“Show me what?” Z seems interested now, as he leans against the counter.
“Part of his explanation.” I don’t look back at Z, just continue to stare at Eli, trying to stuff down all my hurt, all my heartbreak.
Eli runs his hands over his face before reaching to his side and tossing it at Z, as if he’s just trying to get it out of the way.
Grabbing it, he looks at him confused as he grips the leather, opening it up, exposing the kutte, the patches… all of it.
Z mouth parts as the shock spreads over his face. “Where’d you get this from?” I can see him racking his brain, just as I did when he first showed it to me, trying to remember where Dad’s is as well as everyone else’s.
“Show him the rest.” I tell Eli, who glances over at me before sighing.
He pulls his shirt up.
“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me.” Z mutters under his breath, the door slamming as he storms out.
Getting up, I’m running out the door after him.
“Z! Wait!”I shout as I run down the stairs, but the door is already swinging shut. Picking up my speed, I’m out the door and grabbing his arm as he tries to leave, as if I’m back to being 8. “Stop, he can prove he’s telling the truth.”
“How, Drew?”he snaps, stopping and turning towards me. “With the UV tattoo on his chest in Dad’s goddamn handwriting?”
“How’d you know?”
“He’s not the only one I’ve seen with it.” He rolls his eyes as he walks back towards his bike.
“So that proves it.”
“What does it prove, Drew?” he takes a couple of steps back over to me.
“That Dad trusted him to give it to him.”
“And that means what to me?” he shouts again, stepping closer. “Dad’s been dead for nine years. People change. You just wanna feel better about whose dick you rode.” The disgust is written all over his face, and seeing Z this mad at me makes the little sister come out, cowering back. Not that I think he’d ever hurt me, but always trying to make him proud.
“Don’t fucking talk to her like that!”Eli’s voice is demanding as he walks up.
“Oh, you fuck my sister, so now you get to tell me how to talk toher!?”he snaps back at Eli, stepping in closer.
“You’re taking out your anger on her and being an asshole. You’re pissed at me, leave her out of it.” Eli deadpans at him.
I hear flesh and bone connecting before it registers to me that he punched Eli. He stares down at him.“Stay the fuck away from my club. And stay the fuck away from my sister.”
“That’s just it!”I shout back at Z, his head snapping to look at me. “The club always comes first.” His eyes widen. “Sure, you were upset when you found out about us, but when you found out about your precious club, that’s what really pissed you off, that’s what made you leave.” All the anger I’ve ever felt towards life, towards Z, hell, the anger I have towards Eli, and especially all the anger I have towards the club comes out in an instant.
He doesn’t answer me. He just blinks at me for a second before finishing the walk to his bike, opening the saddle bag, slamming the kutte inside before slamming the lid shut.
The engine revs as his tires peel out of the parking lot.
“Eli.” I exhale, looking over at him and sighing. “I’m sorry.” I whisper, kneeling down to him and turning his face.
“I’m fine.”
“No, let me clean it up.” I can tell he’s about to argue with me about it. “Please, it’s the least I can do.” Staring at him for a moment, I can’t let myself get sucked into this again.
“I think I got a sense of how pissed he is, but how mad are you about it all?”
I sigh, not wanting to admit to him. “Let me get your face to stop bleeding.” I whisper as I look down at his bleeding lip and thesporadic pebbles that are pressed into the side of his face.
Helping him up, we walk up the stairs and back into the apartment.
