“Red room?”
“Don’t ask, brother. She’s all kinky and whatnot.”
They didn’t argue with her, they just left the room, and that made me wonder just how much of this was premeditated.
Chapter Thirteen
Ipaced while Harleyand Rocket started a fairly aggressive game of darts, because even though the door was closed, they were right there, just upstairs, and I think I was more up there than down here right now. What were they talking about? What needed us men gone from the room? Was she eating? Was she hiding from the food again?
“Brother, if you’re not gonna eat that, can I?” Rocket reached for my dumplings, and I darted across the room to dodge the greedy bastard.
“Don’t try it, dickhead. I’m eating. I’m just…”
“He’s just trying to eavesdrop on them through that heavy door,” Harley commented to Rocket, who abandoned his attempt at my food as his turn at the dartboard came up.
Harley sipped the beer he’d accepted from the bar, and watched Rocket throwing his darts, while I rapidly finished the last of my meal, before it disappeared down someone else’s gullet.
“I’m just, I don’t know, hoping she’s okay.”
“This is what you wanted to happen, man. She needs girl talk and Nixie cuddles, right?”
“Yeah. I mean, that was part of the plan. I was also kind of hoping the women would talk her out of her crazy idea to challenge the asshole. Now I’m worried they’ll encourage her instead.”
“What’s your point?” Rocket asked, approaching us with one dart still in hand. “You’re saying our women are unhinged and likely to draw her into… shit, he’s right, Harls. Maybe not your old lady, but mine definitely would.”
“Call me that one more time, and that dart goes up your nose.”
“Can you not? I’m serious here!” I snapped at them, because cute or not, their double act was badly timed right now. Was a nickname more important than the safety of the woman I… loved? Yeah, loved. Was I really going to keep trying to lie to myself about that?
“Is this going to make things worse?”
They exchanged a wary look, and I waited for one of them to deny it. Either one. Just someone to fucking say I didn’t screw this up too.
“Jesus, come on! I brought you guys here to help. Did I fuck it up? I keep fucking everything up!”
Harley laid a hand on my shoulder, calmness radiating from him that I wished I could use to soothe my fragmented nerves in this moment.
“Brother, I’m sure they’re just talking up there. Caroline’s not about to encourage anything dangerous, okay? She’s all about safety and… and besides, she’s not likely to let V start anything. She’ll… okay, she won’t stop her, because she’s too…”
“That’s not helping!” I tried to make a dash for the stairs, but they both pulled me back. It was like they wanted it to go horribly wrong. No. That’s unfair. They were doing their best to help, I knew that. I just felt like the tiniest fuck up could ruineverything, push Glory in the wrong direction, and I’d lose her again.
“I can’t lose her again,” I whispered brokenly, suddenly realising I was wussing out in front of them. I dragged a hand over my face, cleared my throat, and pointed at the dartboard.
“I’ll take the winner on.”
“You don’t have to hide how you’re feeling, man. We’ve all been there,” Rocket said softly. See, those who didn’t know him like I did would assume the brash exterior, and frankly dickish behaviour, were all he was, but I knew differently. Just like Harley did. The guy was way more sensitive than most of the others we knew at the club. His heart wasn’t just on his sleeve, it was in every word and action, except those moments where he deliberately baited people. Those were his armour.
“I feel like I’m losing her again, second by second. Like every decision has the potential to bring her closer or drive her further away. I feel like I’m failing her with every fucking breath!” Were my hands gripping my hair in anguish? Come on, I’m not that dramatic. I lowered my hands and took a deep breath.
“Fucking hell. I feel like a man trying to cling to the woman he loves, but that’s not how it is with us.”
“Bullshit. That’s exactly what you are,” Harley said quietly, glancing over his shoulder at the closed door up those stairs, where our women were hanging out. Our women, listen to me. Like I even have that right.
“I just meant-”
“She may not see it, but we do. You love her, man. That’s why you’re losing your shit here, and Rocket’s right. We’ve both been through these same fears and moments of pure terror. That’s how it feels when you’re in love, especially when you’re not sure if it’ll work out.”
“Hell, I ran, didn’t I?” Rocket added, rolling his eyes at himself.
