Page 33 of Petty's Crime

Her fork pauses halfway to her mouth. “Guarding your singer?” she sneers. “She does know you’d probably run away from an assailant, doesn’t she?” She stares at me for a moment, then her mouth quirks. “Hmm, perhaps I should meet her and tell her who you really are.”

I decide there and then that she’s never coming anywhere close to RoseLyn. Fuck knows what garbage would come out of her mouth. And I’d lose any respect RoseLyn might hold me in.Shecut loose from her abuser. I stayed and kept going back for more.

Fuck.I am a wimp.

Instead of defending myself, I turn on my heels and pick up the keys from where I’d left them on the side. I pause only to tell her, “Text me the time of your appointment and I’ll make sure a prospect is here to take you.”

Ignoring whatever words she throws after me, I close the door hard. I take the metal stairs down, breathing in a deep lungful of fresh air. At the bottom I stand, sweeping my hands back through my hair at the realisation I’m running away.

I would face down any man. Someone disrespects me or mine and they’d be feeling my fists pretty fast, but against a woman, I’m defenceless. My only weapons are words, and mine opposed to hers are like someone bringing a Glock .22 up against a Howitzer.

I stare at the SUV waiting for me in the parking lot, an emphasis of how I’ve been emasculated today. If I had my bike, the roar and vibration would comfort me and remind me who I am.

People would turn and stare and my cut would ensure everyone knew that while I might be riding alone, I’ve got my brothers and the reputation of the MC behind me. On my bike, I’m a fuckin’ man in my own right. A mother may pull her child away, a man give me a chin lift of respect, and a boy might stare after me with envious wide eyes. I would raise my middle finger up to the world just because, and ride on.

I wouldn’t feel like Britney’s husband.

In the SUV, I lay my cut on the seat beside me, and pause before starting the engine. Banging my fist on the steering wheel, I wish to fuck I had nothing in my life to regret or that my past hasn’t caught up with me.

Ladies are to be loved, cherished and protected.It was my fault all along that I’d failed. I’d never been able to stand up to Britney. I just hadn’t been brought up that way.

As I near the clubhouse, I practice putting a smile on my face. My brothers are nosy fuckers and if they notice anything about my behaviour is odd, they’ll want to know why. None of them would see a problem in being woken by a blow job. If I admit I was forced to have sex, they’d laugh their asses off. As would I if anyone tried to sell me that story about anyone else.

Thinking of their reaction makes me scoff at myself, but I can’t suppress the feeling I’ve been used, nor change that I feel dirty as a result. The shudder shaking my body keeps me in the vehicle even when the engine is turned off until a rapping at the window makes me jump.

“Petty?”

Lost in my head, it takes me a second to open the door, get out and respond to Red. “Prez.”

“Glad you’re here. Wanted a word.” He steps back and waves inside. Feeling relieved that as it turns out I hadn’t lied to Britney about having a meeting, it’s one less thing for her to berate me about, I follow him in. I raise my hand or chin to the brothers milling around, as we make our way to his office.

Once there, I take the seat in front of the desk while he sits behind it. He rests his chin on his hands and stares at me for a moment.

“You look like shit.”

I add to his observation by wincing as I shift in my seat to get comfortable, and offer the explanation he’ll be able to accept. “Sleeping on the couch isn’t great.”

I only realise after the truthful words have left my mouth that I’ve apparently said a fuck more than I meant to. Red’s not stupid. I watch his brow crease as he processes my statement and the implications. I prepare myself for an inquisition, but instead he sits back, folds his arms over his chest, and makes a statement.

“I’m still trying to get my head around the fact that you’ve got a wife.”

“Welcome to the club.” I shrug, then, because he’s my prez, he deserves to know where my head’s at. “You know the story. I thought it was over and that I’d never see her again.”

“Have to admit on last night’s showing, she seems a good fit for the club.” He chuckles softly. “Cher was quite taken with her and wanted to know if she’d be sticking around. So what do you think? You going to make a go of it? Or is sleeping on the couch signs of things to come?”

How the fuck do I answer that? Once I’d vowed to love her until death, but time and circumstances have changed my view. The few hours together that we’ve had showed I’ve no desire to set the match to the flame of any old passion, even if I could.But I did,I remind myself, trying to keep the scowl from my face, though my response was forced from me. Any answer I give Red would probably be different depending on whether she’s pregnant or not.Hope to fuck she’s not.

With that possibility, I leave my options open. “So much water has flowed under the bridge, Prez.” Again I raise and lower my shoulders. “Honestly, I’m not certain where we go from here, or whether there’s any future in it. You were shocked? Huh. I had the wind knocked out of me.”

He grins. “I feel you there. It sounds a bit like me and Cher. I never expected to see her again, yet here we are.” His eyes soften as they land on a photo on the corner of his desk.

Yup. There they are—happily married and expecting another kid. Inwardly grimacing, I hope he’s not comparing my situation to his. Cher and Red rekindled their love, but there’s no chance of that for me with Britney. A baby? A cold feeling seeps through me. I fucking hope not. One thing I’ll be buying before going back to the apartment is the male equivalent of a chastity belt. Yeah, that’s it. I’ll stop off and buy a cock cage, and throw the key away. Let’s see Britney find her way around that.

Red leans back, linking his hands behind his head, watching my face which I hope isn’t betraying my thoughts. “What I need to know is how is your new situation going to affect you protecting RoseLyn? I’m sorry for pulling you away to deal with the situation yesterday.”

It had been a welcome interlude, a chance to put space between me and Britney. I’m certainly not going to complain about that or put forward a case for spending more time to reconnect with my estranged wife.

I sit up straight and raise my chin. “Britney coming back is not going to affect any work I do for the club, Prez. I took the protection job on. I’m not going to step away from my commitments.”

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