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“Can we at least be civil?”
She finally looks at me but it’s not long before she’s focusing back on the road.
“You’re right. I’m sorry.”
I relax in my seat. Thank fuck for that. At least the cabin won’t be filled with hostility.
“It’s not like you’re around a lot anyway. The vote will go your way tomorrow night and I guess I’ll see even less of you.”
My chest heaves with the heaviest breath I’ve taken in my life. I leave her and her mood to drive us home.
She’ll get over it in her own time and shit will go back to how it used to be.
“From now on, I don’t want you taking Ray to the club unless I say so for the time being.”
“Okay. Why? It’s where your parents are most of the time and Slade. Rayna will miss seeing them so much.”
“After being shot and the club voting on whether I take the gavel, I want a little calm for her for a while. Now she’s home, she should sleep better.”
“You know it’s not where she is that affects her, it’s you. She plays up when she doesn’t see you.”
I’m not sure if the pain in my gut is from the gunshot wound or the guilt digging in deeper.
I chose to stay in the club. I chose to lead this life to give her more than I could working a dead-end job after her mom was ripped from us. But with that comes consequences. I’ve made peace with it but not if it hurts my daughter.
“That’s why I’m keeping you around, so she has routine and stability.”
“You’re keeping me around?” she quietly shrieks.
Snorting, I grunt, “What? You think I enjoy this tension between us just because you caught feelings?”
She pulls up outside the cabin and shuts off the engine.
“You know, everyone thinks your brother is the asshole, but while they’re looking at him, they don’t see how much of one you are.”
Throwing open her door, she jumps out and deals with Rayna while I struggle to pull myself out.
She leaves the front door open for me, but I plonk my ass on the swing bench instead of going in.
I shouldn’t have said that to Holly. I keep her around, not only because she’s great with Rayna and Rayna loves her, but because I like knowing she’s around.
“We forgot to stop by the store. We need dinner for tonight and a few other bits. I’ll put Rayna down for a nap since she didn’t sleep well last night and run to the store.”
She doesn’t wait around for a reply, and I sit out front till she returns. Her purse over one shoulder, I notice she’s changed from her leggings to her shorts.
“I won’t be long. I’ve left her a fruit salad in the fridge in case she wakes while I’m gone.”
I nod and inhale deeply.
“Holly, I just want to say sorry. I shouldn’t have said that shit in the car.”
“Thanks, but I meant what I said. You’re an asshole but you already know that.”
Laughing, I watch her slide into the car and drive off. Heaving myself up, I head into the house and stand in the living room doorway.
India isn’t by the fireplace.
She was never here.
