Page 53 of Broken
Lucy starts to say something next to me.
“No! That’s not a goddamn invitation to talk, Lucy.”
She closes her mouth, huffing in irritation.
“Lucy, you’re an old lady. You are a part of this club. What you did was a betrayal. You.” He looks over at me. “You don’t even have your fucking patch yet and you’re already pulling shit like this?”
“You don’t understand.” Lucy stands up.
Twisted opens his mouth to interrupt her, but she isn’t having it this time.
“No! It’s my turn to talk and get your pig headed ass to understand. Don’t you look at me like that either. We are not in front of your men and you are like a brother to me. The difference is that Izzy is your family! She’s your sister! She was going to tell you today. Max and I found out from her yesterday. She wanted to tell us first so we could be there and be in her corner when she brought it to you and the boys. She was scared to tell you. She thought that she would lose you, that you wouldn’t listen to her explanation.”
His eyes soften a bit and I know she’s getting through to him.
“She never once betrayed us. Those assholes did shit to her that you don’t want to hear about. They found out who she was and threatened her to come here for them or they’d kill her. Instead of just giving her a couple bruises like they were supposed to they almost killed her in that field. She had no idea about any of this when she got here. Even after that asshole has threatened her twice in the past week, she wouldn’t turn on us! You fucked up today, and I just hope it isn’t too late for you to save her.” Lucy has tears streaming down her face. “I held your sister as she cried because she thought you’d hate her. That you’d turn your back on her like everyone else has her whole life. I promised her that you were a better man than that. Today you proved me wrong.” She runs out of the room.
Well, at least I don’t have to give him hell.
Maybe I like her after all.
Pres turns to me. “What she said, was it true?”
I nod.
“Fuck!” He picks up the chair next to him and flings it at the wall. It breaks into small pieces. “What that asshole said, you lay a hand on my sister?”
Shit.
I take a deep breath. “I love her.” I haven’t even told Izzy how I feel about her. I thought it was too soon, that my admission might scare her.
“I told you not to fucking touch her!” His fist slams down on the table.
“I’m sorry, Pres. I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t stay away from her. Since that first night, I have felt this intense pull toward her.” I wince from the pain in my chest. Even as I’m carrying a conversation I’m struggling to keep my eyes open.
His eyes stare me down. “Fuck, I know that feeling. Nikki had me wrapped around her finger since the first night I met her. Don’t think that ignoring my order will go unnoticed. You said she was gonna tell me today?”
I nod. “We were getting ready to come here together when I got your text to go meet the girls. I told her we’d head over once I got back.”
He walks to the door and opens it. “Church! Right the fuck now!”
The brothers file in and each one looks at me like I don’t belong, which I don’t.
“Shit has gone down today. Prospect is going to tell you all a story. Everyone is to listen to the whole fucking story before I hear anything.” His gaze finds me once more. “Once you’re done you need to leave. You aren’t a brother and you can’t be at church.” He sits down at the head of the table.
I start explaining the story that Izzy told me. I leave out the specifics of what she went through with those assholes because honestly, they don’t need to know. They just have to understand the position she was put in. Once I’m done, Torch helps me out to a couch in the common room.
I sit here feeling completely useless. My mind is torturing me with thoughts of what could be happening to her right now.
Brothers start to file out of the room. Pres walks over and tosses something at me.
It’s a cut.
“We voted and agreed you deserve this shit. Even though you fucked up you took a bullet trying to help a member of this club. Welcome to the family, brother.” Pres claps me on the back. I try not to grimace from the pain he causes. “Don’t think this means that you won’t be paying for touching my sister when you weren’t supposed to.” He walks away while everyone else comes up and starts to congratulate me.
I fucking did it. I’m not a wannabe anymore. I’m a brother. The words I’ve said to Izzy a million times ring in my head.
Once I patch in I’m claiming you.
She isn’t here, though, and I can’t. The moment is bittersweet not having her here to celebrate and enjoy it with me. It doesn’t mean anything without her by my side. I look up at Whip. “What’s the plan?”
He sits down next to me. “We have people out there looking for her now. We know where their clubhouse is, but we don’t think they’ll have her there. Pres is calling a couple other charters and getting them down here tonight so we are ready to move in the morning. He told me to let you know that you can crash here tonight but to stay the fuck away from Izzy’s room.”
He gives me a nod before walking away.
I’m coming, Izzy, I promise.
This is not over for us.
