Page 110 of Slayin Villain
I threw my arms around him before he could say another word.
Ember found me near the drinks table later.She looked different.Tired.But calm.
“Can we talk?”she asked.
I bristled, but nodded.
We sat down near the fire pit, away from the noise.
She sighed, staring into the flames.“I was awful to you.”
“You were.”
“I let jealousy eat me alive.Told myself lies because I couldn’t handle the truth.”
“What truth?”
She looked at me, really looked.“That he had eyes only for you.”
My throat tightened.
“I saw it every time he looked at you.Felt it every time he didn’t look at me like that.And yeah, we had heat, crazy, stupid heat, but that’s not love.”
I stayed quiet.I didn’t want to hear about their heat.My stomach knotted.
Ember wiped under her eyes.“I’m sorry.I should’ve never come between you two.But I needed to say it out loud.Not for you.For me.”
I nodded, not ready to say I forgave her, but also not ready to hate her either.
She glanced down at her stomach.“If the baby’s his...what happens?”
I stared at her.“He’ll do right by it.He’s already said as much.”
“But what about you?”
I looked her square in the eye.“I’m not raising my child in chaos.I won’t play second to anyone.Only his baby.Not you.So if it’s his...we’ll figure it out.”
Ember nodded slowly.“You’re stronger than I thought.”
“No,” I said.“I’m just done being the one who breaks.”
We sat in silence for a moment, both of us weighed down by what the future might look like.
Then Jassica came over with Sweet Tea, drunk on club gossip and victory.
“Y’all see that post?”Tea asked.
“What post?”Ember asked, frowning.
“Rome had a gig.Word is he got spared,” Jassica said, scrolling through her phone.“Club let him off the hook.Turned over intel on another MC, some crew outta Memphis dealing arms through a strip joint.”
My stomach dropped.
“He’s useful now,” Sweet Tea added.“Which means he’s breathing.And maybe too close for comfort.”
I looked at Ember.
She was pale.
