Page 10 of Fanatic

“Shut up!”

“The fuck I will. Yeah, Serenity shouldn’t have been there. Did Dad offer Grey the chance to leave? Yes, and he wouldn’t. Wanna be angry at someone? What about blaming your fiancé?” Fanatic snapped.

“I do!” I yelled and burst into tears.

“And there it is. You hate yourself because you blame Grey for being who he was and not listening,” Fanatic said wisely.

Fanatic wrapped me up in his embrace and held me tight as I shouted shit. I’m sure I told him I hated his English ass. Fuck whoever was watching, they got a show for free. Finally, I calmed down and wiped the tears away.

“Now we’ve got that out of the way, I’m hungry, and we need to start packing,” Fanatic murmured.

In disbelief, I stared at Fanatic. Was he for real? It was a toss-up if I strangled him or not. Then, looking into his blue eyes, I realised Fanatic was shoving aside his own emotions and thoughts and concentrating on me.

How the hell did I end up with such a loyal friend?

???

I was laughing as Fanatic kept the conversation light over dinner. Tears had come to my eyes when he informed me that Mac had cursed Jett and Sin, and they’d had twins. Sin had terrorised Mac, and he’d woken one night with his balls in a vice and Sin tightening it slowly.

Casey had watched, impressed and recorded Mac begging and sobbing for his nuts while Jett ordered Sin to tighten it more. The video had done the rounds. Meanwhile, Jett had a second vasectomy, and Sin had demanded the doctors to tie and cut her tubes. She was not risking another pregnancy. In fact, Sin was demanding a hysterectomy, which doctors were currently refusing.

Damn, that was funny. Ellen had informed me there’d been a rush of babies in the last few months. Apparently, over half of Rage had knocked their old ladies up just before the war. That was nice for them.

And Eddie had finally landed behind bars with Dante. Seems Eddie took offence to something the mayor had saidin defending the President. Eddie and Dante put their heads together and actually worked as a tag team. They’d terrorised the man for three months before getting caught. The mayor pressed charges… Phoe ended his career. Drake didn’t know whether to brag or shout at them both.

I could laugh at that. Fanatic said that Eddie had demanded a plaque like criminals got and wanted fingerprinting.

Ramirez had to remove himself with Ben as they’d been laughing too hard. Then Eddie told them they could not put her in a cell with Big Bertha, as she was too young to be anybody’s bitch. Which had set Dante off. Both kids ended up with Howser, who looked relieved when Phoe and Drake arrived to fetch them. Damn, I’d missed a lot, and yet, even hearing the stories, I couldn’t face Rage.

Fanatic had taken me to a seafood restaurant on the beach front. It was the first time in a year I had eaten out, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There was a light breeze, and we sat on the patio as I looked out over the North Pacific Ocean.

“In a better mindset?” Fanatic asked as I sipped a virgin margarita.

“Yeah. Crab legs never fail to lift my spirits.”

“I know. Why do you think I brought you here?” Fanatic teased.

“English smartass. How long have we known each other now?”

“Eight years. Ever since you blew into Rage, looking like a stripper with those heels and your boobs bouncing about,” Fanatic replied.

Remembering, I broke into gales of laughter.

“Damn, I must have been your wet dream!” I cried, and Fanatic nodded. “I was twenty-five then, you would have been…?”

“Twenty-one. Yeah, I beat some meat in the shower,” Fanatic admitted.

The waitress had been approaching, and her mouth dropped open as she gazed at us. Blushing red, she disappeared, and we both laughed.

“Willow, you embarrassed her,” Fanatic said.

“Did not! That was you,” I retorted as Fanatic smirked.

“Well, you were certainly spank bank material for a few of the older boys,” Fanatic added.

“Not anymore. I’m old, thirty-three this year.”

“And as beautiful as ever, Willow,” Fanatic replied seriously.

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