Chapter Five
Two Weeks Later
Petal laughed as she walked up the garden path, heading toward her home with Myth not too far behind. In the past few weeks, she’d spent a lot of good times with him. She laughed at another of his joking observations. They’d gone to see a movie, and then had some drive-thru takeout, which they sat in his car eating. The food had been awful, but the service even worse, as the woman or teenager who served them was more interested in scrolling through her cell phone than serving them. Of course, Myth being Myth, he had to tease her and make her work for it. She probably shouldn’t laugh, but she couldn’t help it. It had been so funny to watch.
“Do you want some coffee?”
Petal asked, sliding her key into the lock.
“Uh, you know what, yeah, and I think you and I should talk,”
Myth said.
This made her frown, but she nodded. Entering her home, she waited for him to follow before closing the door and sliding the locks into place.
After everything that happened, personal safety was not something to be scoffed at. She turned on a couple of lights, and then made her way into the kitchen, aware of Myth following her.
She had no idea what he wanted to talk to her about. Grabbing the kettle, she opened it and checked the water level, seeing it was at the max. She turned toward the stove and lit the gas underneath, waiting. Glancing over at Myth, she saw that he’d taken a seat, so she went toward the cupboard and grabbed mugs, tea, and coffee.
“Tea or coffee?”
she asked.
“Coffee.”
She put the tea back and made their cups each with a few spoons of coffee.
“Milk, cream, and sugar?”
“Two sugars and cream.”
She nodded. She preferred her coffee with milk.
The kettle was taking a long time to boil, and with the cups ready and prepared, she didn’t see a reason to not confront the issue.
She spun around to look at him, and kind of held her breath as she waited. The last couple of weeks had been fun. Rosalie was now busy and she totally understood as her best friend was pregnant and spending a lot more time with Colt. They had canceled more time together, and that was more than fine with Petal. She missed her best friend, but spending time with Myth had been fun. She felt safe around him. He made her laugh, and for the most part, when she was in his company, she was able to forget about everything else.
“I guess you better tell me what you wanted to talk about,” she said.
Myth nodded and rubbed his hands together. He looked nervous, and she frowned as she watched him. He was the one who wanted to talk, and yet he was nervous. What did he have to say to her?
“I, uh, I like you, Petal, but I wanted to be clear about something … that this, you and me, is not going anywhere. If you think you’re dating me or we’re going to be a couple, that’s not the case.”
Considering everything he could have said to her, this had to be the last thing she even thought about.
At first, she didn’t know what to think and for a second, she looked at him, a little taken aback. She wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. Then, she smiled and couldn’t help but laugh. The very idea of the two of them together sounded so ludicrous and outrageous, it wasn’t even worth thinking about. She did not see Myth in a romantic way. Sure, he was an attractive guy, but she wasn’t attracted to him. The truth was, sadly, she was still getting over Dirty—her mystery man that she’d not even told her best friend about. It was hard to even think of anyone else. Myth was a friend. Plain and simple.
Covering her mouth with her hand, she burst out laughing and tried to contain herself.
“I don’t see what is funny,”
Myth said, looking a little troubled. The furrow between his brow was so cute, and he looked scared to death.
She reached over and placed a hand on top of his. “Please don’t worry.”
Myth’s frown deepened.
Petal laughed and before she got a chance to say anything more, the kettle boiled. Picking it up, she moved toward the cups and poured each mug out, before adding cream and sugar to Myth’s. For hers, she merely added a splash of milk. She gave the mug a stir, and then moved back toward him. Handing him his mug of coffee, she blew over the surface of her own and took a tentative sip.
“Come on, let’s go and get a comfortable seat.”
Without waiting for him to respond, she made her way through to the main living room and took a seat. Myth lowered next to her, and Petal smiled. She felt … comfortable.
“So, you don’t want us to be like boyfriend and girlfriend?”
Petal asked, somewhat teasing.
Myth grinned. “Look, when you say it like that, I know it sounds bad.”
“It does sound a little bad. I mean, it’s not exactly great.”
She smiled over at him. “Myth, I didn’t think the time we had spent together was anything but two friends getting to know one another. I know it’s strange because the truth is I barely know you, but I kind of like you, and it seems easier somehow. Does that make sense?”
“It does.”
“So, we’re agreed then. You and I are not romantically involved, nor will we ever be. You’re my friend.”
“That sounds good,”
Myth said.
Petal smiled. “It does.”
They were silent as they sipped their drinks. Hers was still piping hot, but it felt good. It was a nice mug of coffee. She didn’t normally take a coffee before bed, but she liked this.
“Do you want to talk about you and Dirty?”
Myth asked.
She suddenly turned toward Myth, completely taken aback. “What? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She still hadn’t told Rosalie about anything.
“Come on, Petal. I saw the way he looked at you today, and I also saw how you seemed to withdraw. Something has gone on between the two of you.”
Petal stared at her mug and frowned. “I, uh, I don’t know what to say.”
Myth shrugged. “You don’t have to say anything. I just thought as friends, we could share.”
“Do you have something you want to share?”
“I’m in love with a woman that doesn’t know I exist.”
This made her eyes go wide, she was so shocked by how open he was. “What?”
“You heard me.”
“A woman that doesn’t know you exist. How is that possible?”
Petal asked and frowned. “Wait, you’re not, like, in love with Kim, are you? Because I think that would be considered a danger to life falling in love with her.”
Myth laughed. “I’m not in love with Kim.”
“Do I get to know who she is?”
Petal asked.
“No. I’m not ready to say.”
“Is it Raine?”
Petal asked.
Myth’s face scrunched up, looking somewhat disgusted. “Okay, okay,”
she said, holding her hands up. “It is not Raine. If I guess it, will you tell me?”
“I don’t know, you want to tell me what is going on between you and Dirty? Or is it too complicated?”
“It’s not complicated. It is not even difficult, it’s just … we were together because Colt told him to keep me busy. I found out the truth, and well, we fell out, and that was the end of it.”
“Just like that?”
Myth asked.
“You know, I didn’t take you for the gossiping kind of guy.”
“I’m full of surprises.”
She found this funny and had a chuckle. “I guess you are. Wanting to talk, offering a rejection before I even get chance to ask or hint at having a crush on you.”
She smiled and then rested her head on his shoulder. “He hurt me. That is all you need to know.”
“Do you need me to kick his ass?”
“No.”
“Do you think it’s something you’ll ever be able to forgive?”
She lifted her head up and took a long drink of her coffee. “I don’t know.”
“Do you still love him?”
She blinked away the tears, because she didn’t want to cry. “I don’t know.”
“Do you want to just sit and enjoy some coffee?” he asked.
Petal nodded. “That sounds nice.”
“Then we sit here, drink our coffee, and enjoy ourselves.”
Petal sighed, took another sip of her coffee, and couldn’t help but glance over toward him.
“Do you want to tell me about your … woman?”
Petal asked.
Myth laughed. “I would love to, but right now I think I just want to try and forget about everything.”
Petal knew that feeling all too well.
****
Colt was going to be a dad.
The construction on the Evil Fuckers MC clubhouse was going to be starting in a matter of weeks. The only holdup now was trying to decide what to turn the place into. So far, it was pulled to the ground.
There were many different ideas. Kim wanted a spa, the guys wanted a bar and a gym. A hotel, apartment building. Another wanted more food. Some wanted the ground leveled and no way to build, the land sold off. They had to come to a decision.
Dirty had noticed that everywhere he turned, Myth and Petal seemed to be hanging out together. Time was passing by, and he didn’t like how close they were, so he made his way toward Colt who was currently under one of the cars owned by the club, dealing with some trouble.
“Colt, we need to talk,”
Dirty said.
“Two seconds, man, just got to finish this.”
Colt was a qualified mechanic, and he opted to work on the machines when the brothers needed it. Most of the time, they didn’t trust outsiders with their bikes or cars.
Seconds passed and he heard some grunting, and then finally a laugh, before Colt appeared. “What’s up, man?”
Colt asked.
“I need you to let Rosalie spend some time with Petal,”
Dirty said.
Colt frowned. “They spend every single day together at the diner.”
“Come on, man, you and I both know they don’t spend as much time together as they used to, and when you needed the time, I made sure you got it.”
Colt rubbed the back of his head and blew out a breath. “You want to tell me what is going on?”
“I don’t want Petal spending too much time with Myth,” he said.
“Are you for real? Myth’s a good guy. You know that. It’s why Dad has him escorting Mom around.”
“Look, I need you to do this for me. Rosalie’s pregnant now, and when the baby comes, I know her time will be cut short with Petal. Don’t you think the two friends should hang out more now?”
Dirty asked.
Colt frowned and he glanced around the main parking lot. “Fine. I’ve got that run with the guys coming this weekend. I’ll tell Rosalie to spend it with Petal. Actually, no, Petal can come to my place.”
“Have you got a problem with Rosalie being at her old house?”
“Seriously, you even have to ask that? Rosalie’s mom died. I promised to protect Gabrielle, and I failed, okay? That house, it is a constant reminder that her mother is dead. At peace, but still fucking dead.”
Dirty nodded. “Fine. Fine. I get it. Okay, I get it.”
He held his hands up.
“Are you coming on the run?”
Colt asked.
“Yeah, Warden told me this morning that he wants me by your side.”
Colt sighed and leaned up against the car. “Our first gun run since it all went down. Seems like a fucking lifetime ago.”
“You think they’re gone?”
Dirty asked.
“Fuck, no. Dad doesn’t either, but we can’t keep putting shit off. If they’re going to hit, it’s time we brought them out.”
“You’re going to be a dad soon,”
Dirty said.
Colt shrugged. “Doesn’t change the fact I’ve got shit that needs to be done. Nothing is going to change the fact I’m going to be a dad. Are we done?”
Colt asked.
“Does it scare you?”
Dirty asked.
“Being a dad?”
Colt nodded. “Fucking terrifies me. Especially with the shit I put Rosalie through. I mean, what am I going to say to him or her? That we were forced together and everything I thought I knew about their mother was wrong, and that is on me.”
Colt snorted.
“Or, you don’t tell them what happened?”
“Rosalie said if we could handle our arranged marriage, we could handle anything. We made it work. Why do you want to know?”
“Just curious.”
“You thinking of being a dad one day.”
I was a dad, for what seemed the merest bleep of a second, and then it was gone.
“Nah, probably not.”
Colt laughed. “I’ve got to finish this. I’ll talk to Rosalie later, okay?”
Dirty nodded and headed toward his bike. There was only one place he wanted to be today, and that was near Petal. He’d not seen her for most of the morning.
Pulling out his cell phone, he located the tracker he had on her cell phone and saw she was at the local florist shop. He checked the time and saw it was her break, and he frowned, seeing her move. He’d put the tracker in her phone before shit hit the fan. This was his way of making sure she was all right, and to always know where she was.
He saw where she went and climbed onto his bike, riding toward the local cemetery. It didn’t take him long to get there. Petal’s shitty car was parked outside. She refused to let him take it to Colt to work on. She was very stubborn, and her hatred of Colt and what he’d done to her friend was absolute.
Parking his bike behind her car, he climbed off and headed inside the cemetery. It was fucking cold, and he saw it hadn’t stopped a few people from visiting loved ones. He knew exactly where Petal was, and why she was here. This was Gabrielle Barlowe’s final resting place. Rosalie’s mother—the woman Petal had loved like a mother. He believed she loved her more than her own mother.
She was sitting on the bench conveniently placed just in front of Gabrielle’s gravestone. He moved toward her and didn’t make a sound as he sat beside her. She didn’t tell him to get lost or to leave her alone.
Dirty was silent. He barely knew Gabrielle. The life the woman led had been filled with fear, anxiety, and pain. There were only moments when Daemon had left her alone long enough to enjoy them with her daughter.
Dirty knew the story, as did most of the clubhouse. Gabrielle had visited the Evil Fuckers MC clubhouse when she was very young, barely legal age, with her best friend. One look at Gabrielle, Daemon had wanted her. She didn’t want him, but that hadn’t stopped him. Daemon raped her, and in doing so, she had become pregnant with Rosalie. She’d tried to go to the police, but they were in Daemon’s pocket. Her family turned on her. No one would help her. Daemon was the only one who did. He provided the house and paid for everything.
Over the years, Daemon didn’t stop taking, although Gabrielle wanted nothing to do with him. She couldn’t fight. She wasn’t even able to protect her daughter, as Daemon used her as a pawn with Colt and the club. It had ended with Gabrielle being shot. The men responsible were butchered, and Daemon was dead, as Colt killed him.
Petal losing their child and losing the mother she always wanted.
“You didn’t have to come here,” she said.
“I know I didn’t have to come but I wanted to.”
He looked at Petal and watched as she swiped at her cheeks. She visited Gabrielle regularly. More so than even Rosalie did. He had a feeling he knew why. This was her mourning the loss of their child as well. She lost them both that day.
“Don’t,”
Petal said.
“Damn it, Petal.”
“Don’t,”
she said. “You do not get to tell me what you want and don’t want. I want to be here alone. I don’t want you around me.”
“But you’d like Myth?”
he asked, feeling that jealousy claw up inside him.
Petal laughed, but it wasn’t a humored sound. “You know what, yeah, I would. He wouldn’t ask questions. All he would do is sit here in silence and not expect anything.”
“Because he doesn’t know why you come here,”
Dirty said. “Neither does Rosalie.”
“You’ve got some nerve even for a second thinking you know why I come here.”
She got to her feet and was about to storm off, but he reached for her, grabbing her arm.
“I do know, because I know you.”
She pulled her arm away. “No, you don’t. All you know is what you think you know. You don’t know me, Dirty. You never did. All you were doing was a job.”
“And you think Myth is any different?”
Dirty asked, and instantly regretted it.
“So, that is what you’re saying. Myth has some kind of job to do by being my friend, is that it? Some club business I need to keep my nose out of?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Fuck you, Dirty. And you know what, whatever tracker or bullshit you have on me, get rid of it, because you and I are through.”
She spun away and he watched her leave, knowing this was not what he wanted to happen. Why was he always putting his foot in it when it came to Petal?
“Shit!”
He yelled at the top of his lungs, not caring about the disapproving gazes he got. Glancing down at the gravestone that honored Gabrielle, he remembered that day. He’d fucked up that day.
Seeing Petal on the ground, knowing what had happened … that was why he acted, because he’d known she had been pregnant, and the risk of her dying was high. He hadn’t given a shit that the older woman was on the ground. The truth was, knowing where the bullet hit, Gabrielle had been dead before she even hit the ground.