Page 28 of Dread’s Beloved

“Don’t tell me you don’t ever think about me. We had great fuckin’ sex.”

“Yeah, we did until we started having it with other fucking people.”

“It wasn’t all bad.”

“Why are we talking about this?”

“Closure.”

“Think that happened when we signed the papers.”

“I’ve never stopped thinking about you.”

“I don’t know what you expect me to say to that.”

“Tell me you never missed what we had.”

“Never said I didn’t but can’t go back. We aren’t those people anymore, and a lot has changed since then.”

“Fair enough, but do you think you’d ever want to try again?”

“Marriage in general, or are you talking about you and me?”

“Both.”

I laugh. Because what the fuck? This bitch must be out of her mind. I look around the bar and see Kitty at the pool tables with Knives, Punky, some chick I don’t know, and a couple other club brothers. She’s smiling with a beer in her hand.

“I need some air.” I push my chair back.

“You need laid. You’re all wound up and tense.”

I signal to Knives that I’ll be back and ignore Cassandra. Woman has lost her fuckin’ mind. Would I ever try again? Jesus. Not with her. I grab another beer from the bar and go out back to the picnic area. I sit on the top of one. No one else is out here because it’s chilly. I sip on my beer and wonder what the fuck I’m doing with my life.

“Peace offering.” Cass stalks toward me, holding two more beers and a joint.

“I should get back to Kitty.”

“Kitty’s in good hands. The least you can do is have a drink with me.”

“Thought we just did that.”

“Subtle doesn’t seem to be working for me here. I want to fuck you, Dread.”

“Not a good idea.”

“Why? Don’t tell me you’re fucking that Barbie doll. She’s practically a child.”

“She’s twenty-six.”

“So you are fucking her.” She lights up the joint.

“No.”

“You want to be?”

I shrug. One thing I’m not is a liar.

She smiles and takes a toke before passing it to me.