Page 62 of Stone
I flinch, hating the reality that it was my fault.
Doc leans forward and states firmly, “Whether you kicked Elsie to the curb ten years ago or yesterday, she was always going to flip. James’ business wasn’t doing as well as he made out, and she lived a certain lifestyle. One that even in high school she refused to lose and knew I wouldn’t touch her. She latched onto you, brother, and no matter who you tried to pursue, she was always going to start,” he nods to the papers, “That is a big fucking mistake.”
“Says the one who's considering marrying a spoiled little girl,” I retort, and he nods and admits, “I’m doing it for the club, brother. The feds showed up this morning, claiming to have had a search warrant. Dirty proved them as liars, and the chief of police threatened their badges. It doesn’t take a rocket scientistto know who sent them as a warning, so I make the right decision. I have to do what I have to for the club while you, you’re making the biggest mistake of your life letting that girl go.”
My jaw ticks. Dad mentioned the cops that showed up weren’t on our pay role, but since when does Doc cave so fucking easily?
Sighing, he stands and admits, “Rose decided to discharge herself against my and her doctors' say so after signing those papers. Go beg your wife for forgiveness, brother.”
That said, he turns and leaves, the music blaring as he leaves the door open, and I look down at the paperwork with my heart in my throat.
She signed them.
“It was the right decision,” I try to tell myself, but the voice in my head whispersliar,and I swallow hard as my phone rings and I check it.
Mama:
Please Cage, I have made so many mistakes over the years and I know Elsie attacking Rose was partly my fault as well but your dad is learning to forgive me, why can’t you?
Another fucking delusional woman.
She knows why I can’t forgive her. She saw me and Dad get into it several times over the years where that bitch was concerned. She saw me pull away from him, losing our father-son bond and she sat back allowing it all knowing she was the reason nothing got said because she was selfish!
I quickly message her back.
Me:
Because you’re a lying, cheating, selfish woman who doesn’t deserve my forgiveness!
I press send without a care, no longer seeing that woman as my mother.
Dad forgiving her was a mistake.
I look at the papers again and my heart pounds. Fuck, I feel like I’ve made a big mistake, but I don’t deserve her, I didn’t keep her safe.
With a shaky hand, I slowly lift the first page, needing to see her signature, to cement it in my head that we are over, but instead, I suck in a breath at what she put on the dotted line instead of her signature.
I love you
My heart pounds and I swear to fuck my eyes tear as I slowly wipe my mouth.
My phone buzzes again, and I know it’s Mama most likely not liking my reply or Dad asking me to try and forgive her because of course, he stayed with her, but I ignore it, keeping my eyes on the papers.
She’s fighting for me, after everything I’ve done, after her nearly dying, she’s fighting for me, while I was willing to walk away.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Out of instinct, my body tingling, I look at the monitor and I suck in a breath at the vision. Standing in the middle of the dance floor, where we first met, is my wife, wearing a sparkly blue mini dress and silver heels, her hair straight, while Donna and Alife stand behind her acting as guards, both their attention on the hallway where my office is and I notice Doc near the back wall smiling softly at my wife.
Fucker, he lied, he knew what she wrote.
I don’t think. I shove my chair out of the way and round my desk in a hurry before slamming out of my office and down the hallway.
I notice Donna physically relax as she takes a step back from her friend, seeing me as Rose and I lock eyes.
Anger, hurt, pain, sorrow all shine through her beautiful dark green orbs, and the closer I get, the more my body relaxes, her presence making that tension disappear.
I have the urge to grab her and never let her go, to beg her to forgive me, but instead I stop a few feet away and fist my hands, keeping my eyes only on my girl.
