Page 40 of Hero: Claimed

“Fuck your drug,” he says, cutting her off. “Soon as my dad got out of rehab, he relapsed and overdosed. I was the one who found him. I was ten.Ten. Shipped off to my cunt of an aunt because my mom was a useless piece of fucking shit.”

“Suboxone,” Caitlin continues, unabated. “It tastes pretty good from what I hear, like oranges. The results are promising. Not only does it help with the detox, but it makes it so pills don’t work. I can’t prescribe it, but I know a doctor who can.”

“Think we’re a bit past pills now, aren’t we?” Blaze snidely asks, though it’s hardly a question.

“So you’re not even willing to try?” I ask. “Levi loves you. Do it for him if you won’t do it for yourself.”

“Yeah, well, Hero’s also fucking you, so he’s not exactly making the best decisions on who to care about, is he?”

I gasp, my face heating. Jesus, he said it in front of Caitlin. That’s a hit I don’t need today of all days. The day Levi abandoned me at work. “Fuck you,” I whisper curtly.

“Nah, my decisions aren’tthatpoor.”

Right. “I’m done, Caitlin. If you can convince him to try rehab, do it. I’m out.”

I head home. Levi never does. Not when I dress in my pajamas. Not when I climb into bed. And not when I close my eyes to try and sleep. With all that happened with Blaze, I never did get the chance to tell Caitlin about the image of my face being plastered all over the news. I almost forgot about it myself, but I can’t forget. Because when I leave for work tomorrow, it’s game on.

16.

Levi

The music pumps loud through the speakers. Tonight, Dutchy got patched in. The ceremony is a private affair. Only brothers are allowed to attend. But the after party, we’ve got old ladies, wives, hot mamas, and more pieces than ever. I take a long swallow from my bourbon, watching the dancing, a table-full of brothers racking up for a new game of pool, and other much more debaucherous activities.

I fucking hated sleeping in that bed alone last night. But we were patrolling until almost four in the morning and then… then I just couldn’t get myself to go back to Brin. The fuck do I know about relationships anyway? My life plan was to avoid them like the plague. When I offered to claim her, I never thought I’d ever want her the way that I want her. I rub my hands over my face in an attempt to erase the visions of her beautiful face and those tits that are a miracle for mankind from my mind. My head’s too messed up to think properly.

But it doesn’t matter because it was a futile attempt as it turns out. When I drop my hands the very vision of my dreams and my nightmares steps inside the door to the clubhouse wearing tight black jeans and my brown jacket. It’s not warm enough now. She needs a real winter coat—fuck, this isn’t me. She can wear what she wants. And like a punk, I dip my chin down, hoping she doesn’t spot me.

No such luck. She spots me, walking through the throngs of partygoers, her long, silky hair swishes as she makes her way over. Her incredibly sexy eyes scowl. I know she’s pissed and yet I’m way turned on, too turned on for either of our own good. I can’t be turned on. Not anymore.

She stops in front of me. “Hey, Brin,” Butch says from behind the bar. “Can I get you a drink?”

“No, thank you. I’m not staying long.”

Well, thank Christ for small miracles.

Or… I thought so until she lays into me. “You left me stranded at work,” she says, not yelling but matter-of-fact. I would’ve preferred her to yell.

“Sorry about that,” I reply snidely. “Something came up.” I’m an ass. She’s right. I left her unprotected. At the very least, I should’ve had Chaos drop her off at home. My head—I’m a mess, but if something would’ve happened to her—fuck.

“Right,” she says. “I wouldn’t have minded half as much if you’d at least cared enough to send a text. You’re a fucking asshole.”

Now we’re getting to it and I’m not about to let our quarrel interrupt Dutchy’s big day or let the brothers see me get my ass reamed by my old lady. I tug her arm to follow me. “Let’s go,” I tell her and she doesn’t fight it. We walk back to the bedroom.

Her eyes dart to the unmade bed. “This is where you slept last night? Hm… I waited up for you. Stupid me. I was worried about you. Imagine that? You dump me without even a text to let me know andI’mthe one who worries.”

What the fuck? “I didn’t dump you, Brin. Don’t be stupid.”Wait—isn’t this what I wanted? No, it fucking well isnot. I thought is was, but now, facing losing the most perfect woman in the world, it’s not.

“Stupid?” She glances down at the bed again. “Right. I suppose you slept there alone, then? No pretty pieces who fit in better with your lifestyle?”

“Are you serious?” I roar, more pissed than I’ve been in forever. “I fucking promised you I’d never do that to you. You don’t trust me?”

“Idid,” she says calmly—yes,fucking calmlyand that pisses me off even more than I had been. “But then you left me stranded at an empty office, completely alone and vulnerable…” I wince, biting my lip to hold my tongue because I did, I left her vulnerable, my only thought was hunting down that Advocate and giving myself some headspace. No amount of rude comments or excuses will change the damage I’ve caused. “And then you never bothered to make it home last night. Not even a quick text. Not even a ‘Hey, Brin, things aren’t working out. I need to think.’ No, you just leave me with a whole lot of nothing.”

“You don’t control my life.”

That gets the reaction I wanted. “Of course, I don’t.” Tears rim her eyes. “I never wanted to control your life. The thought never crossed my mind. But you’re the one who pushed this relationship. I was content with washing your fucking laundry and cooking your dinner. It’syouwho took overmylife and now you decide you don’t want it? Did Blaze give you shit? Brinley’s ass a little too big for Mr. Playboy?” She shoves at my shoulder, catching me off guard and I take a step back. “And I mean so little to you that you’d fucking ghost me. I never asked you to love me, Levi. But I thought we were friends.”

I wince again. “We are friends—fuck.”

---