Chapter Twenty-Six
Rome
I wasn’t planning on beating Josie’s ex up. That needed to be said right away. Mostly because Cash had asked me three times already.
“You sure?” he yelled over the roar of his bike.
“Yes.”
Skid laughed. “You’re lying.”
“I’m not.”
“You absolutely are.”
I glared at him.
Skid grinned. The asshole.
The four of us rode in a staggered line through the neighborhoods on the west side of town. I was in front, Cash was behind me, Skid was beside him, and Mack was bringing up the rear.
I wasn’t here to start a fight. I just wanted to look the guy in the eye and see what kind of man cheated on Josie and spent years making her feel like shit.
Then maybe scare him a little.
That was more than reasonable.
The GPS led us into one of those subdivisions where every house looked like it came from the same catalog.
Gray house, gray garage, gray shutters, and tiny trees in the yards, trying their best to bring some color to the neighborhood.
No personality or character.
I already hated it.
We parked along the curb and killed the engines. I stared at the house and wondered how this was where Josie spent twelve years. I frowned. “This is depressing.”
Mack snorted. “It looks like an accountant designed a neighborhood.”
“That’s offensive to accountants,” Skid chuckled. He climbed off his bike and cracked his neck. “So.” He grinned. “You gonna be nice?”
A smirk spread across my lips. “I’m always nice.”
Cash cracked his knuckles, and Mack slid off his bike. “Yeah, and I’m Mary fucking Poppins.”
“Let’s get this done,” I said. The sooner we took care of Bruce, the sooner I could get back to proving to Josie how worth it she was.
We headed up the driveway, and I couldn’t help but notice the concrete was spotless. The landscaping was neat, and everything looked careful.
Zero life or color anywhere.
I still couldn’t picture my loud, colorful Josie living here. She really had dimmed her light to be with this asshole.
This place looked like it’d fine you for having feelings.
I rang the doorbell, and we waited.
Nothing.
Cash looked at the flower beds. “Even the fucking flowers look sad.”
He wasn’t wrong.
The door opened and... I blinked.
This guy?
This. Guy.
What the hell did Josie see in him?
Bruce stood in the doorway wearing khakis and a blue polo shirt. He had glasses, a bulbous nose, and his brown hair was neatly combed to the side. His face was pale, like he’d never spent a day outside in his life, and a scowl was on his lips. The man looked like he got excited over spreadsheets.
This guy thought he was too good for Josie? Hell nah.
Bruce looked at the four of us, then at the motorcycles, then back at us. His face lost all color. “Uh...”
I crossed my arms. “You Bruce?”
His eyes darted between Skid and me. “...Yes.”
I nodded. “I’m Rome.” That meant nothing to him. “I need to talk to you about Josie.”
His entire body stiffened. “You know Josie?” he asked.
I stared at him and had to control myself from punching his lights out right there. “Yeah, I know her real well.” I took a step closer.
Bruce took a step back. Good instinct.
“What’ve you been up to lately?” I asked.
His brows furrowed. “Working? I work from home. I’m home a lot.”
“That’s somehow exactly what I pictured,” Mack observed. “Like, exactly. How many calculators you got in there?”
Cash coughed to cover his laugh.
Bruce looked offended and very uncomfortable.
Good.
I wanted him to be uncomfortable. I wanted him to wonder why four tattooed bikers showed up on his porch.
My phone rang, and I glanced at it. “Josie.” I answered immediately. “Yeah, baby.”
Bruce blinked.
Skid smirked.
On the other end, Josie sounded out of breath. “Rome!”
“Hey.”
“I’ve been trying to call you!”
I pulled the phone away. Four missed calls. Huh. I put the phone back to my ear. “Yeah, you’ve been trying, but none of the calls went through.”
“Your phone kept going to voicemail.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You should be.”
I grinned.
Bruce looked confused.
“Where are you?” she asked.
I looked at Bruce in his khakis and the fear on his face. “Busy with Brucey Boy.”
“Stop!”
I frowned and waited.
“It’s not him.”
I blinked. “What?”
“It’s Brandi,” she shouted so loud Mack, Cash, and Skid heard.
The entire porch went quiet.
I straightened. “What?”
“I figured it out.”
Words poured out of her about Brandi. The paint on her hands and how it matched the paint on the window. The comments about being fat and the way she’d looked at Josie.
The way it all clicked.
I listened.
And...yeah.
Fuck.
That made sense.
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“I’m positive.”
I rubbed my jaw and looked at Bruce who was staring at me and trying very hard not to shit his pants. “You really married this guy, baby?”
Bruce looked offended.
Josie groaned. “I told you what happened, Rome.”
“Yeah.” I shook my head. “You fucking settled for sure.”
Cash barked out a laugh.
Bruce looked like I’d shot him.
“I gotta go, baby.”
“Don’t get in trouble, Rome.”
I grinned.
“I know you’ll bail me out, babe.” I didn’t think it was possible, but Bruce paled ever more.
“Rome.” I could hear her rolling her eyes. “I don’t want to visit you in jail.”
“I’ll behave.”
“You better.”
“Maybe,” I added softly.
“ROME.”
I laughed. “See you soon, baby.”
I hung up and slipped my phone back into my pocket.
Everybody stared at me.
Cash grinned.
“Everything good?”
I nodded. “Change of plans.” I looked at Skid. “You might wanna get a handle on Brandi before I do.”
His smile vanished. “What?”
“She’s the one fucking with Josie.”
Skid groaned. “No shit?”
I nodded. “No shit.”
Mack shook his head. “Dumb bitch.”
Cash sighed. “Prez is gonna lose his mind.”
“Probably.”
Bruce blinked. “What’s going on?”
I looked at him. “I thought you were fucking with Josie, and was ready to beat your ass. Turns out it’s someone else who thinks like you do.”
His shoulders dropped with relief. “I haven’t done anything to Josie. I heard she opened the little ice cream shop she wanted, but that’s it.”
I narrowed my eyes. “She did, and she’s better now that she’s with me.”
Bruce looked me up and down, then frowned. “That’s surprising.”
I laughed. “What?”
“You don’t look like her type,” Bruce said.
Behind me, Cash scoffed. “If you were her type, shit changed.”
Bruce frowned harder. “Is she with all of you?”
Mack, Skid, and Cash burst out laughing.
I pinched the bridge of my nose.
Jesus Christ.
Mack wiped his eyes. “As if Rome would let any of us look at Josie like that.”
“Damn right.”
Bruce blinked slowly.
I stepped closer. Close enough that he had to tilt his head back to look at me.
“You cheat on her?” I didn’t know how this guy had managed to pull Josie, let alone find any other women interested in him.
He had to have money or something else pulling women because he certainly wasn’t his looks or personality.
His face went white. “I...”
“You tell her she’s not worth anything?”
“I...”
“I... I…” Cash mimicked.
Bruce shot him a glare.
Cash grinned and blew him a kiss. “Try me, egghead.”
I leaned closer. “You tell her nobody else would want her?”
Bruce swallowed. The guy wasn’t stupid. He knew if he lied, I was gonna know. “I said things.”
My vision narrowed.
“I was angry,” he said. “I said things I didn’t mean.”
“You’re a fucking idiot,” Skid spat.
“I know.”
That surprised me.
Bruce looked down. “I know.” Not defensive or cocky. Just sad. “I know now I treated Josie like shit. I should have ended things with her a longtime ago, but I didn’t.”
“You fumbled, man,” Cash said. “Like, fucking fumbled.”
Bruce winced.
“Whatever shit you told her?” I pointed toward my chest. “I’m fixing all that.”
His eyes lifted.
“I’m letting her know every day that she’s funny. Beautiful. Worth loving.” My chest tightened. “That she’s the best fucking thing in this world, no thanks to the fucking bullshit you fed her for years. And honestly?” I laughed softly. “I’m not good enough for her.”
Bruce blinked, surprised.
I shrugged. “But damn if I’m not selfish enough to keep her.”
Bruce nodded, “She deserves that.”
I stared at him. The answer pissed me off, because where the fuck was this self-awareness when they were married? Not that I wasn’t thankful he had fumbled her so badly, but he could have been a little nicer to her, so I didn’t have to work so hard for her to see how amazing she was.
I pointed at him. “You ever contact her again...” His smile disappeared. “You ever try to make her feel small again...” I took one more step. “You ever think for a second you deserve another chance...” Bruce swallowed. Hard. “I’ll rearrange your face.”
Cash nodded. “He’s not kidding.”
Mack crossed his arms. “I’d help.”
Skid sighed. “I hate agreeing with these idiots, but yeah.”
Bruce looked at all four of us, then slowly nodded. “I won’t.”
I didn’t think he wanted Josie back. I think he finally realized exactly what he lost, and that was too bad for him because she was mine now.
I turned and headed back toward my bike.
Cash fell into step beside me.
“So.”
I glanced over. “What?”
“You called her baby like six times.”
“Shut up.”
“You love her.”
I absolutely fucking did.