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Ink hung back. He wanted to see how she would react to Hannibal. His big friend didn’t bother with subtlety and walked around the pool tables and scooped her up. At first she had the same stiff manner as she’d had when Ink had done the same thing, but Hannibal gripped the back of her head and claimed her mouth with a kiss.
Her body relaxed, the stress flowing out like a wave. The urge to join them was too overwhelming to resist. He slid up behind them. As soon as Hannibal let her lips go, Ink spun her into his own arms and claimed her mouth with his.
She tasted like tequila and sweet scotch which was Hannibal’s favorite drink. For a few seconds, she was warm and willing in his arms. Her groan, a welcomed sound in his mouth. Here was the woman he was growing to care for so much.
She pushed against him sharply and struggled out of this grip. It horrified Ink to see tears trailing down her cheeks as she stumbled away from him. Was it him that she was rejecting? Did she only want Hannibal?
“I can’t,” she sobbed. “I can’t do this.”
Hannibal stepped up next to Ink with a look of concern on his face. “What are you talking about,cher? What can’t you do?”
Fear shot down his spine and stabbed into his heart. She shook her head and wiped tears from her cheeks. “I can’t do this.” Her voice raised in almost a shout. She looked around frantically. “I can’t do you two. I can’t do this Club. The motorcycles, the Old Ladies. I can’t do any of it. Tell Val I’ll refund her money, but I don’t want them coming around my gym anymore. Don’t ever contact me again.”
Her words twisted like an ice dagger in his chest. It took all of his will not to reach out for her. He wanted to grab her and force her to tell him what he had done wrong. But he had his pride. It was obvious she had made her decision and he wouldn’t go begging for affection. He had spent his entire childhood chasing the unobtainable love of his parents. He wouldn’t ever lower himself to that point again.
She turned and fled towards the front of the Clubhouse. The Brothers who had been close enough to hear her words, stared at the two of them with a mixture of puzzlement and concern. He couldn’t say or do anything. It took everything, every piece of strength, every ounce of self-control that he had, not to chase after her. To not let everyone see how much she was destroying him.
Hannibal’s face was a mask of shock and concern. “Let’s go get her. Something’s wrong. This isn’t right.”
“Let her go, Brother.”
Hannibal’s look of disbelief was almost comical. How did that man still have hope after they’d been shot down so many times? And why had he let the man’s stupid optimism cause him to let down his guards once again?
“If you’re not coming, then I’m going alone.”
“I don’t go where I’m not wanted.”
Hannibal growled at him but took off towards the door. Ink had to grip the edge of the table and fight the urge to punch a hole in a wall somewhere. He never went where he wasn’t wanted. And dammit, that usually meant he was alone. It looked like he had been a fool again.
Maybe now Hannibal would finally give up on the stupid hope of finding a forever woman for them.
Chapter 25
Pretty words aren’t always true, and the truth is often an ugly bitch.
Hannibal
Hannibal couldn’t believe what a complete and utter ass Ink was being. But that was a problem for later. Nothing made sense about Jade’s actions. The woman who had spent the last couple days with them wouldn’t bail with no explanation.
Her words, ‘I can’t do this’ had been filled with anguish and emotion that spoke of something deeper than deciding not to want to be with a man. If it was only their relationship, she wouldn’t have cut off the Old Ladies as well. They had seemed to be growing closer last night without any tension at all.
He intended to get to the bottom of things, then shake some sense into his Brother. He stormed his way through the center of the Clubhouse. The smart people quickly got out of his way. He bowled aside the others without a thought.
Jade was at the door of her car by the time he hit the parking lot. She was fumbling with her keys, and seemed unable to get her door open.
“Jade, wait.”
She turned towards him. Her face was a complete wreck. Tears spilled from her eyes and ran down her cheeks in almost a constant stream. He had been right. Their woman was in trouble and instead of asking for help, she was running away.
“Just go away, Hannibal, believe me it’s for the best.”
“What’s for the best? You running out of here without an explanation? Letting you destroy the man who is closer to me than a brother. Letting you rip the heart out of my chest. How is that for the best?”
“Don’t say that. We’ve only known each other for a couple of days. Not even a week. You guys know nothing about me.”
“That’s bullshit. Not counting all the things I learned when I looked you up. I know what you taste like when you fall apart in my arms. I know what you smell like when you want us like we want you. I know what you feel like wrapped around my cock. I know what you dream about. I know what in your has life meaning and symbols that represent them. I know your hopes, your dreams. Some of your fears. Don’t fucking tell me I don’t know anything about you.”
“You don’t!” Her denial was a scream. She fumbled with the keys in her hand and the sound of the car finally unlocking was unwelcome. She ripped open the door and Hannibal grabbed her shoulder, not letting her get in.
