Slash stops chewing and gives me that look again. The same one from the motel room. Like who he sees is a different person sitting across from him.
“What?” I’m defensive.
“Are you fucking in love with her?” He leans forward, swallows, and then continues. “Have you been in love with her this whole time?” Two little lightbulbs brighten his blue eyes. “I mean, I know you were wrecked after what happened, but I thought you got over it once you stopped texting me.”
“So did I.” I chuck the French fry down. “But then I saw her at the funeral, and these feelings happened.” I make circular motions with my hands in front of my chest. I don’t know how else to explain it. “And then we slept together.” I rub my temples. “And now she doesn’t want anything to do with me.”
“Because you’re a terrible lay or because her involvement with you got her involved with Pony?”
“It’s definitely not because I’m a terrible lay.” I sneer. “I rocked that girl’s fucking world, and I’ll do it again. I don’t think our involvement is the underlying reason either, although I’m sure it doesn’t help. The bottom line is that she just doesn’t trust me.”
“Oh.” Ky leans back with a “you’re fucked” expression. “That’s definitely a cock killer.”
“It’s not just my cock she’s killing. When I said everything was a fucking mess, I meant it. I’m going to lose the woman I love and my life all at the same time.”
“No, you’re not. ’Cause I’m not going to let that happen. Well, the losing your life part. Not sure how much magic I can work with Liv.” Ky sucks down his milkshake.
“And how are you going to manage that?” I ask.
Ky smiles, a big, fat, obnoxious smile. “It’s Vegas, baby.” He claps his hands. “We’re gonna gamble.”
“My plan all along. You’re a genius.”
“I am, because I brought extra bodies with me. We’ll have a hundred grand racked up in no time.”
“How many extra bodies?”
“Including myself, Hawk, and Fender? Four. And a secret weapon.”
“You didn’t.”
“I did. Gerard ‘Gambit’ Parish himself. Mr. Poker. He said you refused his loan.”
“I did. Because I don't want to owe anyone anything anymore.”
“He told me that, too.”
“And yet you are all here interfering in my shit. Getting involved when I don’t want you to.”
“So what? We should just leave you alone and let you get yourself killed? Great friends we'd be.”
“The club is the most important thing to me. You know that. It’s my family, it’s my whole life, and I don’t want to jeopardize it on account of my father’s stupid mistakes.”
“So you keep saying.”
“Then why aren’t you listening?”
“Call me stubborn.”
“I can call you a lot more than that.” I threaten.
“Yeah, well, it’s probably all true, too. But I’m going to spearhead with stubborn. We’re not going to abandon you. So like it or not, we’re in it together.”
I exhale a frustrated breath. “Fine. I don’t have time to argue. But you need to promise me one thing.”
“Name it.”
“On Kira’s life.”
