CHAPTER TWELVE
I stuck around after church and drank one too many with my brothers. Our way of patching things up after a heated afternoon at the table.
“She’s not like any other woman I’ve been with, ya know?” My words slither out slurred. Or maybe my ears are slurring. Don’t know.
“Let me give you a tip,” Wrath says, leaning in like he’s about to toss some serious knowledge my way. “Don’t say that to her. Ever.”
“Why? It’s a compliment.”
“Doesn’t matter. No woman wants to think you’re comparing her to someone else you fucked.”
“She knows I’ve—”
Z decides to add his two cents. “Take a few seconds and picture her with someone else.”
Drunk as I am, my blood shoots to boil. Wrath points a big finger in my face. “See.”
“Chicks feel the same way,” Dex adds.
I paste on a cocky smirk. “I’m the best she’s ever had.”
Wrath snorts. “Yeah, that’s great. Still, I’m warning you. You’re inviting a shit storm of trouble if you say that to her.”
Murphy’s been quiet through this whole exchange. “Got anything to add, Mr. Perfect?” I ask.
He seems startled by the question. “Why the hell would you ask me?”
“Because you were a bigger whore than I ever was.”
“Fuck you.” He shoves me backward. “That’s not even true.”
“I think you’re equally whore-iffic,” Sparky says, laughing at his ridiculous joke.
Talking about Charlotte is making me miss Charlotte.
Earlier she said she and Carter were watching movies and eating pizza and I figured I should give them some brother-sister time without being in the way.
Since I’m in no condition to drive anyway, I stumble over to the bar.
Swan peers up at me, a slight curve to her pink lips.
“Haven’t seen much of you lately.”
“How you been, Swan.” I definitely slur her name.
Without asking what I want, she plunks a glass in front of me and raises an eyebrow. “Jack and Coke?”
I nod and signal for her to stop at one finger of Jack. Her smile fades and she meets my eyes. “You seem happier lately.”
“You think so?”
“Well.” One corner of her mouth quirks up. “You’re taking less Jack in your Coke these days.” She takes in the way I’m slumped over the bar. “Or at least you were.”
“Yeah.”
She touches my hand briefly. “Good. Where’s your girl tonight?”
The fact that Swan doesn’t seem to know about Charlotte and Trinity’s spat, means Trinity hasn’t told anyone. Something I’ll have to thank her for later.
“Home.”
I stumble back to the couch, throwing myself down and closing my eyes.
“Welterweight!” Wrath shouts in my ear. Fucker can outdrink every single one of us.
Someone—probably Sparky—sparks a lighter near my head and the sweetly distinct scent of marijuana fills my nose. “Wakey-wakey time to bakey.”
Yup, definitely Sparky.
“Get that out of my face,” I mumble.
The couch dips next to me. “You need a ride downtown?” Murphy asks.
I crack open one eye. “Why’re you still here instead of home with the wifey?”
He rolls his eyes. “Because you’re here for once. I didn’t think you’d get shitfaced off two beers and pass out like a little bitch.”
“It was more like ten cocktails,” Sparky adds helpfully.
“I’m good,” I say to Murphy, ignoring Sparky. “I’m staying.”
“How’s PT going?”
“Think I’m as good as I’m gonna get. Before you ask, yes, Violet cleared me to ride again.”
Murphy wraps his arm around my neck in a light chokehold, pulling me closer. “What the fuck!? Why didn’t you say so sooner?”
“Brother, if you don’t let go, I’m gonna puke on you.”
He releases me and shoves me back.
“Fuck,” I grumble. I wait for my head to stop spinning before continuing. “She said it could help strengthen my knee and thigh more,” I explain, running a hand over my leg.
“That’s good.” He grins at me. “Tomorrow?”
“I’ll see how I feel.”
“Weather’s supposed to be clear the next two days.”
“Don’t badger me.” I glance around. Sparky’s baked and I doubt any of our conversation penetrated his stoner bubble. “Don’t tell anyone else, okay?”
“Whatever you want.”
I must drift out again, because the next time I open my eyes, Wrath’s sitting next to me with Trinity in his lap. “Where’d you come from?”
“Well, hello sleepyhead,” she says.
Wrath glances over. “I’m calling you lightweight from now on.”
I crook my finger at Trinity and she leans down toward me. “What?” she whispers.
“Thank you for not…saying anything about what happened. With Charlotte.”
She seems surprised. “It’s done and over with, Teller. Charlotte and I talked it out. We’re fine.”
“I really like her a lot.”
“I can tell,” she says in a teasing voice. Her features smooth into a more serious expression. “She really likes you too.”
“I’m gonna patch her and marry her.”
Her lips curve up. “Well, she’s certainly got pluck. I’ll be proud to call her a sister.”
It’s probably just the alcohol tightening my throat, making it impossible to form a response.
“What, no dicknotizer tonight?” Mercy teases as she sets a box of pizza on my kitchen table.
“You have got to stop with that.”
Carter scowls in Mercy’s direction. “Yeah, vulnerable ears in the room, you know.”
She ruffles his hair. “Don’t be jealous because your sister’s getting it regularly.”
“Do you actually hear the words that come out of your mouth?” Carter mumbles around a mouthful of pizza.
Her phone goes off and she ignores it, plopping into a chair and taking a slice of pizza instead. When it rings a second time, I raise an eyebrow.
“It’s my dad. He wants me to get to know this big, surly fireman, but every time I try talking to him, I just want to punch him in the mouth.”
“Sounds like love.” I snicker behind my napkin and she throws a piece of crust at me.
“Shut up.”
“Wait, is your dad trying to whore you out for votes?” Carter asks.
Not offended at all, Mercy shrugs. “Pretty much.”
Carter wrinkles his nose. “Jeez, and I thought our biker family was fucked up.”
“Politicians are just a different shade of criminal,” Mercy says.
This conversation’s making me uncomfortable for reasons I don’t fully understand, so I get up and throw out my paper plate and start cleaning up the table.
I really miss Marcel.
Then, I’m mentally kicking my own ass, because dammit, I’m an independent woman who can spend a night with family and friends instead of my boyfriend.
“Earth to Charlotte. What movie do you want to watch?”
“Uh, pick out whatever you want. I’ll be right back.”
Weak. Fuck, I can’t go more than a few hours without hearing his voice. I mentally berate myself the whole time I’m dialing his number and waiting for him to pick up the call.
He answers by slurring my name as a greeting.
“’Sup?”
“Are you drunk?”
“Yesh.”
I’ve never seen Marcel anything other than in complete control, and it’s cute listening to him slur his way through our conversation.
“How was your day?”
“Action-packed,” he says, then laughs.
“Is that code for club business?”
“Kinda. Hang on a second, I want to go upstairs so I can hear you better.”
“Oh. Is there a party?”
“When isn’t there?”
A few minutes later, it’s quieter on his end. “That’s better. What are you wearing?”
I can’t help it, the corny question makes me laugh.
“Never mind. I’m gonna picture you in that pink-nipple-unicorn tank top.”
More laughter spills out of me.
“I love your laugh, Sunshine.”
“I miss you.”
“Fuck. Murphy offered to drive me down there, but I thought you were doing family night with Carter.”
“I am. He’s out in the living room with Mercy.”
“Oh. And you called me?”
“Told you I missed you.”
“That’s nice. I like that, Charlotte,” he says, sleepiness creeping into his voice.
“Are you falling asleep on me?” I ask.
“Yes, but keep talking to me. Love the sound of your voice.”
So, I keep talking until I’m pretty sure he’s out.
“Love you, Marcel,” I whisper before hanging up, missing him more than ever.