6. Chapter 5
Clark – Two Days Before Present Day
“Thank you, Clark,” Betty Ann says softly as I help her back into bed, and I give her a soft smile.
“You're welcome, Betty,” I reply as I cover her up, careful not to knock the IV.
Betty Ann came in with severe abdominal pain last week. She thought maybe she was having a miscarriage, but after some tests, the results showed she had a mass on her liver, and a biopsy confirmed the mass is cancerous.
She’s sixteen weeks pregnant.
Dr. Lavish, a general surgeon, removed the mass four days ago with my husband.
He’s a second-year resident, and she has him in the OR removing masses because she wants in his pants and has made it perfectly clear I won’t stand in her way.
Pathetic right? That a doctor thinks it’s okay to threaten a man's wife to stay out of her way.
She can have him for all I care. Except I do care—pain digs into me every time I admit it, even to myself.
Six years later, a five-year-old little girl, and I’m still hurting. I’m still confused, and he is still keeping the communication low, and it breaks my heart.
I’ll only hear from him if it has to do with Willow, he’s never home, staying in his room at the clubhouse, and every day I feel like I’m slowly dying.
I was hoping whatever I was feeling towards him, the love, that it would die off, especially when I’m fully aware he’s sleeping around.
I give Betty a small smile, and I say, “If you need anything, please press the button, even if it’s because you dropped something.”
The woman gives me a small, tired smile, and I swallow hard as I squeeze her arm gently before I turn and walk out, trying my hardest to keep my emotions at bay.
She’s thirty-two, pregnant with her husband's baby, who died in a car wreck a week before she found out she was pregnant. She will likely not survive the pregnancy, or at the very least the baby won’t make it as she endures treatment.
Dr. Lavish tried to urge her to terminate the pregnancy and begin chemo and radiation as soon as possible, but she refused, saying her sister will take the baby once it’s born, but it may not survive.
Taking a shuddering breath, I walk to the nursing station, grab my paperwork, and check my tasks when I hear, “Buttercup,” shocking me.
Turning, I see Trick approaching in jeans, a white buttoned-down shirt, and a doctor’s coat, looking unfairly attractive while Dr. Lavish follows, scowling.
I give him a polite nod, hoping he doesn’t see my lust. It’s been six years since I last had sex, and I don’t even remember it. I look back at the work I still need to do, knowing he’ll just keep walking past.
We don’t normally bump into each other at work, but when we do, he doesn’t acknowledge me. It was humiliating at first because we are married but I think by now everyone knows it’s a marriage of convenience.
Hence, Dr. Lavish’s threats.
“How’s your day going?” he asks as he stops by me, and I frown at him in confusion because he never stops. He winces as we lock eyes and he rubs the back of his neck, a tick he normally does when he’s nervous and I raise a brow.
What has the man done?
“What did you do?” I ask and he gives me a sheepish smile.
“I uh, may have forgotten to pack Willow's leotard in her bag this morning,” he admits sheepishly, and I sigh as I drop my head forward, already knowing what he wants me to do.
He’s barely said two words to me in a year, only communicating with me about Willow through text, and now he wants to throw me to the wolves? Seriously?
“Dammit, Trick,” I huff, “That is the fifth time, and Drew is going to have my ass. They’re supposed to be doing the dress rehearsal for the recital today, and she’s hormonal as heck because she’s pregnant!”
Drew Martinez, Cage’s amazing ballerina wife, not only helps raise money with shows for many charities but also helped Cage see that he could come home and take his rightful place.
They already have a little girl together, Angela, who is seven months old and adorable, and she’s pregnant with a little boy.
“Come on, buttercup, the woman is fucking scary when she goes into a rant,” he pleads, and I snort, shaking my head.
“Big, badass biker my ass, our daughter is more man than you,” I mutter, and he playfully scowls at me before I sigh, “Fine, I’ll take the heat this one time, but I swear to God, Trick, if you do it again…”
I let my threat hang between us and the sexy ass smirks, making my heart flutter.
“Now don’t go threatening me, buttercup, we both know what happened last time…” He says cockily as he points at me, his wedding ring clear as day on his finger, and I scrunch my nose up, ignoring the flutters I get every time I see it.
The reason why he put the fake snake in my car all those years ago flash before me. The way he was shocked when I threatened to rip his balls from his body if he went near my car that I spent four summers saving up for, not wanting to rely on my parents.
“That’s just mean bringing the fake snake up, Trick, we both know how much I loved that car,” I say, and he grins wide, and the urge to hit him and kiss him at the same time pulls.
I quickly look down at my to-do list, or chores as I like to call them, and I sigh, seeing that Dr. Lavish has added several more.
Damn, sly woman.
“I’m not going to be finished until well after six, going into overtime,” I say as I look at Trick, “I’ll have to see if Belle can grab Willow, she was only on a half day.”
Trick frowns and takes my list, but Dr. Lavish quickly snatches it from his grasp, and I roll my eyes at her when she puts it down and says, “Dr. White, we have to go see Betty. Why don’t you say bye to your friend…”
Friend, wow.
This is probably the longest conversation we’ve had in six years, a conversation that felt like us again, before what happened, and she’s just reverted me to his friend.
“You mean my wife,” he snaps back, and I look at him wide-eyed like he’s lost his damn mind.
Did he just?
I mean…
“I-I, well, you I uh…” she stutters, and Trick curls his lip at her and sneers, “Next time you overload my wife’s list to three hours past her clock out time, making it difficult to pick up our daughter because you were hoping I’d fuck you, I’ll report you for sexual harassment and overuse of your power! ”
Her mouth drops along with mine, and Trick turns my way and raises a brow at my shocked look.
Six years, he’s barely spoken to me unless it’s about Willow, the past year even less.
He’s never brought up the fact I’m his wife, he’s had women drooling over him, and he never pushed them away.
What twisted universe am I trapped in—watching my husband, who never guarded my heart, suddenly claim me as if I matter?
“You… you just told her I was your wife,” I stammer, shock rendering me stumped.
He softly reminds me, “Because you are, buttercup.”
He closes my mouth with two fingers, winks, and walks to Betty’s room while Dr. Lavish and I stare at him in shock.
Did my husband just claim me?
Am I living in a twilight zone?
Dr. Lavish growls, then stomps after him, and I blink, before shaking my head, then turn around, ready to go clean out room four. I stop short as I come face-to-face with my husband's mistress, who curls her bottom lip at me.
Today just isn’t my day, is it?
“I have something for you,” Lavender says with a sneer, but I don’t reply to her because what is there to say?
She’s a club bunny who has always wanted Trick.
I’ve caught them in compromising positions and seen her naked on his bed several times over the years.
She doesn’t allow the other brothers to touch her, and she doesn’t cook or clean.
Trick makes sure everyone knows she’s his, even though I'm his wife.
My brother and parents have stood by and allowed it.
When she sees I’m not going to say anything, she glares at me—clearly frustrated that I won’t respond—before pulling a small piece of paper out of her back pocket and shoving it against my chest hard.
I realize from the way she acts that she wants to force me to face what’s on the paper, and all hope I had of maybe convincing Trick we could try and be something vanishes at the picture in my hand.
“Miles and I are going to be parents, and I’ve had enough of you needing his so-called protection when your own brother is an officer.
I want Miles to move forward with me, but you keep holding onto that wedding ring.
It feels like you’re standing in our way, even after six years.
He won’t even allow me near Willow because he’s afraid you’ll react badly, and that’s pathetic.
Everyone believes you drugged his drink because you wanted to trap him and claim him as yours, and he believes it.
You assaulted him and should be lucky you’re not locked up,” she says, and my jaw ticks as I stare at the scan photo that is definitely legit.
I don’t recognize the name, but I don’t know her real name, so…
Everyone knows we were both drugged and forced into marriage, and it’s public knowledge at the hospital that our marriage is one of convenience—especially after he made sure everyone knew at the start of his residency.
The rumors and the way people talk make it seem like most think I assaulted him to trap him.
I constantly battle with the fear that even he believes it but by the sounds of things, he does.
"Do yourself a favor and give me my boyfriend back!" she snaps, turning on her heels and storming away. Bile hits the back of my throat as my pipe dream slowly disappears, leaving only heartbreak and pain.
Numbly, I shove the photo into my pocket and keep moving toward room four, dreading the moment I’ll have to take my break and message Belle. I am terrified of falling apart and desperate to come up with a plan because I think I’m done…
***
I slowly walk into the front door of Trick’s two-story Victorian home, he forced me to move into the day I had to sign the marriage license, hours later, and I drop my keys into the bowl.
I messaged Belle on my break, and my sweet, loyal friend quickly replied that she’d have Willow for the night and promised Crash wouldn’t be there, and I swear I could kiss that woman.
My head is too scrambled to be trying to be a mother right now.
I walk into the living area but freeze when I see Trick washing dishes in the open kitchen and Willow coloring at the breakfast bar and confusion hits me.
What the…
As if he can feel me staring, Trick looks my way and smiles one of those smiles I slowly fell in love with.
I quickly look away and walk over to my daughter.
He’s having a baby with his mistress. The woman who haunted my marriage is now mothering his child—no, their child, and I’m alone, more than ever.
“Hi, Mama,” Willow cheers, and I smile as I drop a kiss on her head, then run my fingers through her hair.
“I thought you were spending the night with Belle?” I ask softly, and she grins in return.
“Daddy wanted a daddy-daughter date,” she explains, and I chuckle slightly and look towards her father, who's now leaning against the sink, his arms crossed over his chest, his sole focus on me.
He’s lost his doctor's coat and replaced it with his cut his sleeves are rolled up, showcasing his tattoos, Willow's name is clear as day on his forearm.
“How was the rest of work, buttercup?” he asks softly, and I swallow the lump forming as Lavender's slender figure enters my mind, and I quickly blink it away before muttering, “Tiring. Mrs. Downing was discharged before I clocked out, but Betty took a turn for the worse, she lost the baby.”
Trick winces then mutters, “Fuck,” and Willow chides, “Daddy no, no!”
He winces again, and I sigh as I remove my shoes.
My feet hurt, my back aches, and my hands are sore with all the cleaning I’ve done, no thanks to Dr. Lavish, and I didn’t expect to see Trick here.
“Why don’t you go through with your nursing degree? You’re near enough qualified, buttercup.” Trick suddenly says, and I tense.
He hasn’t brought up nursing since I told him and my family where to shove it. He knows it’s a sore subject.
“I can’t afford it,” I state, and right now, I really cannot because I’ve just spent all of my savings on my break and didn’t have a choice.
“Then let me pay, let me help you reach your goals,” he says sincerely, and my anger doubles over.
I can’t help it, I snap, “No!” and his eyes widen, but I just shake my head.
He’s having a baby with his mistress.
While he’s spent our entire marriage screwing around and living his best life, I’ve spent it trying to come to terms with the fact that I’ll never be enough for him.
I don’t want his money, I don’t want my parents' money...
Huffing, I apologize, “I’m sorry I snapped, I’m just tired,” and he hums as he assesses me, then confirms, “But you won’t accept my help?”
“No,” I answer softly this time before I sigh, “I’m going to go take a shower, then I’ll help Willow bathe,” and he nods before he shocks me and mentions, “I’m staying here tonight.”
I blink, then blink again, not knowing what to say.
Today has been full of surprises, and honestly, each one is more surprising than the last.
Six years and not once has Trick stayed here.
With my voice not working, I nod once before I kiss Willow's head again making her grin at me. I turn and walk towards the curved staircase, feeling my husband’s eyes on my back. Lavender's words echo, and a question floats around, one I don’t know how to answer.
If he’s having a baby with her, why is he staying the night?
Why is he even here?
Or is this his way of trying to ease me into letting me know we need to divorce so he can start his life with her?