurt settled on her delicate features.
“Are you accusing me of cheating?” Clio challenged Bear and Chance.
“Clio, that’s you. Bear got close-ups,” Chance said, sounding torn. Clio got to her feet and drew herself up to the fullest of her tiny height.
“Tell me right now whether you believe these ridiculous accusations,” Clio demanded, and Chance didn’t answer. He just looked confused. Clio grabbed her bag and stomped away as Chance stared at the pictures, looking puzzled.
“Where you going?” Bear demanded.
“Away from you and your spiteful lies. How dare you, Bear? What did I ever do to you? And yes, I can prove I was at the doctor's; I got a prescription and an ultrasound. So fuck you!” Clio yelled.
“Is that even Chance’s baby? Because that guy keeps touching your stomach,” Bear hissed, and Chance rocked back on his heels. “Did you get knocked up, and the guy did a runner, so you entrapped Chance? Now he’s back; you’re resolving shit and playing Chance for a fool?”
“How dare you? Never talk to me again, Bear; I’ll never forgive you for these lies,” Clio said, tears streaming down her face. Without looking at Chance, she grabbed her bag and fled through the door of the clubhouse. With an almighty roar, Chance picked up a table and slammed it against the wall.
???
Two weeks after that, Bear was driving through Deadwood when he saw Clio and the guy again. Disgust rolled in his belly as they threw their heads back and laughed. Chance had fumed for a week, and not even Phoe could reach him. Chance firmly refused to believe Clio was cheating on him, but he watched every move she made. In return, wherever she went, Clio ensured a brother was with her. She’d made it very plain that she didn’t trust Bear. The atmosphere was grim at Hellfire, and Bear blamed himself. Chance needed to understand Clio was cheating on him.
Today Clio had gone to buy maternity clothes, as her jeans were too tight on her. The woman barely looked pregnant; her little bump was so tiny. Angrily glaring across the road at her, Bear saw his chance to grab them and prove he wasn’t lying. He waited until they entered a car park and pulled up behind them. Quietly, he marched over and pulled his gun. Seconds later, it was jabbed in Clio’s back, and the man opened his mouth to shout.
“Make a noise, and I’ll kill her. Get in my car and drive to Hellfire,” Bear demanded. He was struggling to control his temper, and maybe kidnapping Clio wasn’t a great idea. But Chance was regarding him with suspicion, and Clio outright refused to acknowledge his presence. Now he had the conniving bitch bang to rights.
“Let her go,” the guy said. Clio was shaking badly, and Bear could smell the fear wafting off her.
“I said get in the car, or I blow this cheating bitch’s brains all over the place,” Bear warned. The guy put his hands up and walked towards the car Bear was pointing at. Bear felt Clio tense and pressed the gun more firmly in her back.
“Clio, you make one move, one sound, and I’ll end this now. Straight through that bastard’s head, let’s not harm the baby,” Bear warned, and Clio stiffened.
“I’m not Clio, and I’m certainly not pregnant,” Clio hissed, and Bear grunted. How dare this chit believe him so dumb that she wasn’t Clio? All he wanted to do was take proof back to Hellfire, so Chance could start moving forward. This little whore was going to pay. The guy got in the car, and Bear dragged Clio in the back with him and held the gun to her stomach.
“Drive,” Bear ordered and with shaking hands, the guy started Bear’s truck. Bear gave instructions, and they hit Hellfire’s forecourt quick enough.
“Get out and walk into the clubhouse,” Bear ordered. The guy did so, his hands held high, and Clio aimed a kick in Bear’s direction.
“Just gonna prove to Chance you’re the whore I said,” Bear growled and yanked Clio along behind him. The guy entered the clubhouse with Clio and Bear behind. Chance, Pyro, Levi, Shee and Diesel were in the clubhouse. They gazed at Clio and Bear in surprise, and their gazes darted to Chance. Bear dragged Clio forward.
“Chance, here’s proof this whore was cheating on you,” Bear growled, pointing at the man and then Clio. Chance took on a stunned expression, and his gaze swapped to the armchair in front of him and then at Clio.
“Really, Bear, you grade-A asshole? Chance, you’re a fuckwad,” Clio said and rose from the armchair she was sitting in. Bear’s hand dropped from the Clio he was holding, and his own stunned gaze swapped between the two women.
“Shit, Thalia, we’ve found her,” the guy said.
“Holy crap,” Bear’s Clio said. “We’re identical.”
“Who the fuck are you?” armchair Clio asked and then paled and fainted straight into Chance’s arms.
???