Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
Tor
I slam my fist against the steering wheel, the sharp pain barely registering through the haze of fury clouding my mind.
"Goddammit, Meghan!" I growl, gripping the wheel so hard my knuckles turn white.
How could she do this?
After everything we've been through, everything I've done for her, she's just going to walk away?
Or wait, she’s pushing me away.
The thought makes my stomach churn with a sickening mix of anger and disbelief.
I close my eyes, trying to calm the storm raging inside me, but all I can see is her face.
Those light sage green eyes that captivated me from the moment I first saw her, now filled with uncertainty and fear.
The memory of her soft lips, which I've kissed countless times over the past weeks, now pressed into a thin line as she told me this wouldn’t work.
My eyes snap open, and I punch the dashboard, needing to release some of this pent-up emotion.
The dull thud echoes in the confined space of my truck, matching the ache in my chest.
"Fuck!" I yell, not caring if anyone in the parking lot hears me.
Let them stare.
Let them wonder what's wrong with the guy losing his shit in his vehicle.
They have no idea what I'm going through right now.
I've never felt this way about anyone before.
Never thought I could.
Growing up the way I did, I never thought I’d ever be in love.
I never thought I had the ability to love.
But Meghan... she made it easy.
The memory of our time in the hospital flashes through my mind.
Her lying there, bruised and battered, yet still so beautiful.
The way she'd look at me with those expressive eyes, a mix of vulnerability and strength that drew me in like a moth to a flame.
How we'd talk for hours about everything and nothing, sharing pieces of ourselves we'd never revealed to anyone else.
I thought we had something special.
Something real.
Now it feels like she's throwing it all away.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and for a split second, hope flares in my chest.
Maybe it's her.
Maybe she's changed her mind.
But when I pull it out and see Ivar's name on the screen, disappointment crashes over me like a tidal wave.
I ignore the call, tossing the phone onto the passenger seat.
I can't deal with club business right now.
Can't pretend everything's fine when my world is falling apart.
"What am I supposed to do now, Meg?" I whisper, running a hand through my hair in frustration. "How am I supposed to just let you go?"
The answer, of course, is that I can't.
I won't.
I've never backed down from a fight in my life, and I'm not about to start now.
Especially not when it comes to the woman I love.
Love.
The word still feels foreign on my tongue, but there's no denying it anymore.
Somewhere between the late-night conversations and stolen kisses in her hospital room, I fell hard for Meghan Whittaker.
And I'll be damned if I let her slip away without a fight.
Fuck this.
I start the engine and peel out of the parking lot.
Meghan doesn’t want me here, and if I’m not here for love, then I need to get my ass back home.
My stomach churns as I step into the warm glow of the clubhouse.
The weight of everything that's happened crashes down on me all at once, and I can't hold it in any longer.
The club is being as rambunctious as usual and I head toward the bar.
I need it horribly.
I get behind the bar and grab a drink, then walk around and take a seat.
Fern comes up to me, placing a hand on my back. “Tor, you okay? You didn’t say a word when you came in…”
"Fern," I choke out, my voice cracking. "It's over. Meg and I... we broke up."
Fern's eyes widen, and before I can say anything else, she's pulling me into a tight embrace.
Her arms wrap around me, and I sink into her comforting warmth, feeling like a lost kid rather than a grown man.
"Oh, baby," she murmurs, her voice thick with concern. "I'm so sorry."
I try to speak, to explain, but the words get stuck in my throat.
All I can manage is a strangled sound that's somewhere between a groan and a sob.
Fern's hand moves to the back of my head, her fingers gently carding through my hair. "Shh, it's okay," she soothes. "I'm so, so sorry, Tor."
I stand there, letting her hold me, feeling both comforted and ashamed.
Part of me wants to push her away, to maintain the tough exterior of the man my father raised me to be.
But a bigger part of me needs this—needs to be held by the closest thing to a mother that I have, to be comforted, to let someone else be strong for a moment.
"I thought..." I start, my voice muffled against Fern's shoulder.
"I thought we had something real. Something that could last."
Fern's grip tightens. "I know, baby. I know."
I take a deep breath, inhaling the familiar scent of leather and vanilla that always clings to Fern.
It's comforting, but it's not enough to dull the ache in my chest.
With a gentle push, I take a step out of her embrace.
My eyes squeeze shut for a moment, and I run a hand through my hair, feeling the weight of exhaustion settling over me. "I'm gonna be all right," I say, more to convince myself than Fern. "Just gotta get through the next couple days."
When I open my eyes, Fern's watching me with a mixture of concern and understanding.
She nods slowly, her gaze never leaving my face. "Of course you will be. You're strong, Tor. But it's okay to not be okay right now."
I swallow hard, fighting against the lump in my throat. "Yeah, well, I don't have much choice, do I?"
Fern reaches out, her hand resting on my arm. "Is there anything I can do?" she asks, her voice soft and sincere.
I consider her question for a moment, my mind racing.
What I really want is to forget—to erase the memory of Meghan's face, the sound of her voice when she told me it was over.
But I know that's not possible.
Instead, I settle for the next best thing.
"Give me shit to do," I say, my voice rough. "Anything. Just... keep me busy. I need to get this off my mind."
A small smile tugs at the corner of Fern's mouth. "That, I can do," she says, giving my arm a gentle squeeze. "There's always plenty to do around the club. Come on."
"You know," Fern says as I follow her, "Magnus just finished a new piece. Wait till you see it—it's incredible."
I nod, trying to muster up some enthusiasm. "Yeah? What'd he make this time?"
"It's a sculpture of Freya," she explains, her voice echoing slightly in the hallway. "You should see how he captured her eyes—it's like they follow you around the room."
As we walk through the clubhouse, the guys all start to get my attention.
Ivar, his long beard braided intricately as always, strides over with a grin on his face. "Tor! Didn't expect to see you back so soon," he says, clasping my shoulder. His eyes dart around, searching. "Where's that firecracker of yours? Don't tell me you're letting her wander Tallahassee alone."
The question hits me like a sucker punch to the gut.
I swallow hard, my throat suddenly dry. "Meg's not here," I manage to get out, my voice sounding hollow even to my own ears. "She's not... we're not... I'm solo again."
The words hang in the air, heavy and final.
Ivar's face falls, and I can see the concern etching itself into the lines around his eyes.
Before he can say anything, though, Kraken's booming voice cuts through the sudden silence.
"Solo, huh?" he says, slapping me hard on the back.
The impact nearly knocks the wind out of me, but I manage to stay upright. "Well, brother, you know what that means. Time to drink your pain away and get some fresh pussy!"
I force a weak smile, but inside, I'm seething.
Fresh pussy?
As if any woman could replace Meghan.
As if I even want to try.
The very thought of being with someone else makes me feel sick.
"Thanks, Kraken," I mutter, not meeting his eyes. "But I think I'll pass on that for now."
Clearing my throat, I look at my step-mother. “Fern, what did you want to show me?”
She turns and offers me a soft smile, “I wanted you to get off your ass and see that you have support here. I know you’re hurting right now, but you’ll get through this. We’ll make sure of it, okay?”
I swallow hard and nod, “I know I will, but I fucking hate her for doing this. For hurting me this way.”
I never thought I’d say anything like that about Meghan, but just like life, sometimes people throw you curveballs.
I just never thought she would.
I guess it goes to show sometimes you don’t really know people.
In time, I’ll be happy again.
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