Chapter 16
Ashley – Five Months Later
I grin as Chance the bulldog who came in for a vet check licks my hand and I gently rub behind his ears, the little cutie bringing me a little bit of peace that I have not felt in years, since I was raped.
The past five months haven’t been good, god, they have sucked if I’m honest and the only good thing right now, despite his father still not back from his ride, Cole’s attitude has improved. He’s more helpful, been less grunts and he’s smiling more.
I hate to admit it but he hated that we moved off club property, hated that I was dating Talen.
The kid didn’t like all the change and it is hard not to feel guilty over that. I just, I needed to leave and I wasn’t going to leave my son.
I sigh as I gently scratch Chance’s chin and his butt wiggles.
I’m tired, so goddamn tired and right now, the only time I feel at peace is at work, a place only Dirty knows about and Rose and Brit.
Every time Doc has come in to see his old lady, she’s ensured he stays away from this side of the veterinary practice, claiming it’s his penance for forcing me to stay at the club knowing the pain that surrounds it for me.
I mean, do I sleep better knowing I won’t have a cockroach crawl over my face when I sleep?
Yes, but does it hurt like hell whenever I have to drive past the clubhouse knowing my husband cheated on me in there for a whole year and the people I thought were my family sat back and watched? Most definitely.
I started to look for some small houses on the down low…
I’m earning more now and being back at Ty’s, it’s helped me save and as soon as he returns, I’ll be leaving again.
Our marriage, it can’t survive what he did, it can’t survive me not confiding in him because I was hurt over him watching Hazel and Virginia, or so I thought anyhow if what he wrote when he left was true.
Our marriage is done and he needs to see it, even if I have ended things with Talen and decided against dating for a while. We won’t be getting back together because I can’t forgive him, I can’t forgive the club.
Chance tries to lick my hand again and I smile as I check his ribs.
After Docs little revelation about Talen I knew I couldn’t stay with him even if I thought Doc was lying to get me to dump the idiot.
I felt a bad reaction to him every time he was around me and when I did sleep with him that one time, my whole body revolted.
It was like he was bad or something and I just thought it was because of my feelings where Ty was concerned and my rape but Dr. Chimes helped me understand my gut instincts were telling me he wasn’t for me.
So I arranged to meet him at a local coffee shop, not needing the brothers intervention if we met at Rebel’s Grub but before I could walk inside he’d met me near the door.
“Why didn’t you want me to pick you up?” Talen asks as he walks over to me where I stopped after seeing him pull up and I swallow hard.
We don’t really need to go into the coffee shop for this conversation and besides, there’s nothing like pulling the band aid off right?
“Because I don’t plan on being here for long,” I admit and he furrows his brows.
“You miss me and wanted a few minutes before going to your new job?” he asks, a cockiness suddenly taking place that I have never really noticed before, one that is not sexy one bit and I slowly shake my head before stating, “I was told something three days ago…”
Talen raises a brow and I grip my bag over my shoulder.
“Actually I wanted to meet up to break up,” I re-try and his eyes widen a fraction before they go cold but I don’t back down as I state, “I know your name is not really Talen and that you were using me so we’re done.”
His nostrils flare before he lies, “I have done nothing but tell you the truth! How can I lie about my own fucking name after months of dating!” he scoffs, “Let me guess, it was that prick of an ex-husband of yours wasn’t it? He’s trying to split us up!”
As he rants my eyes go to his forehead and I furrow my brows. Wow, how have I never noticed the vein on his forehead? It looks ready to burst with how angry he is right now.
“One, he’s still my husband, you know the judge refused to grant the divorce until we’ve completed therapy,” I remind him as I look away from the angry vein causing him to growl but I ignore it and slam the last nail in the coffin as I state, “I slept with my husband four times three days ago. I don’t want to be with you Talen if that is even your name. ”
His whole body tenses but I take no notice and turn to leave doing what I came to do.
I know I wasn’t nice about it but come on, the guy has literally lied about who he is and not only his reaction was proof of that – most men would have laughed it off – Dirty is one hell of a hacker and if he’s saying the guy gave me a fake name then I’m going to listen.
He’s probably the only brother I actually still see as family right now, well, him and Scar.
I know he knew what Ty was doing but he’s kept the fact that I got my veterinary license quiet as an apology for trying to force me into telling Ty what happened to me and staying back all these years.
Besides, Caleb would be really upset if I held a grudge toward his father, the boy is best friends with my son despite being younger.
I get two feet away when a strong hand grips my arm and spins me back around making me gasp as I lock eyes with Talen’s pissed off ones.
“You don’t get to fucking walk away from me after you just admitted you cheated like a fucking whore who couldn’t even give it to me more than once!” he growls and I raise a brow.
Seriously, did he just call me a whore and basically a prude all in one sentence?
Dude is on crack.
I yank my arm back and curl my lip at him, hating that I brought this kind of man around my son and snap, “Go fuck a duck dickhead, maybe you can get that off because your micro penis didn’t do jack for me,” and honestly, it was the wrong thing to say even if it was true because one moment, his face is red with anger and the next, my head swings to the side and I gasp, placing my hand on my lip before looking at my fingers and seeing blood from his punch.
I look back at Talen and he looks ready to hit me again and I state, “If I was you, I would run because it doesn’t matter that I want a divorce, it doesn’t matter that I want nothing to do with the club, you just signed your death warrant.”
“You should totally steal him,” Brit says gaining my attention from my messed up life and I snort as I rub my hand over Chance’s head.
I haven’t heard from Talen or whatever his name is since, thankfully. Don’t get me wrong, he still looked like he wanted to hit me again but he must have valued his life because he turned and walked away while my whole body trembled with fear.
He hit me, he actually hit me, I couldn’t really grasp it and honestly telling anyone wouldn’t do me any good, Doc already threatened to keep my own child from me.
“That is your answer to everything and besides his owner is so freaking sweet, she’s in her eighties…” I remind her trying to forget Talen or whatever his name is.
Brittany huffs, “Okay fine then…”
I swear if she could get away with it, she’d steal every animal that walks through those doors, not that I blame her.
I giggle as I gently help Chance down off the table causing Brittany to growl, yes, fricking growl like a damn dog but I ignore her and place Chance in the cage until his owner returns and I wave her off, despite the backache.
“How are you feeling?” she asks as I walk over to my table and grab the spray bottle and cloth.
“Okay,” I admit, “Cole is happy so that really is all I’m focused on right now.”
She nods then asks, “Have you heard from Trigger? And I don’t mean his daily phone call with his son who is clearly trying to get you two together, I mean you?”
I wiggle my nose as I wipe the table clean.
Every time Ty called, I would just hand the phone over to Cole but after around two weeks of him being gone, Cole is suddenly on the toilet every single damn time his dad calls meaning I have to answer it.
My son is trying to get me to speak to his father and even Dr. Chimes is trying to encourage me to have everything out with Tyler but I can’t.
He had an affair and when he realized he was always in the wrong, he tried to take the easy way out.
Our marriage is over. If only he would see it.
“He sends flowers to the house every three to four days, teddies, postcards to where he is and writes on the back if something reminded him of me,” I confess and her eyes soften and I shrug and mention, “Yesterday he sent a picture of an elderly couple walking along the beach and promised that it would be us, that we’ll start over, that he’ll even give me a wedding of my dreams instead of wearing a flannel and jeans. I didn’t reply, I never do really.”
“Do you miss him?” she asks carefully and I swallow hard as I look at Chance.
“Every single damn day,” I admit as I look at her.
I say, “I don’t miss the man who he’s become, the selfish one only thinking of himself, the one who cheated.
I miss the boy who would bring a single rose into school every day because he knew they were my favorite.
The boy who would only look at me and it is hard because the flowers he sends, they have several roses in them but that can’t erase what he did. ”
Brit leans forward and grabs my hand, squeezing it tightly.
Between her and Rose, I finally feel like I have friends and I hope we can keep this friendship after I move out again.
“Did you say she’s in the end consultant room?” I hear Doc call loudly and I groan as Brit’s eyes widen in panic.
“Uh oh, I’m so going to be in the doghouse,” Brit mutters as we hear biker boots heading towards my door and I snort earning a glare as Doc calls, “Red? Where are you baby?”