Chapter 24
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Winter
It’s been two weeks since I saw Fang. After being kidnapped by his rival gang, club, whatever the hell they call it, I couldn’t stay there. Yes, Fang, Sinner, and Buzzcut all reassured me that the Hollow Bones could never hurt me again, but what’s to say that another rival club won’t do the same.
I’m a writer. Violence in the real world is not for me.
“Hello?” Jelly’s voice echoes through the quiet house.
My best friend has made a point to check on me multiple times a day.
Also, she’s been spending time with Snake.
Speaking of, I had a nice long conversation with Snake after I had time to recover.
I needed to apologize for my accusations and behavior. All of which he was quick to forgive.
“I’m in the office.” With all the events that happened in the last couple weeks, my imagination has run wild. In two weeks, I have written a one hundred twenty thousand word romance novel. Of course, the main male character is based off Fang.
Speaking of Fang. He calls every day. Every time he calls, I let it go to voicemail. I just don’t know if I can let him back into my life knowing that danger will always be lurking around the corner.
Jelly bounces into the room carrying a greasy bag.
That greasy bag can only mean one thing.
Burgers and fries from Mick’s Diner. Not the same diner, as that one was destroyed.
But they did buy a new building and reopened to the public.
They do make a mean burger, but it also brings back memories of Fang and me.
Every day she brings food from Mick’s. I would tell her to stop, to pick up food from literally anywhere else, but when Jelly buys you food, you eat that food. In the words of my best friend, I bought that for you and you’re gonna eat it and enjoy it.
So, here I am, standing to follow her to the kitchen.
Neither of us bother with plates. We use the burger wrapper as a plate of sorts.
Mick’s Diner has the best food on the planet.
Does it make me sad when I see the logo?
Hell yes. Do I regret eating from there?
No, not when that first bite hits the tastebuds.
So. Freaking. Good.
Ding.
I look up to see Jelly dropping her burger like it just bit her. Only to dig her cell phone out of her purse like it’s her next bootie call on the line. Popping two fries in my mouth, I watch as her entire face lights up reading the text that came through.
“Okay,” I say around a mouthful of fries. “Who is texting you?”
“Oh, it’s no one.” But as she replies, I can see that it most certainly is someone. Then she bites her lower lip.
“Okay, Jelly-Bean, spill.” She doesn’t tear her eyes off the screen, and when her cell phone dings again, pink tints her cheeks. “Are you sexting at my dinner table?”
“Sorry, it’s just Snake.” She sends off another reply then slips the phone back in her purse.
“You’re sexting Snake while sitting at the dinner table with me?” Gross.
“Yes.” She picks up her burger, taking a massive bite. I’m not sure if she took such a big bite to avoid answering questions, or because she’s hungry.
“And how long has that been going on?” I know they’ve been hanging out, but I didn’t realize it was like that. What I don’t want is for her to feel like she has to hide parts of her life because of me.
“Since the day he was shot.”
The day he was shot is the day I was kidnapped. “Oh.” I push my food away, because suddenly I’m not that hungry. “So, you two are pretty close?”
“Yeah, I’d say so.”
“And you’re not—” How do I ask this without sounding like a jerk?
Jelly wipes her hands on a napkin then scoots her chair next to mine. “What is it, Win?”
“Aren’t you afraid that the next enemy will come?” I take a deep breath to help calm my nerves. “Aren’t you afraid that they’ll put your life at risk again?”
Jelly wraps her arm around me. “Of course, I worry some.” Then she leans her head on mine. “But honestly, Win, those dangers are out there with or without the Iron Devils. Motorcycle Clubs aren’t the only source of danger. Evil lurks around every corner.”
She’s right. I could get held at gun point at the ATM or be in the crossfire at some major event. Because I need to know, I ask. “Have you heard from Fang?”
Sitting ramrod straight, she asks, “You haven’t listened to the million messages he’s left on your voicemail?”
Guilt washes over me. I know I should play those messages. Hear him out. It’s just that my heart wasn’t ready. I’m not sure it’s ready now, or if it ever will be. All I know is that in that short time I got to know Fang, I fell for him. I fell harder for him than I did Billy. “I couldn’t.”
“Girl.” Jelly grips my shoulders and gives them a good shake. “That man has got it bad. He asks about you every time I step foot in the clubhouse. He doesn’t attend parties or hang out with any of his club members. All he does is sulk in his room.”
Jeez, that sounds exactly like me. I have not left this house since I came home two weeks ago. The most I socialize is when Jelly comes to do her check-ins. Seems we are two miserable peas in a pod.
“Don’t let fear get in the way of love.”
My eyes widen at her use of the word love. “Whoa, nobody said anything about love. Hell, we only had a short time together, and most of that time was spent apart.”
“Please.” Jelly smiles. “Time has nothing to do with love. Sometimes love takes months to develop.” She squeezes my arm. “Other times its instant.”
“You can’t honestly tell me that you believe in insta-love.” I can’t even say that I believe in love at first sight.
Jelly giggles. “Sometimes the best things in life are those that we instantly fall in love with. Tell me I’m wrong.”
I can’t tell her she’s wrong, because I instantly fell in love with Olaf, the cat I found on the side of the street at age nine. He was my everything. Until his final breath. Could this thing between Fang and me be love? Is he my happily ever after?