Page 66 of Vengeance

“I’m fine. I’m not an old lady, remember?”

The words snap back at him. “I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry. This was a mistake, I think. Probably because you’re really good in the sack.”

He smiles. “You’re not too bad yourself. I just... If I knew you were looking for something permanent, we never would have started this.”

“You assumed I’d be fine being your fuck buddy.”

“Well... you’re a club bunny...”

Her jaw drops, and he knows immediately that was a poor choice of words. “I get everyone looks at us as though we’re free prostitution, but we have feelings, too. And some of us have hopes for our future.”

“That’s not what I meant-”

“West, you just called me a whore. It’s funny. I’ve been with many men in the club, but none of them have ever made me feel like that before. You’re the first, so thank you. That really puts a pin in things for me. Goodnight.”

Diane leaves quickly, letting the apartment door slam behind her, and he stays in bed completely dumbstruck. He hadn’t meant to hurt her feelings. All he wanted was to be honest. The fact he hurt her bothers him more than he expects, and part of him wants to run after her. The other, rational part, tells him to stay put. Nothing he does will make the situation better and will only make it worse. Damn it.

Chapter Twenty-One

Griffin’s Beach

Ty

Ty paces the clubhouse as everyone comes together to find out if Brock found anything tying the Satan’s Hellraisers to the Slashers. The timing seems opportunistic, and everyone feels suspicious. Ty would, too, except he can’t get his mind off of Tara.

They got into a bit of a fight when he found out she took over guardianship of Matty. Not that he doesn’t like the kid, but she didn’t even talk to him before she made the decision. He tried to get her to see that they’re a team now, and they need to talk to each other about these types of decisions, but he screwed that up. She’s been radio silent for two days, and he has a sinking feeling it’s not just because she’s mad at him.

It could be so many reasons. The lesser of all evil thoughts would be that Tara’s done and wants nothing to do with him. The second worst scenario is that the Slashers got to her. The worst, and the one he prays isn’t the case, is that Billy got to her. That asshole needs to die, but they can’t do it. If they do, Ty will end up behind bars for sure because he wouldn’t hide being the one wielding the knife as the man gets nearly decapitated as his throat is slashed.

“You okay?” Shep asks, his large hand resting on Ty’s shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

“Tara’s gone silent.”

“Did you swing by her house?”

He nods. “Her car’s gone.”

“She’s probably at work. Maybe her phone died. There could be a lot of different things that could be why she’s not answering. Did you call the store?”

Tara and Alice, her friend from college, opened up a boutique in town after Billy went to prison. It was her fresh start, and besides Matty, that store is her life.

“No, but if she’s still mad at me, I don’t know if Alice will tell me whether she’s seen her or not.”

“You got into a fight?”

“It’s a long story-”

“Ty! Shep!” Jennings shouts. “What the fuck is the deal? I just got off the phone with an angry owner of The Pub. You two went and started a fight when we’re in the middle of a shitstorm?”

Shep shakes his head. “We went to tell that fucking ex of Tara’s to leave her alone. He violated his restraining order when he groped her at the mall and threatened her life.”

“We have enough shit going on, don’t you think? We don’t need another fight.”

“We can handle one man,” Ty says, angry at the disregard for Tara’s safety by the leader of his club. “That’s my girl he’s threatening. Did you expect me to just sit by and let him scare her shitless?”

Grayson interrupts them as he walks into the building with Ashley in tow, and seeing the former cop walk freely into their clubhouse to talk club business doesn’t sit right with Ty.

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