Page 2 of Broken

She forces a smile on her face. “Hey, King.”

I want to know why she’s treating me like a stranger. To be honest, it bothers me a bit. “I didn’t know you were in Tennessee,” I tell her lamely.

“Yeah, for a few months now. Nicole and Dani are helping me start over,” she says.

“Which reminds me,” Nicole says. “I brought a truckload of stuff for you. Kayden redid the baby’s room, and I told her I knew someone that could use all the stuff she was getting rid of.”

“Oh wow, thanks, Nic. I started work, but until I get my feet under me, things are going to be tight. I think I found a nice house to rent in town. It’s small but has a decent yard. I told them I’d drop off the security deposit on Friday. That’s when I get paid.”

“Let me give it to you,” Nicole says, but Gabby shakes her head no. “Nah, Crusher and Dani already tried. I’m doing this on my own.”

As I listen to them talk, I look down and sure enough, Gabby’s stomach is distended slightly.

“You’re pregnant?” I ask before I can stop myself. I feel Nicole’s eyes on me, and I can feel the moment Dragon and Diesel come up behind me, too.

“Gabby! Let’s go. We’re going to be late.” Her head turns toward the garage area, and she smiles.

“Okay, Lottie! Give me a second.” She turns back around after yelling at the other girl and looks at me. “I’m sorry, I’ve got to go. My car is in the shop in town and she’s my ride to work. King, it really was good seeing you again,” she says. She nods at Dragon and then hugs Nicole quickly. “You’re staying, right? I can look at the stuff tonight if that’s okay.”

“That’s fine. You go before you’re late.”

Gabby nods, then jogs over toward the girl that’s standing by an old, beat-up Ford Mustang. I just stand there in shock.

Gabby’s pregnant.

Then dread fills me as I imagine who the father could be. Fuck.

Chapter 1

Gabby

I sit backon the hard bench outside of the diner that I work at with a sigh. It has been a long day. The last thing I needed was for Lottie to be late. I look around the small street and smile. I’ve been in Tennessee for a few months and it’s the one thing in my life that I don’t regret. Sure, I miss Kentucky. Still, I had burned my bridges there. My father can’t stand to look at me and Mom’s so broken …

I know she doesn’t blame me for Diego’s death—not like Dad does. There’s no disgust when she looks at me. Still, I know that it’s hard for her to live with the fact that he’s gone and I’m the reason he was killed. I didn’t want to be a daily reminder for her, but I was kind of stuck there while I tried to piece my own life back together. In truth, I think I was afraid to leave the only home I’d ever known. I learned the hard way that it wasn’t safe away from home. I’d never been scared in my life before I was attacked. Now, fear is a constant companion that chokes me most of the time.

When I found out I was pregnant. I wanted to die. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t tell Mom or Dad.There was no way.My baby brother Carlos—who is reallynota baby anymore and towers over me—has tried to be there for me since Diegodied, but he’s not home much since joining my dad’s club. Now that he’s patched in, he spends his time communing with his brethren and proving he’s more than the president’s son. I wasn’t about to tell him I was pregnant either. That would lead to questions that I couldn’t handle and perhaps new looks of disgust by my father.

I know I eventually will have to tell them, but I’m thinking it won’t happen until after I have my child. Dad and Mom will have questions. I’ll tell them I got drunk and had a one-night stand. I’ve already proven I’m not a good person. I’ll convince them easily that it’s the truth. They’ll accept that I have no idea who the father is and let it go. I believe that my parents—especially my dad—will be happy, because it’s better than the truth. Besides, he’ll be good as long as he doesn’t have to see me every day. I could assure him that he has no worries when it comes to that. I’m never going back to Kentucky.Ever.

I did think about ending my pregnancy. It would have probably been the smart thing to do. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I definitely could have used a friend when I found out, but I’d fucked that up too. Heck, since the death of Diego, I was nothing but an outsider anywhere I go. The only one beside Carlos who bothered to talk to me at all was Aunt Katie. If I told her I was pregnant though, she’d tell Mom. I couldn’t go there. That meant when it got to be too much, I searched out the one person I thought would let me cry without judgment. She was probably the last person I should have called, but I did it anyway.Nicole.

She’s been so good to me—better than I deserve, considering I tried to ruin her son’s life. I’ve apologized to Dom and Thea. I don’t think Dom believed me, but Thea shocked me. I thought she would spit in my face, but she hugged me and told me how sorry she was about Diego. She’s even texted me here and there. If someone would have told me I’d find more understandingfrom the people I hurt than my own family, I would have never believed it. Still, I limit my interaction with any of them—except Nicole—because I’ve done enough to all of them. I tried to make amends where I could—including apologizing to Lyla and Thomas. They weren’t quite as forgiving as Thea, but I understood. Lyla said she hoped I meant it and concentrated on moving forward as a better person. I assured her I was, and I’ve really tried hard to do that.

Some days are easier than others. There are good and bad moments. Today is definitely one of the bad ones. I didn’t really expect to see King again. I wasn’t ready. I know I should talk to him, but I’m not ready. I’m not strong enough to keep my defenses up with him. He’s the only person I’ve ever completely laid things bare to. I really like and admire him. I don’t want to see the pity that I know would shine on his face. I could lie to him, but I couldn’t live with myself if I did that. He deserves my honesty.

I shake my head, exhaling in annoyance at myself. I’m a mess. I always have been, but I need to be better. Soon, I’ll have another life depending on me. I’ll be the only person he or she has. I’ve got to get my shit together. I’ll find a way to be normal around King if he’s still there this evening—though I figure he only came here to help his dad and will be heading back to Virginia. I’m glad for Dragon that King is spending more time with him. Nicole has told me how much he wants a relationship with his oldest son. I think he was worried about me talking to his wife, but he has been nicer to me—although I give him a wide berth. He kind of scares me.

I rub my stomach absently, then I take my phone out to check the time. Lottie is an hour late. She has it in her head that her and Iris are going to form their own club. In reality, they already have, they’re just doing it under the radar. Lottie’s dad, Diesel, doesn’t allow women in their club—well, other than as candy forthe boys to indulge in. Hell, any club I’ve ever known has had that rule in place. I don’t know how she’s keeping her club under wraps so that Diesel’s and other clubs in the area don’t know about them, but so far, they’ve managed. They invited me in—which shocked me. I’m tight with the girls and they accept me like I am. Still, I may not look it, but I’m almost seven months pregnant and that doesn’t scream biker bitch. I don’t really want that for me or my child either.

Growing up with a parent in a club wasn’t good for me. They called me a biker princess, but I didn’t feel like royalty. I was more of a bitch with a biker pedigree. Sure, Dad gave me everything I wanted. I even admit that I took advantage of that. Still, I didn’t feel welcome at the club. I wanted to make a place for myself to make Dad proud. I couldn’t earn it like Diego or Carlos, so I was going to make a place with Dom—whom I did love—and in my head cause this big alliance between the Savage Brothers and the Devil’s Blaze. It would be one that was tied by love and blood—my children—so that I did something for the club that Dad was proud of, while living my teenage dream life with the man I love.

It was the perfect plan until Dom began pulling away from me so that I knew whatever he felt for me wasn’t the same as I had in my heart for him. Then, I panicked, lost my mind, destroyed lives, searched for someone that would show me I was worthwhile, all while becoming a bitch in a way that the stink sunk down into my bones and lingered there so everyone who gets near me knows the truth.

So, I knew in my heart I wasn’t joining Iris and Lottie’s club. I was thinking more about moving out west so that my child wouldn’t be exposed to people who know her mother was a bitch of the worst variety. I want him or her to live free of my stink.

I’ll probably have my baby in my arms before I can make a complete break, but I’m going to do it. I’ve been working here asa waitress since I made the move. Dani and Nicole got me a room here at Diesel’s club. I clean and pitch in with cooking for the members in payment, so I don’t really have expenses. Friday, I’ll be moving into my own rental in town. I want to bring my baby into stability and make sure it’s healthy before pulling up stakes. I’m going to have a clear-cut plan this time.I have to.It’s not just me, and everything I do from here on out will be for my baby. I have to be solid, and I’m going to be. Case in point is the fact that I work overtime when asked. I do whatever is needed so that my boss truly likes me. Also, I’ve taken all my tips and wages and squirreled them away. I now have five grand stuck back. It’s not much, but it might get me to Colorado.

I’ve always wanted to see the Rocky Mountains. When we were younger, Dom used to talk about us traveling out that way on his bike. Me on the back of the bike of the man I loved, just the two of us traveling and starting our lives together. I needed that more than I wanted my next breath. As time went on, I realized Dom was just talking to be talking. It always happened after sex, too. Men say a lot after sex that can be utter bullshit. I’ve learned that lesson well and I’ll never forget it again. Incidentally, I also learned the lesson that sex—no matter how good—is not love. I thought I loved Dom, but today, I’m not sure I truly know what love is.

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