Trey

 

I couldn’t take it any longer. Couldn’t wait any more. Angel was mine, she’d always been mine, and I had to have her again. From the first moment I threw her down on the bed, I knew that, once again, she’d be mine. All mine. Angel lay back and looked up at me with her sparkly emerald eyes. She bit her lower lip and I felt my crotch seize with lust. My cock stiffened in my pants and I rubbed it suggestively and raised my eyebrows at Angel.

 

She giggled and blushed and, for a moment, I saw the girl she’d been all those long years ago. Suddenly, the moment got more serious. Angel kept her gorgeous eyes trained on mine and suggestively ran her hands down her body. As she cupped her breasts, she closed her eyes and moaned softly. Her soft pale hands ran down her body and she slipped them between her legs, groaning softly and spreading her thighs wide. With a fierce growl, I tackled her back on the bed. When our mouths met, my teeth and lips pressed hard against hers until I tasted a little blood mingled with her saliva. She was so sweet, so delicious. I could smell the arousal wafting off of her in huge waves. Closing my eyes, I tangled my hands in her red hair and pressed her lips to mine over and over. Angel moaned softly in my mouth. Her soft hands slipped up my chest, giving me goose bumps. I saw her gape a little when she caught sight of all of my tattoos.

 

I grinned at her. “I’ve gotten a little decoration,” I drawled. “I know I didn’t used to look this way.”

 

Angel flushed again and I had the urge to yank her head back and suck on her neck until she was whimpering with desire. “You’re gorgeous,” she said demurely in the same voice she used to use when we had been together all those years ago. “I love the way you look, Trey.”

 

Hearing Angel say my name set fire to my loins. Reaching forward, I pinched her nipples until she was screaming. Angel lay back and closed her eyes as I took one of them into my mouth. Her skin was so soft that it made my head spin. She tasted like sugar and strawberries and musk and I wanted to run my tongue over her whole body until we were both spent and crying.

 

“I need you,” Angel said in a hoarse voice.

 

As I stroked and caressed her tits, she writhed on the bed and tangled her hands in my hair. I shivered as she tugged gently; it felt so good that my balls were aching.

 

“I need you,” I growled in return.

 

Angel let out a little cry of delight and I used my fingernails to scratch tracks down her delicate tummy. From where I crouched between her thighs, I could smell the warm scent of Angel’s arousal wafting towards me. It was just as sweet and musky as I’d remembered, and I closed my eyes and shoved my face in her crotch. Angel gasped and tried to wriggle away but I wrapped my arms around her ass and held her firm, inhaling until my lungs hurt. She smelled so good. I wanted to lick her pussy for hours, until the juices were running down my face and neck. Angel had always loved it when I went down on her — she made these sexy noises and lost all control of her body. Even though she’d always try to push me away at first, after a few minutes her pussy would be slammed against my face, smothering me with her delicious sex.

 

Despite having a kid, she still had a perfect body. She looked older, but no less attractive than she’d been to me eight years ago. I stroked her thighs with my fingertips. She giggled and tried closing her legs but I placed my hands on the insides of her knees and spread them firmly. She was so close, I could almost taste her, almost feel her. She was so close to being mine once again.

 

As I sucked her clit, Angel gasped and dug her hands into my shoulders. Her nails sent shivers of pain and pleasure through my body and I arched my back, shoving my nose right into her swollen little clit. Slipping a finger inside her pussy, I licked at her damp labia, brushing my fingers against her inner walls until she was shrieking with desire. I always knew Angel’s body, always knew what she wanted.

 

She opened her eyes and gave me a suggestive look, winking and licking her lips. It drove me wild; I felt my cock pulse and jerk.

 

Angel spread her legs as wide as they would go. I flopped down on my belly and inhaled her musk before plunging my tongue inside her pussy and licking her with reckless abandon. Angel went wild. She thrashed and moaned and yelled my name as I sucked on her clit. Just when I thought she couldn’t go any crazier, I slipped a finger inside of her pussy and wiggled it around. Her tight, wet muscles clamped down on my finger and I felt a gush of her moisture against my hand. Her juices were soaking into my face, dripping down my chin and neck.

 

“I’m gonna come, Trey, stop!”

 

I grinned wickedly into Angel’s crotch and kept licking and sucking. In only a matter of seconds, I felt her muscles clamp down again and then release, over and over, in a series of spasms accompanied by squeals and cries of pleasure. I looked up momentarily to see her red face, shiny with sweat, straining as her whole body bucked and convulsed.

 

Before I could move, I felt Angel’s hands on me. She’d always been soft and slim but now she was exhibiting surprising strength. She tugged me up over her body and threw me to the side. I could have easily resisted and overpowered her, but this new bossy side of hers was really turning me on. Angel pinned me down and crawled on top of me until she was straddling me. I could feel the heat from her pussy warming my cock and I moaned, arching up and grinding my hips against her. When Angel felt my bulge, she moaned softly and reached down between her legs. The stimulation from her hand felt incredible and I could tell she was rubbing her knuckles against her clit as she stroked my massive erection.

 

She gasped when she saw my cock. It had been years, but surely she couldn’t have forgotten how big I was. How perfectly we locked together. How much I wanted her, not just right now, but all the time.

 

“I know it’s pretty, baby,” I teased. “You had me all geared up thinking you were gonna do something other than just look at it.”

 

Angel blushed furiously. She flipped her head forward and the ends of her red hair brushed against my bare belly. I chuckled slightly; it was ticklish, but also really arousing. As Angel cupped my balls in one hand, I gasped. She leaned forward and gently blew on my stiff cock. I groaned as she opened her mouth and stuck her tongue out. She licked the head until I was grunting and thrusting my hips up towards her mouth.

 

“God, yes,” I groaned, arching my back.

 

Angel sucked enthusiastically until I felt my arousal build to new heights. I was going crazy, bucking my hips, thrusting into her mouth, tangling my hands in her red hair until my knuckles were straining. The liquid motion of Angel’s warm mouth on my cock was incredible. I couldn’t think straight, couldn’t think of anything at all other than Angel and the magic she was letting loose on my body. It had been much too long since I’d felt this kind of pleasure. With most women, it was all about the power of the conquest and the scent of a new pussy. With Angel, it was nothing less than a desire to possess her completely from the inside out. As she closed her eyes and wrapped one of her hands around the base of my cock, I rolled my eyes back in my head and groaned loudly.

 

“Stop,” I muttered, trying to push her away. “Stop, Angel, no.” She kept sucking and it took all of my willpower to wrench my hips away from her. If I didn’t, I would have come. And there was no way I was letting that happen until I was buried up to the hilt. When she pulled her mouth away, I groaned and reached for her, pulling her close to me and tightening my grip on her arms.

 

Angel swallowed and looked up at me. Her jeweled green eyes sparkled with lust and she was panting. Her lips were swollen, pink, and damp, and I watched as the tip of her tongue stuck out of her mouth. Lust coursed through my body like wildfire and I had to suppress a shiver.

 

We kept our gazes locked as Angel reclined back on the bed. She spread her legs and turned an inviting gaze towards me. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her pale, generous body. She’d always had amazing tits, but now they were spectacular. She closed her eyes and ran a hand down her body. Desire shook my body and I growled in a low voice. For a moment, a flash of fear went across her face. I realized she was scared, and that I knew exactly why. She wasn’t afraid of what I was going to do to her. She was afraid because she didn’t ever know if I’d do it again.

 

Reaching forward, I grabbed her wrist and pulled her close. She shuddered as I flipped her over on her belly. The rounded curve of Angel’s ass quivered as I slipped my hand between her thighs and stroked at her soaked pussy. She moaned softly. The bed sheets muffled her cries, but I could feel her whole body shaking as I gently teased her clit. She arched her back and spread her legs wide. I grinned wickedly. I could smell her musk from where I knelt above her, and it was driving me absolutely crazy. As she ground her hips against my hand, I pulled it away. She twisted her head up to look at me as I straddled her ass, rubbing my cock between her delectable cheeks. Angel’s skin was hot and silky to the touch. She put her arms over her head and rubbed her ass against my erection.

 

“I want you,” Angel said in a hoarse, tortured voice. “I need you, Trey.”

 

That was all I needed to hear. Before I knew it, I was slipping my cock inside of her and bucking my hips. Angel’s response was immediate. She cried out and her whole body tensed as I filled her pussy with every unforgiving inch of my erection. I groaned and closed my eyes, tilting my head back and thrusting as hard as I could. Every time I entered Angel, spasms of pleasure overtook my body. I knew she was enjoying it; even though I couldn’t see her face, I could feel her bucking against me. I slipped a hand under her hot body and found her clit, stiff with pleasure. As I rubbed, she cried out and buried her face in the mattress. Her cries were loud, hoarse — the kind that might make someone think she was in pain. But I knew better, knew she craved me with every cell in her body. I knew that no matter what happened between us, she’d always be mine. She’d always be my Angel, no one else’s. All mine, forever.

 

“Trey,” Angel whimpered. She held her head up and I could see red hair clinging to her sweaty forehead.

 

Without warning, I pulled out of her and used my hand to flip her on her back. Angel looked up at me. Her green eyes pleaded for more, and I couldn’t help but oblige her. She spread her legs and beckoned me close with her eyes. Crawling over her body, I pressed my mouth against hers. She tasted like sweat and lust. I stuck my tongue in her mouth and furiously tasted all of the dark, secret places inside. Angel moaned softly and wrapped her slim arms around my neck. She pulled me down and wrapped her legs around my waist. I felt her wet slit rubbing against my erection and another tremor of lust went soaring through my body.

 

Breaking the kiss, I stared deeply into Angel’s eyes. She looked at me without blinking. It was just the two of us alone, the two of us in the world. I had forgotten where we were; it didn’t matter – we could have been anywhere. We could have been having a one-night stand in a cheap motel; we could have met in the world’s best casino. Nothing mattered, not even the Skullbreakers. Angel closed her eyes and pulled me in close for a deep, sensual kiss. She sucked my lower lip until I felt the blood throbbing in my cock. As I steadied myself with a hand against her hips, Angel braced her body against mine and I felt my cock slide into the deep, wet folds of her pussy.

 

“God,” I gasped, breaking the kiss and burying my face in her sweet neck. She felt so amazingly good, I could barely move. The pleasure increased when she bucked her hips against mine, and soon she was fucking me, even though I was the one on top.

 

Angel’s muscles strained and braced against my body. She squeezed her eyes shut and let out a strangled cry before digging her nails into my back and rubbing her body against mine. I realized her clit was bumping against my pubic bone. I grinned wickedly; the only thing better than fucking Angel was watching her get off against me.

 

“Trey,” she whimpered. She threw her head back and I felt the muscles of her pussy clench around me. Watching her writhe and moan with the force of her orgasm sent my level of arousal to a new height and, before I knew it, I was gasping and coming along with her. My cock pumped ropes of cum inside her and every muscle in my body clenched and released with my powerful release.

 

We stayed locked together like that for a second or two. My heart was beating wildly in my chest like a drum, and Angel looked like she’d just run a marathon.

 

“That was amazing,” Angel said softly. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around me, pulling me close. “I love you.”

 

I swallowed. The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t say them. It was too much, too intimate. I’d just given Angel the fucking of her lifetime and I was exhausted, but part of me was almost nervous. What if she decided she never wanted to see me again?

 

I shook my head. I couldn’t start thinking like that, not now. Not when everything I knew was about to blow up. Not when Damien was hot on my trail, not when I was worried about Angel. Not when I had a son to discover and get to know. Thinking about Chuckie made me feel emotional, but in a different way. Some of the anger was still there; I didn’t think I could immediately forgive Angel for keeping him from me like that. But she’d already shown she wanted me, that she still wanted me.

 

My mouth hardened into a thin line. I’d thought she had wanted to be with me before, too. And look what happened: I wound up alone, like always. Someone like Angel wasn’t ever going to think someone like me was good enough for her.

 

“Trey?” Angel’s voice broke me out of my reverie. “Are you okay?”

 

I blinked at her. “I’m fine,” I muttered.

 

Angel was reclining on the bed. She was still naked, but almost before my eyes I saw the delicious pink flush fading from her skin. Her gaze had been lustful and determined only a few minutes ago, but now she looked scared. She covered her mouth with a hand. Do you regret telling me you love me? I wanted to ask. Are you sure you still meant it? Because you fucking left me years ago, honey. And you better be sure this time that it’s for real.

 

“Okay,” Angel said. She swallowed hard and pulled the sheet up to cover her luscious body. I watched as her magnificent tits disappeared in a sea of white cotton. “Was that okay? I mean, I’m sorry if that shouldn’t have happened.” She reached up and pulled her mass of red hair over a pale shoulder. “I’m sorry,” Angel added, her voice barely audible this time. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

 

“It’s fine,” I told her. But my voice must have been unconvincing.

 

Angel’s response was to pink in the cheeks and wrap the sheet more tightly around her body. I watched as she tried to crawl out of bed without exposing her body to me. I wanted to laugh. Not five minutes ago she’d bared her whole self for me to see, for me to taste, for me to fuck. For me to take, I thought to myself. All mine. Just like always, just like before.

 

“Should I go?” Angel looked up at me. “I mean, back to Chuckie?”

 

I shook my head. “Do what you want,” I said flatly. Part of me wanted her to leave. I wanted to be alone; I had a lot of shit to think about. But the other part of me didn’t want to think about anything. I wanted to set my jaw, climb on my bike, and ride hundreds of miles away where no one had even heard of Trey Minter.

 

“Okay,” Angel said. She swallowed and stood up.

 

I wished she’d cut out the damsel act. It was annoying, and not like her real self at all. Angel was fiery, passionate. She wasn’t this weak, awkward creature I was seeing now. I could tell she was nervous, but it was getting on my nerves and making me feel anxious. I couldn’t deal with Angel when she was unsure. It had been one of the things we’d always fought about when we were together. Now, if Angel told me she wanted to go to a motel and never go back to her parents again, I wouldn’t hesitate. I’d kick the door down with my foot and carry her over the threshold. She’d be mine. Maybe if I’d done that very thing years ago, she never would have left. Maybe Chuckie would have grown up with a father; maybe Angel wouldn't be living in a hovel in the worst part of town.

 

But maybe not. Maybe if we’d stayed together, I wouldn’t have gotten hooked up with the Skullbreakers. Maybe I never would have made any money. I could see young Angel persuading me to stay in legit business. But I was never the type for schooling. I didn’t even think I could graduate from a community college, much less dedicate myself to an education and providing for my family. Maybe if Angel and I had stayed together, we would have split up down the line anyway. After all, poverty took a toll on happiness. I’d watched my mother fretting over the bills and debt much longer than she really should have. I could tell a poor woman scared off any potential boyfriends, too. Sometimes I wondered what really would have happened if I’d grown up with a father.

 

And that was just the thing. Was Chuckie damned to repeat my same mistakes? Was depriving him of a father going to hurt him exponentially down the line? There was no way of knowing.

 

Angel had pulled her sweater over her head by the time I turned around. I watched as she stepped into her jeans, fastening the snap and tugging her sweater down. It did nothing to hide the glorious curves of her body; there was no doubt Angel was just as sexy as ever. She stepped in the bathroom to wash her face as I yanked a clean shirt over my head and pulled my pants up. When she emerged, her skin was pink, soft, and dewy. I could tell she’d washed her face, but her eyes also looked pink. Was it possible she’d been crying? A stab of pain hit me in the gut but I closed my eyes and willed it away.

 

I could see the girl she’d been when she was this vulnerable. She had the same wanton look about her, the same fiery tenderness. Even though she was older, more refined, the sex was better than ever. She’d been so eager to please me — and to be pleased herself. It was almost like sleeping with a new woman, but not quite. Angel had been the most meaningful woman in my life for years and years. Aside from my mother, she was the only woman I’d ever loved. Love, my mind corrected itself. You still love her, and you know it. She’s the only woman for you, and you’ll never be able to forget her, much less get over her. Face it. She’s it, man.

 

I cleared my throat as Angel crossed the threshold of my room. She looked up at me with a curious expression on her face. It was part hurt, part curiosity.

 

“I’m going to go see Chuckie,” she said softly.

 

I shook my head. “Wait,” I told her. I pointed at the bed. “Sit down.”

 

Angel opened her mouth to speak but she changed her mind. Flushing, she walked over to the bed and perched her perfect ass on the end. “What is it?”

 

“Just why exactly did you think it was okay to leave?” I glared at her. “You forget; we haven’t talked about this. Why on earth did you do that? Ram was here to protect you. Are you stupid?”

 

Angel had been watching me with a carefully studied expression but she opened her mouth in indignation at my last remark. “Of course not!” she said hotly. “Can’t you tell I was dying for some fresh air? I felt so cooped up in here! I had no idea anything would happen!”

 

I laughed humorlessly. “That’s just it, you don’t think, Angel,” I told her. “Something really bad could happen to you if you keep up, honey. Don’t think it won’t. I can only protect you if I know where you are.”

 

Angel glared at me. Her ruffled expression sent another shockwave of lust through my body. I wondered what she would do if I unzipped my pants and held her hostage for another couple of hours. I could tell she was angry; her pose was tense and the hair on her arms was standing up. But the way her green eyes were hugging my body was indicative of something else, that she still wanted me just as much as I wanted her. All traces of the fragile, quiet Angel had disappeared and she was a raging vixen once again. She raised her eyebrows at me and crossed her arms over her chest.

 

“I bet you think you can just tell me what to do and you think I’ll listen,” she said in a low voice. “I bet you think I’ll do anything you say!”

 

“Only if you’re smart,” I cracked. Angel flushed with anger and I chuckled. “I mean, if you want those guys to come grab you again, be my guest. I bet you weren’t expecting to see them again, were you?”

 

Angel gave me another furious glare. “Of course not. I wasn’t expecting to be grabbed by some thugs! This is all your fault, Trey. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be here in the first place.”

 

Anger boiled over in me and I glared at her, stalking the room and staring at the walls, the ceiling, anywhere but Angel’s beautiful face. “That’s a bit much,” I snarled. “You should be thanking me, really.”

 

“For what?” Angel’s face twisted in anger. “For disappearing on me? For never calling? For never coming back? Yeah, I really deserved that!”

 

I crossed my arms over my chest. I had a brief thought to take a deep breath, to try to forget all about Angel and her temptations. But the rage coursed through me, hotter than lust, more powerful than love. “That’s rich coming from you.” It was almost funny. Did she not remember what happened? She was the one who had left me. “I mean, rich as Mommy and Daddy used to be.”

 

Angel stood up and stalked over to the door. With her hand on the knob, she whirled around and glared at me. I saw tears building but I didn’t care. If she was trying to play me and manipulate me, it wasn’t going to fucking work. After all, I wasn’t born yesterday. I was Trey Minter, president of the Skullbreakers. Damnit, I was someone!

 

“I didn’t ask you to rescue me,” Angel said under her breath. Her voice was so quiet I could barely hear her. “I didn’t ask you to step in.” She blinked and I saw a single tear roll down her cheek. “And I didn’t ask you to come back into my life and fuck it all up again,” she added.

 

Before I could reply, she let herself out of my room and slammed the door. I heard her soft footsteps running down the hall.

 

For some reason, I didn’t feel as good as I thought I should. After all, what the fuck was she talking about? Had she gone crazy in the years since I’d left? She didn’t seem crazy, but I didn’t know what was going on in that head of hers. Even back when we’d been close, I’d never been a mind-reader. I’d never known what Angel had wanted. It was obvious the kind of life she’d have, or so I’d thought at the time. Her parents wanted to bundle her off to some expensive private college, then make sure she got a cushy job and married a doctor or a lawyer or someone. Anyone who could give her a better life than I could. I saw her working as a secretary for maybe a year or two before marrying the executive who was sure to be at least fifteen years older than she was. Then she’d insist on being a stay at home mom. The next thing she knew, she’d be dropping her kids off at the same private college she’d attended in her youth.

 

But obviously, something had changed. Something had happened to make Angel break off ties with her parents and try to keep her life separate from theirs. It was puzzling, especially because she had a child. Angel was proud, but she was the type of person to prioritize a kid’s life over her own. I wondered what could have possibly happened to make her change her mind and go her own way. As grandparents, her parents could have helped out a lot. Chuckie was in public school, and though he was well cared for, his clothes were obviously secondhand, just like Angel’s. All the food at her house had been store brand, and her car was over fifteen years old. She’d apparently gotten really good at making appearances look normal, but compared to how polished she’d been in her youth, I could tell things had really changed. Plus, she was working as a librarian. I didn’t know much, but I knew you needed a college degree for a job like that. College was expensive, and I could guess the libraries probably didn’t pay much. After all, she was almost thirty. If she’d had the life her parents had planned for her, she wouldn’t have worked past the age of twenty-five.

 

I had a big house, and it was totally silent. I wondered what Angel was saying to Chuckie. He was a cute kid. Smart, too. I wondered if he could pick up on anything going on between me and his mom. Except there isn’t anything going on, I thought. You’re crazy if you think she’s gonna want anything else to do with you, man.

 

I shook my head and stretched. I could go for a drink, but after what had happened, I didn’t want to leave Angel alone. I was angry with her, but she obviously had no idea how bad things had really gotten. I didn’t think she would have left if she thought there was a chance those jackasses would come back for her. Part of me almost felt prideful over this; it must mean that she trusted me implicitly. Well, good for her. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to trust her ever again, especially not if she kept walking off like that. As much as I’d threatened to leave her alone, I knew I couldn’t stay away if there was a chance she was in danger. She’d have to stay with me until I’d dealt with Damien once and for all.

 

Damien. Just thinking about his name put a foul taste in my mouth. It wasn’t enough that my ex-buddy wanted to ruin me. No, he had to go after my ex-girlfriend and her son. That was nefarious. I shook my head. He was a lot eviler than I’d first given him credit for. I felt stupid for not trusting him years ago when he first told me he’d get me back. I’d brushed it off as meaningless. But, obviously, he hadn’t forgotten about that promise of revenge.

 

Between Damien and Angel, my whole life felt like it had turned upside down in a matter of days. I opened the door and walked down the hallway, half expecting Angel to pop out of nowhere and tell me she was leaving, or something equally outrageous. It was a contradiction: I wanted her around and yet I couldn’t stand the sight of her. More than ever, she inspired a fiery reaction within me. It was the same way before; even when I’d worshipped her, she always found a way to get on my nerves. We’d had a tumultuous and loving relationship. Even if we couldn’t have that ever again, I still had to protect her.

 

“Hey, man, penny for your thoughts,” Ram said. He was sitting in a chair at the kitchen table, his little handgun on the table in front of him.

 

When I glared at him, he seemed to shrink back. I wondered if he was thinking about Angel again, and how he’d basically let her escape. There hadn’t been time to yell at him when I’d gotten Angel home. But now, some of the anger was coming back.

 

“What the fuck were you thinking?” I hissed, leaning down in his face. “You realize she could have been killed?”

 

Ram nodded tersely. “I know,” he replied automatically. “I’m sorry, man. She told me she was taking a bath and then she must have crept out the window. She made up some bullshit lie about how her period had started. She asked to go out and buy tampons or pads or whatever the fuck chicks use. I was caught off guard, man; that’s completely my fault. I should have known she was up to no good.”

 

I shook my head and let out a humorless laugh. “It’s okay, man,” I told him as I cuffed him on the shoulder. “I get it. She’s fuckin’ crafty.”

 

“She really is,” Ram said. “Are you okay? Did she get in another scrape?”

 

I felt my stomach twist into knots. “It’s worse than that,” I told Ram. “I think Damien is behind all of this shit. I thought it was a coincidence until I showed up at his place and he told me he’d basically set his thugs on her.”

 

Ram let out a low whistle. “Damn, man,” he said, sucking in his breath.

 

I shook my head. “It’s some fucked up shit,” I told him. Getting up, I ambled over to the fridge and pulled out a couple of beers. “You want one of these?”

 

Ram glanced nervously down at his gun.

 

I let out a chuckle. “It’s fine, man,” I told him. “I’m not going out again tonight. I’m gonna be here. You can relax a little bit.”

 

Ram relaxed his face and reached out for the longneck. “Thanks, man,” he said after he’d gulped half of the beer. “This is good right now.”

 

I settled down in my chair without saying anything. Angel was weighing heavily on my mind. Ram was my best friend, and I told him everything. But, somehow, this seemed like it would be an awkward conversation. I wasn’t ready to let him know, at least not everything. Not about Chuckie, at least.

 

As if reading my mind, Ram set his bottle down on the table and looked at me. “So, this chick, you knew her a while ago?”

 

I nodded. “Yeah, you could say that, man,” I replied. “I mean, we were just kids ourselves.”

 

Ram chuckled under his breath. “Those memories come back at you, don’t they?”

 

I swallowed a lump that was forming in my throat. “That they do,” I said in a quiet voice. “That they do.”

 

Ram leaned back in his chair and swigged the last of the beer out of his bottle. “I knew a girl when I was a kid,” he said. “Her name was Margie. She was gorgeous. Blonde, skinny, willing. Liked to get drunk with me. I smoked pot for the first time with her. She was my first kiss, my first fuck.”

 

“What happened?” I was intrigued.

 

Ram and I had been close for a long time, but we hadn’t grown up together. Sometimes I wondered about the pasts of all of my guys, but especially his. He was so quiet and measured, I wondered if he’d had anything really tumultuous happen. But he was a Skullbreaker, after all. Something had to have pushed him over towards this side.

 

Ram let out a long sigh. “When we were in high school, I started feeling a little cheated,” he said. He grinned at me and I knew the exact feeling he was talking about. “After all, she was the only girl I’d ever been with. Those girls back then, they looked so fresh. So young, I thought I wanted to try more of them. So we broke up. She got real hurt, real bad. Wouldn’t talk to me when I called her, and then she started dating a bunch of different assholes at once. The last time I checked, she was dating some asshole jock who beat her when he got drunk.”

 

I blinked. I hadn’t known what Ram was going to divulge, but I hadn’t expected anything that sad. “Then what happened? She marry that dude?”

 

“Hell no,” Ram said. He snorted. “I wanted to ask her to marry me, but by the time I asked her, she didn’t feel up to it. Said she liked dating around and didn’t want to go back to being with just me. Said she had a lot of exploring left to do, and that maybe we’d meet back up when we were older.”

 

“Damn, dude,” I said, slamming my empty bottle down on the table.

 

Ram snorted and I got up and ambled over to the fridge again. By the time I’d handed him a new beer, Ram was looking up at the ceiling. There was an odd, pained look on his face that I’d rarely seen before. I didn’t understand. He couldn’t still be broken up over some kid, could he? Why not? I thought quickly. That’s what you are, Trey. Broken up over a kid from your past, just like Ram.

 

“Anyway, she died,” Ram said flatly. I blinked at him. “She was driving drunk and she ran her car off the road. Cops said it was instant, but, for some reason, I know she suffered. She was pinned against the wheel for hours before anyone showed up. I can’t imagine that was a good way to go.”

 

I gulped my beer so Ram wouldn’t see my expression. I hadn’t imagined the story ending like that, and it gave me almost a new perspective on things. Yeah, Angel had fucked me over and left. But at least she hadn’t died. At least she was still here, warm and breathing. Even though Chuckie didn’t have a father, at least he had her.

 

“Yeah, man,” Ram said. “It sucked. I thought about her for a long time. But she’s not in my head anymore, you know?”

 

I nodded. “I sorta get it,” I said slowly. “I mean, Angel and I…” I was going to tell him that we hadn’t been serious, but suddenly I didn’t think I could get the lie out. After all, what was the point of lying to Ram? He was my best friend. Even when I thought about it like that, I still couldn’t make myself lie.

 

“You what?” Ram turned to me and gave me a curious look before knocking back some beer. The sadness of the previous moment was forgotten. “You were gonna say…?” He raised his eyebrows at me and laughed.

 

Suddenly, whatever openness had been building up between us vanished. I shook my head. “It’s nothing,” I said darkly. “Forget it.”