“Stop fucking lying to me, Valarie. I am sick of it.”
She rolls her eyes, her whole demeanor changing right in front of me.
“Oh, fine. When did you become so fucking whiny, Logan? Damn.”
“Get on with it.”
“Fine.” She waves her hand at me. “It was all a set up. I let my boy beat me, because I know that you are a sucker for a woman in pain— that you do anything for her, plus we have history. I knew that you would not turn me away if I was hurt. I needed to know what you and the club knew about my crew. I will not let anyone stand in my way, Crash.” She shrugs, stepping closer to me.
My guard goes up, ready to protect myself if needed, as nothing surprises me with this woman anymore.
“I don’t get it, Val. Why turn to this crew? You could have been so much more.”
Rolling her eyes again, she grins. “I wanted money and power, now I have both.” She nods to Racer’s computer. “WithVinnie at my side, we got what I wanted, and we were going to fucking rule Phoenix.”
“Then he got pinched.” I do not touch on the fact that she just admitted to stealing money from the club. But fucking how?
“Yeah. Fucking cops got him,” she snarls. “Grady arrested Vinnie, so I planned on hurting him and his.”
It dawns on me what she just said. No matter what happened between Stevie and me, Val was always going to hurt her.
“So, the plan was to hurt Stevie anyway.” She nods. “I was there and made your plan easier.”
“Yes. She always had a crush on you in school. It was fun seeing her pine over you, when I had you. Seeing the pain in her eyes when I kissed you, or when I told her all about how you fucked me ten-ways-to-Sunday.” She laughs, but it is hollow.
How the hell did I miss this side of her?
“Stevie never did anything to you, except be a best friend. Fuck, she did everything for you, Val. And you purposely hurt her, using me.”
“She had a family that cared for her, and acted like she was better than me,” she spits.
“When? All I saw was a girl being the best friend she could to another girl. Giving you fucking money, for fucks sake. Bringing you food, and letting you eat at her aunt’s house.”
I stare at her with wide, bewildered eyes. All of this over fucking jealousy.
“You did not give her the time of day, so you can get fucked with that notion, Crash. Do not act like you cared for her; you were all about cars and fucking me,” she snaps.
“You are right. I was lost in the fog of what we were doing but what I do remember, is that Stevie was a fucking good friend. She would want you out of this trouble.”
She thinks on my words, and I see a glimmer of the girl I once knew. Biting her lip, she gets this faraway look In her eyes, like she is reliving a part of her past.
“I am in deep, Logan.” She can’t hide the tremble in her voice, and I think there is some hope.
“We, the club, can help you. I promise you this. Let me help you,” I plead, but I see the shutters coming down in her eyes. She doesn’t believe that we can help her, or she really doesn’t want my help.
It stings to know that, but when someone is too far gone, there is no helping them.
“I am sorry, Logan. I did love you, and for a time I thought we would get married and have kids. Rule the street racing world together.” Tears fill her eyes, and fuck, I feel that deep in my gut.
Making my voice softer, I’m hoping to get through to her that I really want to help.
“Let me help.”
Shaking her head, she sniffles, then wipes her nose with the sleeve of her shirt.
“I am in deep. There is no climbing out.” Regret shines in her eyes, along with more tears.
Before I can react to stop her, she raises her arm. It is then that I see the fucking steel motorcycle statue that Racer has in his office, coming down on the side of my head.
