AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Wolf looked over at him. “But she’s gone now.” When I need her most. Wolf left that part unspoken, but knowing Cole, he heard the silent words loud and clear.
Never one to hold back, Cole let him have it. “Yeah, she is. And whose fault is that?”
“Mine, I’m guessing.”
“What goes around, comes around, Brother. I shouldn’t need to tell you that.”
“Well, I did take a blow to the head, so maybe I’m a little slow.”
“You’ve never been slow, Wolf. Don’t play fucking games with me.”
Wolf frowned suddenly. “What day is it? How long have I been here?”
“It’s Monday.”
“You heading back?” Wolf knew they should have been gone yesterday.
“I’m not going anywhere until you’re released.”
“When’s that supposed to be?”
“No fucking clue. You tell me.”
“Ha ha.” Wolf closed his eyes, fatigue getting to him.
“Okay. How about a topic that’s not funny? You know about Crystal’s wrists?”
That got his eyes open. They darted to Cole’s, and he swallowed. “I found out in Vegas.”
Cole nodded, letting it drop. But then he twisted the knife. “I think Jameson has feelings for her.”
“Oh, you two on a first named basis now?” Wolf grimaced against a wave of pain. Christ, he needed another shot of whatever the hell they’d been injecting into his IV.
“He’d give her a good life, Wolf.”
“Shit, Cole.” Wolf paused to lick his lips. He felt like he had a mouthful of cotton. “Kick a man when he’s down, why don’t you?”
“Just sayin’. Once you heal up and are out of that bed, you need to pull your head out of your ass and figure out what the fuck you want. If it’s Crystal, you better make your move before it’s too
late. If it’s not, then you need to fucking let her go once and for all. Don’t fuck up any chance at happiness she has. It’s cruel to jerk her around like this. She deserves a hell of a lot better.”
Wolf stubbornly stared at the ceiling again. “She does. The kind of life Jameson can give her apparently.”
“What she deserves is to be loved. She deserves a man who’s got the guts to give her that. She doesn’t give a crap about some fancy life. And if you haven’t figured that out about her, you’re dumber than I thought.”
With that, Cole turned and stalked out. Wolf watched him go and felt the knife twist in his heart. Everything he said was the truth. All of it. Now he just needed to figure out just how brave he was. Brave enough to go after her or brave enough to live the rest of his life without her?
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Wolf pulled up in front of the address and backed his bike in next to the line of four bikes parked with their back tires against the curb. He set the kickstand down and threw his leg over the bike as he stood, his eyes taking in the building. Brothers Ink. Jameson O’Rourke’s place. It was two stories high, and he could see the man himself standing at a second floor plate glass window, looking down at him. Jameson lifted his chin to him, and Wolf returned the gesture, then headed inside.
The place was impressive. Sleek and modern. A reception counter stood across the entrance, tattoo stations lined behind it. No one stood at the counter. Wolf glanced around, but didn’t see Crystal anywhere. One of the tattoo artists, who’d been busy sketching out a design, stood and approached the counter. He looked vaguely familiar from the shop in Sturgis. He was stocky, with a bald head, a thick beard and ten gauge onyx plugs in his ears.
“Can I help you?” the man rested his palms on the counter, his arms covered in ink.
“Is Crystal here?”
“Not at the moment.”
