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“No, but it’s not what he thinks.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Anthony said, taking a step toward Aero. “It’s never what anybody thinks. It’s always an accident. She tripped, she fell, she did a million things, and that’s a bunch of bullshit.”
“I’m gonna grab Blaze.” Zed backed slowly out of the gym. He was way out of his element here and didn’t want to find himself in the middle of whatever the situation was. While he could hold his own, the tension in the gym was so thick he could have cut it with a knife. Blaze was much better equipped to handle that.
“I did not hit Sam on purpose,” Aero repeated. “Can we just calm down and talk? Man to man?”
“You’re no man.” Anthony was sticking to his guns so severely that it surprised Aero. “Real men don’t punch down.”
Aero let out a frustrated huff just as Zed returned with Blaze, whom he’d thankfully located quickly in the parking lot.
“I think they’re gonna kill each other; I don’t know, man,” Zed was explaining to Blaze as they entered.
“Aero? You okay?” Blaze asked, taking in his friend’s rigid posture and the cut over his eye. Aero nodded stiffly.
“I’m Blaze.” He introduced himself to Anthony, extending a hand. “I’m president of the Iron Dragons. You’re Sam’s brother?”
Anthony nodded, shook Blaze’s hand once, and returned to crossing his arms.
“Sam’s wonderful. We all really like her,” Blaze said, and Zed nodded enthusiastically in agreement. “I hear there’s been a misunderstanding. Can we take this to my office and discuss it?”
Anthony perused Blaze, taking him in. Tall and broad, with a confident stride and a commanding presence, Anthony was oddly comforted by Blaze’s presence. Something about the man gave him pause and made him want to acquiesce and follow the leader.
“Blaze, you’ve gotta know I’d never hurt Sam, or anyone,” Aero began, but Blaze gave a curt shake of the head, cutting him off.
“This way.” Blaze extended an arm, and Anthony obeyed, walking out to the parking lot. The men all crossed the lot and entered the clubhouse, filing into the office and closing the door.
“Please, sit,” Blaze invited them, sitting behind his desk.
The men obeyed, Aero and Anthony taking up the leather chairs in front of the desk while Zed sat on the couch, watching the show.
“All right. I’m gonna talk, you’re gonna listen, got me?” Blaze said, and all three men nodded.
“My wife,” Blaze pointed to a framed photo above his desk of Evie and Ashlyn blowing bubbles on the grass out back, “is a domestic abuse survivor. Her ex-husband used to beat the crap out of her. That said, you can imagine I take those kinds of accusations seriously.”
Everyone nodded.
“The men in this club are held to higher standards than you might imagine. We don’t condone violence, and certainly not toward women. I can assure you, if anything happened between Aero and Sam, it was an accident,” Blaze continued.
Anthony sat forward and opened his mouth to speak, but Blaze held up a hand, stopping him.
“I’d like to hear Aero’s version of what happened,” Blaze said, nodding at Aero. “Go.”
“Sam and I went to bed after we left you and Evie at Rogue.” Aero sighed, recalling their enchanting dance, the discussion of weddings, and their passionate love-making afterward. It made his chest ache. “We fell asleep, and I had a nightmare. When I was moving around, I accidentally elbowed her in the face. I felt awful about it. I still do.” Aero looked down at the carpet. “I tried to take care of her, to make it up to her. Every time I look at her, I wanna throw up, which is a damn shame because she’s so pretty and—”
“Aero,” Blaze said, stopping his babbling.
“Sorry. It really was an accident. I’d never hurt Sam on purpose.”
“Well, that makes sense to me,” Blaze said, folding his hands over his middle and leaning back in his chair, the problem seemingly solved.
Anthony shifted uncomfortably in his chair.
“Anthony,” Aero said, turning to face him. “I’m sorry we met the way we did. I know you don’t know me, but none of the things you said outside are true. I love Sammy. She’s everything to me, and I’d never do anything to hurt her. I understand why you’re so upset, but things can’t be this way. Sam deserves better. From both of us.”
Anthony swallowed hard, looked at Aero, glanced up at the picture of Evie and Ashlyn, then sighed heavily. “All right. I’m sorry. It’s just that Sam’s my baby sister. She’s all I have.”
“I know. She loves you, man. When she talks about you, she lights right up like a Christmas tree.” Aero chuckled.
