Page 70 of The Devil's Weakness

I feel like I’m about to have a nervous breakdown.

“I’m the world’s shittiest liar. Steve’s going to know if I don’t tell him the truth. So will Michael, and so will Ellie.”

“What did you say to him on the phone earlier? Back at the clubhouse. Obviously, you didn’t tell him where you were or what happened, or else I think he would have already tried to get Turner to come after us.”

“I told him I just needed a break. I needed some time away,” I explain.

“Okay, good.” He nods his head at me in approval.

He scratches his head as he sits and appears to be deep in thought.

“You told him your car broke down on your way home. Just tell him you were on the side of the road when I drove by and stopped to help. We got your car back to the clubhouse, and then I drove you home. Tell him I’m a mechanic, and I offered to fix it for you.”

“I’d feel better about that if you actuallywerea mechanic andcouldfix it,” I tell him.

“Well, it’s your lucky day, little girl. I’m a mechanic.”

“Really?” I question him.

“Yeah, I have to earn a living somehow.”

“I just thought you were a biker.”

“Justa biker? Ouch… That’s not myjob. Stone and Bon-Bon own the Devil’s Lair, and sometimes the other guys and I will help them around there. But, I have an actual day job, too.”

“Well,” I start. “You wouldn’t be a very good mechanic if you can’t fix a car, would you?”

He looks at me with confusion.

“So, maybe that means that you should actually fix my car.” I grab a section of my hair and run my fingers through it as I speak. “That way, it won’treallybe a lie.”

I really want my car back, so if I can try to extort the repairs out of him, then that’s what I’ll do.

He takes a deep breath before getting up off of the sofa walking back over to me.

“I didn’t say I couldn’t fix it. Just that Iwouldn’t,” he begins.“I’ll make you a deal. You tell me the truth about one thing—one-hundred percent honesty—and I’ll fix your car.”

“What do you want to know?” I ask.

“Do you really regret what happened between us, or were you just angry when you said that?”

My eyes dart between his, and I recognize the pain in them.

Fuck.

I look down at my hands and fiddle with my nails.

“I mostly said it out of anger.”

The room is quiet for several moments.

“Mostly?” he finally asks.

“I want to regret it. I don’t want to feel anything for you, especially after how it all happened. I’ve been so back and forth with everything because I feel like a nutcase for having any type of feelings for you at all. None of this seems real. It’s all happening way too quickly. But if I’m one-hundred percent honest, I’ve thought about you a couple of times since that night behind the diner as well.”

He takes my hands in his, and I finally look up at him again.

“I know this isn’t easy for you. You have every right to hate me, to want me out of your life. It might not seem real to you for whatever reason, but I swear to you, Sasha, what I feel for you is more real than anything I’ve ever felt in my life.”

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