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“I need it, Ace. You know I do. Please give me this.”
I hate that she looks so desperate, and any other time, I’d give her what she wants, but not this. It’s for her own good. “I’m sorry, Mae, but I can’t—” I’m cut off when my office door swings open and Hulk stands there looking pissed. Mystique is behind him, an expression of panic on her face.
“So, now we’re letting strangers in on club business?” he growls.
I glare angrily. The last thing I need is him blurting this out before I’ve had a chance to explain to Mae. “Not now, Hulk, and knock before you barge right on in here with your attitude.”
“As your VP, I strongly advise that we keep it club members only. It’s not a spectator sport.”
I groan when I see the realisation on Mae’s face. “You’re letting her go but not me?”
I sigh and rub at my forehead. I’m sure I feel more lines creasing there than I’ve ever had before. “Mae, baby—” I begin, but she puts her hand up to me.
“Nuh-uh, Ace. Whatever you say next is going to piss me off further, so just stay quiet.” She folds her arms and pastes a stubborn expression on her beautiful face.
“Right, Hulk, get the fuck out.” I wait for him to leave and slam the door closed. Turning to see Mae’s sad expression, I almost crumble. I know how badly she wants this. “Baby, trust I know what’s best for you. Right now, while you’re still recovering, the last thing you need is the trauma of a murder. It isn’t going to be pretty, and I don’t want you to see any more than you already have.”
“But it’s okay for Mystique to see that? She’s a stranger to this club, an outsider. What if she tells someone what you did? You’ll go to jail.”
“I owe her. She saved us, Mae. After this, I’m even with her, I don’t owe her.”
“Right. Well, you go off and play Bonnie and Clyde with a girl we hardly know, and I’ll play the part of a delicate little flower who can’t handle her shit.”
Mae stands to leave, but I rush in front of her, blocking the door so she can’t leave. “Don’t go like this. I can’t stand it when you’re mad at me. I want to protect you. What’s wrong with that?”
“I can’t do this with you right now, Ace.”
“You’re being ridiculous. I’m the boss around here and I’m laying down the law. You know how this works.”
“I thought I knew, but then I found out it only applies when it suits.”
I groan. “I can’t risk you being there and it all going to shit.” I sigh heavily before adding, “You should also know we think one of the club girls was feeding back to him.”
“Does that surprise you, Ace, when you take in anyone with a sob story? It was probably Angel. I’m sure you shared lots of secrets when you were fucking her,” she spits.
“Angel wouldn’t do that to me.”
Mae gives an empty laugh and rubs her face, she’s exhausted. “But she didn’t do it to you, did she? You might have been there, but you weren’t pinned down and raped. She wanted to hurt you without actually hurting you.”
“It wasn’t Angel,” I growl, refusing to believe she’d do that.
“I’m going for a walk. I need to clear my head. I think it’s best if you sleep in your own room tonight.”
I get that tight feeling in my chest. I hate the thought of not being with her at night. She still wakes continuously screaming and crying. “Take someone with you.”
“I’m fine. You have the bad guy, remember.”
“Damn it, Mae, stop being so fucking stubborn. I can’t deal with you when you’re like this.”
“When I don’t conform. When I don’t swoon because you want to murder a man for me. Apologies if I’ve offended you,” she spits angrily.
I drive my fist into the drywall, taking us both by surprise. It crumbles and pieces fall to the floor. “Just take someone with you,” I hiss, keeping my back to her. She leaves without saying a word, but I feel the disappointment lingering in the air well after she’s left the room.
MAE
I don’t walk far. I get to the gate and feel my heart palpitating in my chest. Doc said I might experience panic attacks and anxiety. He talked about getting me some counselling, but the thought of talking to a stranger about what happened scares me.
Instead of leaving the clubhouse grounds, I walk around within, since at least I feel safe here. Dodge trails behind. “You’re a traitor,” I say, and he wags his tail. “Walking with Mystique like that.” I crouch down and ruffle his ears while he tries to lick my face.
