Chapter 2
Slayer rocked back on his heels and shoved his phone into his pocket. So, his mom was dead. He had to go home to settle her estate. That meant he had to go home and see Billie…
He didn’t know what was worse, honestly. He hadn’t exactly left things between them on the best of terms; if he remembered correctly, the last time he’d seen her, she’d tossed a vase at his head and told him to never come back.
He’d taken her words to heart, and done as she asked. He hadn’t looked back no matter how badly he wanted to, because he knew that if he took one backwards glance, he’d turn his happy ass around and stay just to be with Billie. He couldn’t do that to her back then, and he certainly didn’t want to fuck up her life any more now.
Staying with Billie would have shoved her into a life that she didn’t really want. How could she? Small town life for someone so damn talented? Then, she’d ended up staying around to be near his mom, and didn’t that make him the an asshole?
“What’s up, man?”
Slayer turned to see Green watching him with worried eyes.
“My mom died,” He admitted.
Surprised, Green wrapped an arm around Slayer’s shoulders and sighed.
“I’m sorry as hell to hear that, brother. Anything I can do?”
Slayer shook his head and nodded towards the clubhouse, his heart heavy with what he knew he was about to face. He didn’t want to go home. He didn’t want to see Billie. He wanted to stay in his North Carolina bubble.
“No, Green. Thanks, but I have to go home and sort out this mess by myself. I gotta talk to Ox, let him know what’s going on.”
Green pointed towards his office window and shook his finger.
“Should be in there lookin’ over the numbers for Sexy Sinners.”
Slayer’s legs ate up the pavement as he headed towards Ox’s office, passing by more than one club member on his way. It was early Spring, and the weather was finally picking up after the cold they’d suffered through. Laney and Axel had spent quite a bit of time in Michigan during the winter before Laney moved back to North Carolina, and he had no idea how they survived the cold up there.
He shivered thinking about it as he stepped into Ox’s office and waited for him to notice him.
“What’s going on, Slayer? You look like you just swallowed a lemon whole.”
“I have to go to Georgia for a little while, Ox. My mom died and I have to go settle her affairs.”
Ox sat back in his chair, removed his glasses as he stared at Slayer.
“I’m sorry to hear that. How long you gonna be gone?”
Slayer shrugged, because he honestly didn’t know.
“You want to take someone with you?”
“Nah, not now. Everyone has an ol’ lady now.”
Something sparked in Ox’s eyes as he looked Slayer up and down, his long hair falling into his hazel eyes. Slayer knew his comments about wanting an ol’ lady for himself had circulated around the clubhouse at some point, but he wasn’t embarrassed, and he didn’t want any pity. Ox was looking at him with pity, like he was sorry that Slayer just couldn’t keep it in his pants, and it made Slayer mad.
“Okay. You ridin’ all the way there?”
“I don’t see why not. Weather is nice for it.”
Ox clicked his teeth together before he sighed and motioned for Slayer to close the door, something that didn’t sit too well with him.
“What is it?,” Slayer asked.
“I know this last year has been tough on all of us, but I’ve noticed you lagging a little. You ain’t snortin’ anything, are ya? I know we don’t work like a lot of other MC’s, but the last thing I wanna see is you throwin’ your life away for some powder-induced-rush.”
While Slayer couldn’t say he was innocent of trying said powder in the past, he was definitely not snorting any now. He barely had the time with the influx of work they’d gotten in the garage with the warmer weather to enjoy a lot party let alone any extracurricular activities like cocaine.
“No, I’m not snortin’ anything, boss. I’m just tired.”
Ox watched him for a moment longer before tapping his fingers on top of the desk.
“I can’t have you gone for very long, Slayer. I’m sorry but we need ya here, too.”
Slayer nodded his head grimly as he ran his fingers through his long hair.
“I know, boss. This shouldn’t take very long.”
“Okay, go on home and handle your business. I hope the time away is good for ya. Try to relax a little while you’re there, I think it’ll do ya worlds of good.”
Without another word being said, Slayer stood to his feet and headed back out into the main room of the clubhouse, noting that it was now nearly empty. He checked the clock only to see that it was in fact the end of the work day, and now that everyone had a significant other apart from a couple of them, the days of them having a fuller clubhouse were far and few between.
He didn’t necessarily mind it, of course, why would he? Slayer enjoyed his solitude and his time alone, and for the longest time it meant that he had more tagalongs to himself. He’d never complained about getting laid, and he couldn’t imagine that he ever would…yet, when he walked past Loretta who winked at him saucily, he couldn’t even fake it.
He didn’t want to fuck her, and he had a feeling it had everything to do with the bitchy wench he’d left a voicemail for a couple hours ago. Billie fucking King always did get under his skin, ever since she was a gangly little six year old. Even back then he couldn’t shake her, couldn’t escape those big green eyes. They’d always looked feline tucked in her delicate, feminine features.
It’d been a while since he thought about Billie and how fucking gorgeous she was, and he couldn’t deny that it took less than second for his dick to remember how sexy he found her. He was harder than granite at just the thought of her and her tight little body. Combined with that smart mouth and that attitude of hers, Billie was a force to be reckoned with. When she was with him, she was as wild and as wet as a thunderstorm, and Slayer had always loved getting caught up in her.
Willow Aria King was easily the most confounding woman he’d ever encountered; stubborn, opinionated, and sometimes she could be so fucking bossy, but damn was she loyal. Loyal and gorgeous and smart. She was the lethal three. The perfect type of woman to ride on the back of his bike, and it was the biggest shame that she’d never do it, if only because she knew that it’s what he wanted.
As Slayer laid back against his plaid sheets, he remembered the soft and aching look on her face when he’d driven away from her. Luckily for him the sound of his bike drowned out the sound of her tears, but he could still see them glistening in the sunlight as she’d waited for him to admit it. To say it, that he was leaving his life and her behind. She hadn’t spoken a word, either, and that was a victory for her. Anyone who knew Billie knew that if she wanted to tell you something she’d just come right out and say it, which meant that she was all tuckered out where he was concerned.
The fact that she hadn’t said anything told Slayer how hurt she was, and it nearly killed him. He had to force himself to look forward, because he knew, one glance could change his entire life in the blink of an eye.
He’d be working some small-time job, married, with a litter of little blonde-haired-green-eyed kiddos running around. That scared the hell out of him, back then. The idea of following in his father’s footsteps terrified him, and it shouldn’t have. Years later, he knew the mistake he’d made. Back then, he’d been under the impression he was going to rule the world on his Harley, and all he ended up dong was living a small-town-life somewhere else, without the only woman he’d ever loved.
Reaching over, he opened his nightstand drawer. Tucked beneath his many porno mags, he had a picture of him and Billie from when they were sixteen and eighteen. Her long hair was tucked around her waist like a mahogany curtain that shimmered in the sun, and he had his blonde hair cut short. She was smiling up at him, all sparkling eyes and that perfect grin of hers that always knocked the breath out of him. He had his arms around her and the sun was high in the sky. Her jean shorts were torn at the hems and his jeans were stained from helping his mom maintain the land…
It was a completely different part of his life that most of the time he could disassociate from. He didn’t remember some of it, but he supposed that happened with time, but man…he never forgot about Billie King.
After some time passed, he’d hoped that her memory would eventually dim like the rest of it, but after his mother died and he knew he was going to have to go home and face his mother’s ghost and Billie? It brought all those painfully wonderful memories to the surface, including the day he left her barefoot, standing in the dirt while he sped away like James Dean.
It didn’t matter how badly he wanted to, or how much he needed to, he would never be able to make that up to her. He didn’t know if he wanted to, honestly, but he didn’t imagine trying would do him any good. It’d been too long, too much time had passed, but he hoped she’d at least let him apologize. All he wanted was for her to know that he was genuinely sorry. That he hadn’t forgotten how special she is. For all he knew, she could have a man already. A woman like Billie wouldn’t stay single for long. Why should she? She should be worshipped like the goddess she is.
If he could do it over again, if Slayer could travel back in time to six years ago, he wouldn’t have left her behind. He would have demanded she come with him. He didn’t know how he was going to face her now, after all these years, but he knew one thing: it would be worth it.