I nod and remind him, “I felt like I raped her, Knuckles, I couldn’t claim her because of how I felt, even after realizing that I’ve wanted her since I was like ten.”
“Do you still feel that way?” he asks quietly, and I swallow hard but admit, “Every fucking day, but I’m in love with her, and I can’t lose her. I have to try and convince her that we can make things work, and that I haven’t been with anyone but her in six years. I need to explain why I’ve been more distant this past year.”
“Does she know that you have her name tattooed on your ribcage?” he asks, and I smirk.
“Not yet, just like she doesn’t know that I have her name on my ring finger,” I admit, and he chokes on his water not knowing that bit, making me chuckle.
“She’s been weird,” I admit as I look at my ring again.
“In what way?” he asks with a slight cough.
“I don’t know, but before I claimed her in front of everyone at work, we barely spoke, she wouldn’t make eye contact. Since last night, she’s been snappy with me, and I don’t know why,” I say, and he frowns.
“Do you think it’s because you’ve suddenly done a one-eighty?” he questions, but I shrug.
“I don’t know, and I understand it seems like a one-eighty for her, but it isn’t for me. For the past year, I’ve been in therapy, trying to get my shit together, trying to puzzle together the missing pieces of that night. When we were at work, it was likewe were us again, before we were drugged. She smiled, had that twinkle in her eye, we joked, but then as soon as she got home, it was like she couldn’t stand the sight of me, and fuck brother, I’m scared I won’t be enough for her.”
“You are enough for her, Trick, all you have to do is explain your reasonings for everything and I can promise you, she’ll want to try with you. Whether she’s aware of her feelings or not, even for someone like me, someone who is distant, I’ve seen the love she has for you. You should have had at least two more kids by now because Willow is amazing from what I’ve seen.”
I smile slightly at his words before I sigh as I run a hand through my hair just as the door to the gym bangs open, and I raise a brow as a pissed-off Crash storms inside, slamming the door for good measure.
“Well, it’s a good thing the gym is shut down on Wednesdays, huh?” Knuckles mutters, and I nod slightly.
“I swear to fucking god, I have had enough of my mother and her meddling fucking ways!” he snaps, and Knuckles asks, “What did she do this time?”
He scoffs, “Only told Nova that she can stay in my house after the bitch came to the clubhouse crying because there was a water leak from her neighbors upstairs. The roof apparently caved in inside her bedroom, fuck, I actually caught my mother trying to grab my keys!”
Shit.
He paces, and we watch, staying silent, allowing him to have this moment.
“Why is Nova so special?” he asks with a scoff as he stands before us.
I shrug and mutter, “Maybe she’s more of a daughter than Clark right now. Think about it, brother, Clark was already slowly pulling away from your mom before the incident, then she shut everyone out, so your mom clung to Nova.”
“What has your dad said?” Knuckles asks.
Crash scoffs, “He was ready to lose it. Chains had to literally drag him out of the common room while mom stood stock still in shock when I told her she was no longer welcome near me. I told Nova she and I weren’t ever going to happen and if she tried to proposition me again at work then I’d fire her ass,” he chuckles darkly, “Mom tried saying she had nowhere to stay, that she needed me and I told her to go to her parents.”
He paces again before stating, “She could have caused a lot of fucking shit for me.”
“What do you mean?” I ask in confusion.
It isn’t like he’s seeing anyone unless he means that Nova would latch onto him further.
Crash stops before us, and he looks between us.
“This stays between us, right?” he says, and I tilt my head in confirmation while Knuckles grunts. Crash swallows before he admits, “I’ve been in a relationship for eight years.”
Okay, never mind because holy fucking shit.
I drop my water bottle in shock, my eyes wide as Crash confesses, “I’ve never touched a club bunny, didn’t fuck the high school cheerleaders. My girl is my first, and I’m hers, she’s the only one I’ve been with.”
I blink, then blink again, and I ask, “Why the secrecy?”
“The Chargers,” he instantly says, “and then I was waiting for Cage to come home, but things have just gotten so fucking busy right now. Not just for me but for my girl with work and shit,” he looks me in the eye, “Clark knows, but she doesn’t know that I know she knows.”
It hits me like a fucking ton of bricks.
