7. Chapter 6
Trick
I quickly duck, Knuckles just narrowly missing his fist to my cheek, before I stand, then spin around, elbowing him in the chest, making him grunt, but the fucker doesn’t let it stop him.
He runs at me, his fists ready, and I begin moving side to side, only just missing his swings.
For as long as I could remember, Knuckles has always been quiet, but bare-knuckle fighting was our way to keep him grounded, to keep him with us, and this morning, after a run-in with his mom after church, I knew he needed this. Two hours later, we’re in Carnage Gym, covered in sweat.
I’ve got a cut lip while his brow is bleeding, and honestly, this is helping me as well because my mind is fucked, but it has been for six years, I guess.
A memory of Clark arching her back and gasping as I suck her nipple into my mouth while I shove two fingers inside her tight, warm pussy flutters through me, and my anger hits as I throw my fist towards Knuckles, hitting his jaw.
He stumbles back in shock before he groans, “Fucking hell, what just set you off?”
Shit.
I breathe heavy as I take a step back and put my sore hands on my hips.
“My wife writhing beneath me while I pleasured her six years ago,” I grunt before I turn around and grab my water bottle before squirting shit loads into my mouth, then swallowing the water along with the blood that I can taste.
“Yeah, that’ll do it,” he mutters before he takes a seat at the edge of the ring, and I follow suit.
“Feeling better?” I ask, and he hums as he looks ahead.
“My anger has gone, and I don’t want to throttle my mom right now, so I guess it’s better, right?” he says, and I sigh but nod.
Knuckles was a result of a club bunny trapping a brother, then expecting the property patch when the DNA came back positive.
Splinter refused to make the woman his but did step up as a father. He’s been there for his son, and to be fair, so has Barbie.
She fed him, took him to school, and helped with his homework, so it’s more than what club bunnies would do, I guess. Sometimes she gets under my brother’s skin…
“She feels entitled,” he grunts, and I nod, not surprised because, well, she did try to trap his dad. Shaking his head, he asks, “How’s Clark doing? I haven’t seen her in a while or Willow.”
I groan, “Can we just talk about how much of a bitch your mom is, wanting what you earn?”
He chuckles, “Nope because then I’ll go underground again for a while, spill it, brother, what’s going on?”
I shake my head as I look at my wedding ring, the tattoo underneath just peeking through.
“I’ve finally claimed her at work,” I admit quietly, “I don’t know who was more shocked, my colleagues or my wife.”
Knuckles snorts, “You have spent the past six years making her believe you were fucking around, brother, of course, she was going to be shocked.”
I nod and remind him, “I felt like I raped her, Knuckles, I couldn’t claim her because of how I felt, even after realizing that I’ve wanted her since I was like ten.”
“Do you still feel that way?” he asks quietly, and I swallow hard but admit, “Every fucking day, but I’m in love with her, and I can’t lose her.
I have to try and convince her that we can make things work, and that I haven’t been with anyone but her in six years.
I need to explain why I’ve been more distant this past year. ”
“Does she know that you have her name tattooed on your ribcage?” he asks, and I smirk.
“Not yet, just like she doesn’t know that I have her name on my ring finger,” I admit, and he chokes on his water not knowing that bit, making me chuckle.
“She’s been weird,” I admit as I look at my ring again.
“In what way?” he asks with a slight cough.
“I don’t know, but before I claimed her in front of everyone at work, we barely spoke, she wouldn’t make eye contact. Since last night, she’s been snappy with me, and I don’t know why,” I say, and he frowns.
“Do you think it’s because you’ve suddenly done a one-eighty?” he questions, but I shrug.
“I don’t know, and I understand it seems like a one-eighty for her, but it isn’t for me.
For the past year, I’ve been in therapy, trying to get my shit together, trying to puzzle together the missing pieces of that night.
When we were at work, it was like we were us again, before we were drugged.
She smiled, had that twinkle in her eye, we joked, but then as soon as she got home, it was like she couldn’t stand the sight of me, and fuck brother, I’m scared I won’t be enough for her. ”
“You are enough for her, Trick, all you have to do is explain your reasonings for everything and I can promise you, she’ll want to try with you.
Whether she’s aware of her feelings or not, even for someone like me, someone who is distant, I’ve seen the love she has for you.
You should have had at least two more kids by now because Willow is amazing from what I’ve seen. ”
I smile slightly at his words before I sigh as I run a hand through my hair just as the door to the gym bangs open, and I raise a brow as a pissed-off Crash storms inside, slamming the door for good measure.
“Well, it’s a good thing the gym is shut down on Wednesdays, huh?” Knuckles mutters, and I nod slightly.
“I swear to fucking god, I have had enough of my mother and her meddling fucking ways!” he snaps, and Knuckles asks, “What did she do this time?”
He scoffs, “Only told Nova that she can stay in my house after the bitch came to the clubhouse crying because there was a water leak from her neighbors upstairs. The roof apparently caved in inside her bedroom, fuck, I actually caught my mother trying to grab my keys!”
Shit.
He paces, and we watch, staying silent, allowing him to have this moment.
“Why is Nova so special?” he asks with a scoff as he stands before us.
I shrug and mutter, “Maybe she’s more of a daughter than Clark right now. Think about it, brother, Clark was already slowly pulling away from your mom before the incident, then she shut everyone out, so your mom clung to Nova.”
“What has your dad said?” Knuckles asks.
Crash scoffs, “He was ready to lose it. Chains had to literally drag him out of the common room while mom stood stock still in shock when I told her she was no longer welcome near me. I told Nova she and I weren’t ever going to happen and if she tried to proposition me again at work then I’d fire her ass,” he chuckles darkly, “Mom tried saying she had nowhere to stay, that she needed me and I told her to go to her parents.”
He paces again before stating, “She could have caused a lot of fucking shit for me.”
“What do you mean?” I ask in confusion.
It isn’t like he’s seeing anyone unless he means that Nova would latch onto him further.
Crash stops before us, and he looks between us.
“This stays between us, right?” he says, and I tilt my head in confirmation while Knuckles grunts. Crash swallows before he admits, “I’ve been in a relationship for eight years.”
Okay, never mind because holy fucking shit.
I drop my water bottle in shock, my eyes wide as Crash confesses, “I’ve never touched a club bunny, didn’t fuck the high school cheerleaders. My girl is my first, and I’m hers, she’s the only one I’ve been with.”
I blink, then blink again, and I ask, “Why the secrecy?”
“The Chargers,” he instantly says, “and then I was waiting for Cage to come home, but things have just gotten so fucking busy right now. Not just for me but for my girl with work and shit,” he looks me in the eye, “Clark knows, but she doesn’t know that I know she knows.”
It hits me like a fucking ton of bricks.
“Belle,” I say, and he nods in confirmation, and it clicks for me. “Your mom doesn’t like her,” I remind him, and he smirks darkly as Knuckles confirms, “And that is why you’ve decided to just continue with the secrecy, being busy helps avoid all the drama your mom will cause.”
“Bingo,” he says darkly, “Mom will try everything to split us up because Nova has been in her ear about my girl and, brothers, if I came down to it…”
He lets his words hang in the silence, and we both understand instantly.
His mom or Belle, he’ll choose Belle.
I nod in understanding as his phone rings, and he growls before he sighs, and Knuckles mutters, “Fucks sake, how did we miss this?” and I just shrug because I have no idea, though to be fair, we’ve all had shit going on.
He’s closed off but won’t explain why, and me, well, I’ve been working on the shit from the past to try and help me build a relationship with my wife.
And if that isn’t fucked up, I don’t know what is.
“Hey, shorty,” Crash murmurs softly, and I smile at the softness that overtakes his face and want digs deep down in my chest, and I swallow hard.
I want my wife. I want her love. I just have to convince her to be patient with me first.
Yeah, because that sounds like a good plan after six years of pushing her away.
***
“Hi, Daddy!” Willow shouts as I walk through the front door an hour later, and I grin as I see my shocked, beautiful wife gently braiding our daughter's hair. What has my heart racing is the fact that she’s stolen one of my shirts, clearly believing I wouldn’t be home tonight.
Does she always steal them?
Fuck that thought has me swallowing my tongue as I eye her and what a sight my wife is.
Clark's hair is up in a messy bun, her face free of makeup, her freckles clear as day, freckles that I fucking love, and her legs are bare.
Yes, my cock stands to attention, but with my daughter in front of her mama, I try to squash the need for my wife.
Six years without pussy – her pussy – it’s a long fucking time and I know when I have her again, I won’t last five minutes.
“You’re back…” Clark stutters as she pauses what she’s doing, and I half smile at her.
“Where else would I be, buttercup? This is our home,” I say softly, and she gasps lightly in shock.
After spending an hour calming Crash down with the help of Belle, Knuckles told Crash about his run-in with his mom and needing to fight. He then explained how I was the perfect candidate because I wanted my wife, his sister.
He was quiet for a moment and when I thought he was going to snap at me to stay away from his sister even though we’re married, he instead told me to integrate myself into her everyday life.
He encouraged me to win her over until she’s ready to hear me out, to hear the real reason why I’ve always been closed off to relationships.
It wasn’t because I wanted to focus on my career and my club… it’s so much more than that.
“I’m going to head for a shower and then we can order takeout tonight,” I say to my still shocked wife and her eyes widen further but she nods slightly as I blow a kiss to my daughter who giggles.
I can’t help but smile at the sound and walk to the stairs before I pause a second and lock eyes with Clark’s beautiful dark green ones.
“Were you aware of Belle and Crash?” I ask with a raised brow, and this time her mouth drops open.
“He’s finally told the club?” she asks with anticipation, but disappointment shows when I shake my head and she sighs.
“Your mom tried taking his house key for Nova, and he lost it. He needed to vent, but mentioned that you don’t know that he knows that you know…” I say and she frowns.
“That was really confusing,” she mumbles, and I chuckle.
“Tell me about it. Belle calmed him down, and Knuckles and I have been sworn to secrecy,” I admit, and she sighs.
“He’s keeping them secret because of Mom now, isn’t he? He’s scared she’ll go after Belle?” she confirms, and hating the sad look on her beautiful face, I walk over to her and plant a soft kiss on her forehead, making her tense and freeze.
I inhale the vanilla scent she has on today and I murmur, “We’ll help them, buttercup, we’ll support them and they’ll be alright, I promise,” and I kiss her head again before kissing Willow’s.
Without looking at her shocked face I walk to the stairs, fucking hoping I can win her heart over, hoping I can keep her forever because over the years, I used every excuse in the book to push myself away from her and I fucking regret it.
“You raped her!”
My mom's hurtful words echo in my head, but I try to squash them and try the techniques Dr. Gallow taught me, breathing in through my mouth and out through my nose.
I won’t lose Clark, I refuse, and I won’t let Mom’s words kill that part in me that wants to fight for my wife. I’m hoping she will come to therapy with me, so she can see the real me, and not just the guy she grew up with.
I hope she can love me.