Page 12 of Gonzo's Grudge
Her hands trembled. “Is he…?”
“He’s scared,” I admitted, sinking into the chair across from her. “But he’s fightin’. For now.” I wouldn’t lie to her. I wouldn’t give her some kind of false hope. I spent twenty-two years feeding her bullshit as her husband. I wouldn’t do her dirty now when there was so much at stake. She was stronger than I ever gave her credit for. But we all had our breaking points.
Tears spilled down her cheeks. “He doesn’t belong in there.”
“I know.” My voice cracked, something it rarely did. “But he’s strong. Stronger than either of us imagined.”
Her eyes met mine, full of pain and fury. “Fix this. Whatever it takes. Fix it.”
I reached across the table, gripping her hand. “I will. You have my word.”
And I meant it.
Back at the clubhouse, I gathered the brothers. I looked each man in the eye, felt the weight of their loyalty, their trust.
“This ain’t just about my son anymore,” I told them. “This is about all of us. Somebody thinks they can put one of ours in chains. Somebody thinks they can use the system. They’re wrong.”
The room erupted in agreement, fists slamming tables, voices rising.
In that moment, I knew: the storm was coming.
And I was the one who would unleash it.
Chapter 5
IvaLeigh
No, no, no, don’t die, dammit. This couldn’t be happening. My night was already bad enough.
I knew better. Why I went to the stupid frat party was beyond me. Dammit, I knew better.
It was two in the morning, I left the party angry. “Never drive under duress,” Mom always said.
Did I listen? Not tonight.
Why did I torture myself? I knew he would be there. Like a fool, I went thinking somehow, I had hope to fix this. Collin and I were over before we started because I don’t put out on the first date. I liked him more than I should. His actions when I said no should have been enough for me to never give him a second thought. A good man doesn’t get angry and try to guilt a woman into sex saying their balls hurt. Wasn’t my consent and my desire more important than his tight balls?
How could I tell him? I was a virgin. Yes, at twenty-two years old, I had yet to have sex. It wasn’t that I was a prude. It was more, I didn’t date. In high school, I was focused and determined to go to Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina.
My dad, as a judge, wanted me to go to a bigger school, like Duke University, or even consider a private college. Me, I didn’t want to be far from home. I liked the idea of college until I had my first dorm mate. She was a slob.
Roommates could be difficult, who knew?
I had lived a sheltered life. That much college has taught me so far. I met my current roommate our sophomore year in a criminology class. We get along and this year we got an apartment together. She was cleaner than any of the other roommates I had. Granted my mom paying a housekeeper to come to the apartment once a week probably helped.
Darla, my roommate and friend, asked me to go to the frat party. The party I knew I could see him at. Since she never invited me anywhere because we were complete opposites, I went. She lived for the social life. I lived to get good grades. Parties were her thing and schoolwork was secondary. Why I thought I could convince Collin to give me a second chance was beyond me.
I knew my worth.
Right?
I was worth waiting for, wasn’t I? With every failed attempt to have a relationship, I began to wonder if I wasn’t actually the problem.
Tonight, though, it was a doozy. Especially when Darla changed things at the last minute saying she would meet me there instead of us riding together.
Yeah, she met me all right.
She made sure to be practically climbing Collin like a tree when I walked in the door. Did I leave? Nope. The idiot I was stayed for more of the show.
