Page 33 of Hardy

“Of course I was.I was sodamn angry, and hurt.I mean, I’ve never been with anyone but him,and yet he’s fucked everyone.”Rose pressed her lips together.“I’msorry.”

“What about?I understand whereyou’re coming from.It’s a little late to be pissed off, but again,I can understand why you are.A lot of women would be pissed.Thenthe bitch goes and kills herself and the baby.It must havehurt.”

“Part of me was glad,” Rosesaid, admitting the truth to Sandy that she’d never admitted toanyone else.

“Glad?”

“Yes, I was glad.”Tearsfilled her eyes, and she tried to wipe away her tears.“What kindof person does that make me?”

“I take it you were gladthe bitch was dead, not the baby.”

“I wanted the baby, Sandy,but I would have known every single day that she wasn’tmine.”

“Honey, you’re not a meanperson.You wouldn’t ever have hurt that baby.I know what youwanted.You wanted the bitch who had your man, and who could givehim a baby when you couldn’t.That I can understand more thanAngel’s niceness.”Sandy reached across the table and took herhand.

“She had been fucking him, andthen she was pregnant with his kid.”Rose shrugged.“I guess I wasafraid that in time I’d have been pushed aside as a nuisance.Hardycould have a woman like her, and a kid.What need did he have withme?”

“Is this why you starteddressing up for the club, stripping off, showing off your bodywithout anyone touching?”Sandy asked.

“Yes.A club whore is fair game.I became the next element.I was the temptation that no one wasallowed to touch.I thought it would keep him.”

“It did, it has, and whenit comes to Hardy, you’ve got nothing to worry about.”

“I don’t know.”

“I’ve known Hardy a longtime.I’ve been to most of the club parties, I can promise you,he’s never even looked in another woman’s direction.He loves you,and he’s not going to be stepping out on you anytimesoon.”

“How do you know?How do you havethat kind of faith?”Rose asked.She wanted to understand as shewanted that kind of faith.She wanted to trust him again, and tonever worry that if she felt like being a couch slob for a day, hewould be looking for someone else.

“From the moment you walked outon him, demanded a divorce, Hardy has been a shell.He’s hurting,and it’s not because someone took away his favorite toy either.That man loves you.I’ve seen it with my own two eyes.”

“Yeah, but the club whores haven’t exactlybeen putting him to the test.”

“Are you for real?Iwouldn’t fuck themarried ones.There are some club whores who will.They’d fuckanything in the club, and Hardy has been approached.He justdoesn’t want anything to do with them.I promise you.He lovesyou.”

Rose ran a hand down her face.“I hatemyself right now.”

“Don’t hate yourself.Learnto trust, and to love him again.”

“I never fell out of love withhim.I wanted to.I wanted to hate him, but I can’t.Does that makeme weak?Does that make me a doormat?”

“No.It makes you strong.You love Hardy, and now you’re making him fight for you.Don’t lookat it as being something you’ve got to change.Look at it as beingsomething that you’ve lived through.”

Rose took a deep breath.“I want totrust him.”

“Then give him a chance.Make him earn you back.If Hardy loves you the way I think he does,then it doesn’t matter how hard you make it for him, he’s going tocome back to you.”

****

Gash was climbing onto his bikewhen Hardy pulled into the parking lot of TheSkulls’clubhouse.Climbing out, he walked over to the large biker.He’dbeen out of prison a couple of years now, and seemed to appear likethe Hulk at times.The guy was so damn big, huge even.Women wouldbe swooning all over him, but Gash only fucked who he wanted, andpunished the women who tried to touch him when he didn’twant.

Getting sentenced to arape he didn’t commit would do that to a guy.

Hardy would have been so pissed ifsomething like that had happened to him.

“What’s going on?”heasked.

“I’m heading out for aride.I need to clear my fucking head.”

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