Chapter 58
WHY AM I HERE
J.D. Stevens
Clubhouse
“Come in!” I shouted, as I sat at the desk in my office at the clubhouse.
Since I had been dealing with Dani and Luca’s death, the paperwork had piled up so much. With everything finally done, I could focus on club shit. We had a few new businesses that needed extra attention and I hadn’t been as focused as I should have been. Caesar had been taking up my slack for far too long.
The door opened and closed then I tossed the pen on top of the stack of papers. “Have a seat.”
“Why am I here, J.D.?” Rumi asked as she walked to the chair in front of my desk, then sat. “I don’t like being summoned like I’m one of these men in your club.”
“You’re here so we can clear the air,” I said not commenting on the bitchy attitude she always had anytime I was around her.
Her opinion of me didn’t matter. I wasn’t trying to fuck her. So, I had to remind myself, I was doing this for Rebel. If she wanted a relationship with her sister, I wouldn’t stand in the way because Rebel thought I deserved an apology that I knew would never come.
“I won’t apologize for trying to protect my sister. I don’t care if Rebel doesn’t believe me, but that’s what I was doing. You put her in danger even if you weren’t the one who pulled the trigger.”
I took in a deep breath and released it. This woman was the exact opposite of Rebel and got on my nerves. I couldn’t wrap my head around how they could be twins and yet be so different. It was crazy.
Caesar reached out to her for me. I hoped we could find some common ground, but her behavior was causing me to reconsider.
“I don’t want your fucking, apology!”
Her eyes widened at my tone, and I sighed, running my hand through my hair, trying to calm down. Even though she was so fucking frustrating, I didn’t want to scare her.
“Listen, Rumi. You did what you did. Was it fucked up? Yes. Do I understand why you did it? No because you knew whether or not you wanted to believe it or liked me, I’d never harm Rebel.”
“The life you lead says otherwise.” She crossed her arms over her chest before I could continue. “It was your fault she was in the hospital and there’s nothing you can say that will make me think otherwise. Hopefully one day my sister will come to her senses about you like I did about Caesar, before it’s too late.”
I understood why Caesar wasn’t getting anywhere with her. She was stubborn and would always stand her ground, even if it meant hurting others, regardless of whether she was right or wrong. I hoped he opened his eyes soon and let her go. She would never forgive him for his mistakes which was her choice. However, she would definitely use it against him if they were ever to get back together. I think after I finished this conversation with her, I was definitely going to have a talk with him. He had a very serious decision to make when it came to Rumi.
“I didn’t bring you here to argue, Rumi. If you want to have a relationship with your sister, I won’t get in the way of that. It’s going to be up to you and her when it comes to that. But I don’t want you anywhere near me or my daughter. You’re toxic.”
She jumped out of the seat. “I’m the toxic one!”
“You are.” I leaned back in my chair. “And it’s cost you one the most important people in your life not to mention the one person who’s willing to put up with your bullshit. I’m going to say it again, I won’t interfere with your relationship with Rebel. It’s up to her, whether you two reconcile.”
“So, are you going to talk to her for me?”
If I had any kind of liquid in my mouth, I would’ve spit that shit out.
“She won’t budge unless you talk to her about it. Tell her to forgive me.”
“Are you fucking serious? You’re the reason the cops were trying to arrest me and take me away from my daughter and my woman. Fuck no, I’m not helping you. You want your relationship back with your sister, do the fucking work. Fix it by your damn self.”
She shot me a piercing glare, then let out an exasperated sigh before storming towards the door. At the same moment she reached the door it flung open, and she collided with Caesar. As he called her name, she pushed by him. When she didn’t respond, he just watched her go, his eyes filled with a tinge of sadness.
He stepped inside my office, then closed the door behind him. “What happened?” he asked as he sat down in the chair in front of me.
“She didn’t like what I had to say.”
He rubbed his temples like he had a headache, and I could see why. She was a bitch. A controlling bitch and in my opinion he could do so much better. I knew he’d done some pretty shady shit to her, but sometimes you just have to let go.
“Don’t take what I got to say as being in your business, but you have to let her go Caesar.” I tossed up my hand when he went to protest. “I know you love her, and I believe she loves you too, but she won’t let go of what you did. She’s going to make your life miserable.”
“I don’t believe that.”
“She’s been miserable while being in love with you and still refuses to give you a second chance. She’s even willing to marry someone else even though she loves you.”
“But I can’t blame her for that,” he said. “We are the way we are because of me.”
“Still don’t make it right, Caesar. Let’s not talk about giving you a second chance then. She’s not even willing to say ‘yeah you fucked up and I can forgive you, but I can’t be with you. You need to move on and so do I.’ That’s all she has to fucking say.”
“It was still my fault.”
“I know you don’t blame her, but that should tell you, nothing you will ever do will change her mind. Say you two get back together, do you see her ever forgiving you for the past or is it something she’ll always throw up in your face? You need to ask yourself if that lifetime of misery is worth it.”
“Why are you saying all this?”
“Because I want to see you happy, man. And I don’t see you being happy with her. She’s my old lady’s sister but you’re better off without her. Find someone who can love you even when you fuck up, Caesar. Find someone who’s gonna love you because of who you are.”
“All of a sudden you’re a romantic?” he asked with a smirk.
He attempted to mask his heartache with humor, but my words were what he truly needed to hear. Rumi was toxic, and I didn’t believe she would do anything but make him even more miserable.
“I’m not really a romantic, but I do know you deserve more than what she’s willing to give you.”
“I’ve loved her for so long, it’s hard to move on.”
“I’ve been there, man. Take it slow but put you first. You messed up. She just seems like she’s not willing to forgive you for it or forget about it. So now it’s time to move to the next stage of your life.”
He let out a heavy sigh, the sound echoing through the room. “I’ll think about it.”
That was all I could ask. At least I gave him something to think about.
“What’s the course of action with the Special Agent in Charge?” he asked, changing the subject.
“We’re going to use him for the club’s benefit. First, we’re going to get them to drop this shit with Revels. I’m tired of being suspect number one.”
“And what if he doesn’t cooperate?” he asked.
“Then he dies.”
“Rebel will not go for that.”
“Maybe not, but the only reason I didn’t kill him was because he can be useful to us and as soon as he’s not, then what’s the point.”
I grabbed the stack of papers and placed them in the drawer of my desk then secured them. Normally, I was here until dark, but now I wanted to do something different. I wanted to spend time with my family.
“Where are you going?” Caesar looked at his watch, as I stood up from my desk. “It’s still early.”
“I’m going home. See you in the morning.”