Page 50 of Dark Surrender

I flip him off.

“You’re a mess,” I hiss, wrinkling my nose at my physical embodiment of a shit show. A shit show I created. Lost my wife. My kids, besides Lily, couldn’t give a damn whether I live or die. No matter what Kali says, I know it to be true. My relationship with my father is rocky. Abby hates my guts, and I can’t blame her for that.

What do I really have beyond a fat bank account? I’m a nomad, sure, so I have my brothers in the club, but I haven’t seen them in ages. Sure, they’re in touch, but it’s not the same.

A flash of mismatched eyes and the prettiest smile slams into the forefront of my mind.

Iris.

That damn woman.

I keep dreamin’ about her.

I wish I could explain why, but I’m at a loss.

Looking down at the two scabbed-over puncture wounds on my chest, I rub them and chuckle. I don’t know if anyone would believe I got stabbed by chopsticks, of all kitchen utensils. That’s a first.

Chopsticks.

My stomach growls, and for whatever reason, I could suddenly go for some sushi.

This silly heart gives a hard thump, and a knot forms in my throat at the thought of eating it without…

Fuck.

Slapping the side of my head to get the fucker back on track, I put Iris as far from my mind as I can, which ain’t all that much. When I amble out of the bathroom to get dressed, she’s all I can think about when I yank my jeans on.

She got me hard.

I haven’t been hard since… the last time I saw her.

Not even in the morning.

Yeah. That trip to the cabin did a real number on me, beyond the obvious external shit.

Leaving my shirt off, since it still hurts to put pressure on my chest, I take the steps to the main floor to find my Pops sittin’ on the couch in the living room, fuckin’ around on his phone.

Lifting his eyes from the screen, he greets me with an up-nod. “Hey, Kid, what’s doin’?”

“Any chance you can spring me for a few hours?”

“To do what?”

“Take me to get my bike.”

“Where’s it at?”

“A few hours away in storage.”

“You think you should be ridin’ just yet?”

“What else am I gonna do? I’m tired of layin’ in bed. Takin’ up space… here.” I gesture around the space full of plants, Kali’s stuffed raven, and all things my ex-wife. Even the air smells of palo santo and those smudge sticks she makes.

“You’re recovering. You don’t need to go anywhere. We’re your family.”

“Eh.”

“You gonna say we’re not?”