Page 27 of Ours

Three Weeks Later

My hands were shaking. Maddox had been home for a week, and during that week, I had to pretend like everything was fine but I knew he was hearing rumours of Hudson and I together, from other club members. He had seen pictures of the wedding. Saw him glaring at a certain one of Hudson and I dancing. I couldn’t do it any longer.

I loved Maddox more than life, but the sick and twisted part was, I loved Hudson to the same level, just slightly differently.

I couldn’t tell one of them that I didn’t love them. I couldn’t lie to them. I ran through it. I was going to tell Hudson, that I was marrying Maddox. But that tore my heart in a way I couldn’t stomach. So I redid the scenario and told Maddox that I’d be with Hudson, and that cut me to pieces.

If love is all consuming, how could two men consume my heart?

Finally and it was a slow process, I realized what had happened.

I couldn’t pick between them, which meant I had to end both. I was sliding Maddox’s engagement ring off my finger, as I heard the door open.

“Babe—” and he stopped, seeing me with the ring in my hand. His eyes locked with mine and I swallowed sharply.

“I can’t do it Maddox.” I said, and I placed it down on the dresser. I looked him in the eye, and I couldn’t lie to him. “I can’t marry you when I feel like this.” And I couldn’t watch the pain consume his eyes, so I quickly picked up my bag and brushed his shoulder, as I walked out—leaving.

I knew I wouldn’t be getting through this sober. I couldn’t live when I lost Hudson alone, now I had lost not just Hudson again but this time my soul mate at the same time. I loved Maddox, in ways I could never fully explain. I loved him enough to acknowledge he deserved better than me having feelings for another man

Same went for Hudson. He deserved a woman that would be his and his alone. Tears ran down my cheeks as I walked from the clubhouse, I didn’t even care about coming out of this alive. I didn’t care I had been sober for years. I didn’t care, because my heart was bleeding in ways that would never heal.

I walked out of the lot, and I knew exactly what I needed, a dose of numbness—so I headed back to a house that I swore I’d never return to.

MADDOX

The demons wouldn’t leave me alone. She left. She put her ring down on the dresser and left. She fucking didn’t want to be my wife, she didn’t want me—and without my purpose I wasn’t seeing the point in keeping going on.

Hudson rode out of town the same day that she left. Sort of knew they were together. It hurt on a level I couldn’t put into words.

I had been nursing this drunken state now for two days since it had happened. She walked out, I walked down the hall, sat at the bar and the prospect kept my glass full.

Can’t say I hadn’t got creative on how I could get Hudson back for this. But then I knew I’d hurt her more than him. And Gabriella hurting after everything she has been through, is the last thing I wanted. So I reined in my crazy ass, and kept it locked to the stool, stopping myself from starting a blood bath with the National President.

Thought of leaving the club, hell that thought wouldn’t leave. Cause I couldn’t physically take the sight of seeing him with her.

“Maddox!”

I glanced over my shoulder seeing Chief. He gestured for me to come to him.

Fucking had to remind myself he was the president. So I got my ass up and walked towards him.

That’s when I see him walk through the clubhouse door, looking like death but I can’t stop myself from glaring at him. My fists curling at my side. Then I heard the safety of a gun being clicked off, and it wasn’t my own, it was Chief, who had two guns pointed, one at me, one at Hudson.

Hudson eyes are just as wide as mine, staring at Chief. I didn’t understand why Chief would have a gun on his future son in law.

“I’m giving you both twelve hours, to get her back, get her telling me that she’s gonna try again.” Chief hissed at us. “If Gabriella, doesn’t walk through those doors, telling me it herself. I’ll execute both of you.”

I didn’t fucking understand and Hudson is looking at me with the same confusion.

Chief lowered both guns, pulling out a piece of paper and shoving it in my chest. “Twelve hours.” He grunted, and I saw tears in his eyes. It was like something was killing him on the inside.

I looked at Hudson. “What’s he going on about?”

“How the fuck am I meant to know! She picked you pretty boy! I ain’t got time for this.” Hudson went to leave and I gripped his arm.

“She picked you.” I said it clearly, causing the confusion to deepen on his face. “She left me, and she rode off with you.”

“Nah. She told me she couldn’t pick, and she then must have picked you cause she walked out on me.” Hudson said and everything Chief said, now clicked into place.

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