Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
SPIDER
It was on the tip of my tongue, to confess to her that it was me that started the fire. I owe Acid, and taking the blame for all of it is the least I can do. But standing there in front of her, her eyes full of fucking lust and desire, wanting me, begging me, I couldn’t do it. When I tell her it was me, she will never look at me the same way again.
“Spider, wait!” Nova yells behind me, chasing after me. I ignore her and keep walking away. “Spider!” she yells.
I stop and turn around to face her. “What?” I snap.
She blanches at my tone briefly before her anger resurfaces. “Why do you do that? Why do you say cryptic shit and then leave me? I was offering myself to you on a plate. I want you, and I know you want me. But you won’t do anything because of my brother? Is that it?” she snaps. I don’t answer her, watching as she nods to herself. “Right well, if that is what it takes, then let’s ask his permission,” she fumes, storming past me.
“Fuck!” I roar. “Nova!” I yell after her. Acid and the rest of the club hear the commotion and turn to look in our direction. I try to grab her arm, but she snatches it out of my grasp.
Acid stands and walks toward his sister, his eyes flickering from her to me. “What’s happened?” he asks.
Nova stops just in front of him. “Spider likes me, and I like him. Can we fuck?” she asks bluntly.
“Jesus Christ,” I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose before I look at Acid. “Ignore her. She’s had a few, is all,” I say, trying to excuse her behaviour.
“I’m sober, you moron,” Nova snaps at me before she turns her attention back to Acid. “Look Nash, I know you are my brother, and that you are trying to protect me, but I am an adult, and if I want to sleep with a guy, I should be able to,” she says softly.
Acid isn’t listening to her. Instead, his eyes are on me. “You fuck her?” Acid asks me, completely ignoring Nova.
“Listen to me, Nash. I know my own mind. I—” Nova starts to cut in.
Acid walks past her, stopping in front of me. “You fuck my sister?” he seethes.
I stare right back at him. One thing I’ve never been able to do with Nash is lie. “It wasn’t supposed to happen,” I say, pausing, waiting for his reaction.
Acid’s jaw clenches tight. “Of all the fucking people, never would I have thought you would fucking disrespect me like that, and behind my fucking BACK!” he roars.
I don’t react. I deserve everything he throws at me.
Acid swings his right fist forward, hitting me across the cheek. My fists clench as I fight my natural reaction to fight back. He swings again and again, and I take hit after hit to the face until I fall to the floor. Acid bends down and grabs me by the scruff of the neck. “Fight back, you son of a bitch,” he seethes as he hits me again.
Nova screams, coming to my aid as I lay in a heap on the floor. Her hands shake as she tries to comfort me. It’s short lived before she’s dragged out of the way by Beast and Hawk.
“Come on darlin’, out of the way. They’ve got to have this,” Beast explains to her.
“Get to your feet,” Acid growls. I groan as I slowly get to my feet and stand there, waiting for the next hit. “I thought for all these years she was fucking dead. I mourned her. I buried the guilt, and in 24 hours I find out that not only she is alive, but that you’ve been fucking her. My best friend, my fucking brother!” he fumes, swinging his fist and again, hitting me straight in the nose. I feel the crack as his fist collides and I fall back, landing on the floor with a thud. Acid rears his booted foot back and kicks me hard in the gut.
I groan and curl up, trying to protect my ribs.
“Enough!” Ghost yells.
Acid pauses. “No, no Pres. It’s not enough. It will never be enough!” Acid spits.
“It’s enough because I say it’s fucking enough. This is my club, and it’s my fucking rules. You want to continue the fight, then ring Rev and get him to set that shit up, but I will not have you fucking killing another brother on my fucking land!” Ghost barks.
“Get off me,” Nova cries, fighting Beast’s and Hawk’s grip. They release her and she comes running over to me, tears streaming down her face. “Why didn’t you fight back and defend yourself?” she sobs.
I don’t answer her. I just groan as I struggle to my feet and stare at Acid through my swelling eye. “I will call Rev and set it up,” I state. Acid nods. I turn around and shuffle my way to my bike, not wanting to stay here. It’s a struggle to get on it but I just about manage it.
“Why would you do this? What does this solve?” I hear Nova ask Acid.
“You wouldn’t understand,” he answers.
“No, I wouldn’t, because its fucking barbaric,” she snaps.
Star and the other ol’ ladies guide Nova back inside. Acid gives me one last look before he turns and walks back towards the fire pit.
Scar walks up to me. “You shouldn’t have told him,” he states.
I shake my head. “I can’t lie to him. Even if I had lied, he would have known. He knows me too well.” I sigh. “Thanks though for taking the rap, when you didn’t deserve it,” I add as I start the bike up.
Scar nods. “It’s what brothers are for.” He shrugs.
I give him a nod before I pull off and ride to my house, choosing to give Acid and Nova some much needed distance.
I stayed away from the club for 3 days straight, giving them time, but more so, I needed to heal a little. I hated the quiet house. The silence reminded me of how fucking lonely I was without my brothers. They were my family, and I had risked it all for one person.
My outdoor camera signals movement. I frown as I set down the whiskey bottle, and as I get up to look at the screen, I see Nova stood there with her arms wrapped around herself.
“Go home, Nova,” I say into the intercom.
She jumps a little at the sound of my voice. “I’m not staying. I just want to talk,” she pleads.
I sigh and go and open the front door. Glancing behind her, I see the truck parked up. “Star in the truck?” I ask.
Nova smiles and nods. I shake my head. “Sweetheart, it’s 1 am. Do you think Ghost won’t lose his shit when he finds her missing?” I point out.
“Probably.” She smiles a sad smile. “Look, I just wanted you to know that I’ve spoken to Acid and told him it was all my fault. I said that I led you on and that if he hurts you again, I’m leaving and never coming back,” she states.
“Darlin’,” I sigh.
“No, I mean it. I’m the reason for all of this mess. I didn’t understand the whole severity of it until I saw him attack Scar. I still don’t understand it, but Star has educated me on club rules and how certain things are important.” She sighs.
“Look, I just wanted you to know that. In another life, maybe we could have been something, but I won’t be the reason to end your friendship. I won’t destroy that,” she states firmly. She looks up at me with such sadness in her eyes.
Everything inside of me wants to hold and comfort her, but I don’t. “You had better go,” I force myself to say.
She bites down on her bottom lip and nods. “Yeah,” she sighs. She turns slightly as if she’s walking back to the truck, but she suddenly turns back around and launches herself at me, crashing her mouth down on mine and slinging her arms around my neck. Instinctively, my arms wrap around her, holding her close to my body as I kiss her back.
She breaks the kiss, tears stinging her eyes as she smiles a sad smile. “Goodbye, Spider,” she whispers, stepping back.
I loosen my hold on her and let her go. “It’s Luca,” I state, telling her my real name.
Her eyes are warm and as she smiles at me, tears are dancing in her eyes. “Goodbye, Luca.”
I watch as she gets in the truck and drives away, feeling like she’d carved a chunk out of me as she left.