“Trick did what?” Maria asks, her face says it all. Confusion. Shock. Unable to believe it. “I am...surprised but maybe not so shocked. He has mentioned wanting to find a woman crazy enough for him.”

I scoff, rolling my eyes. “He doesn’t know what he’s gotten himself into with my sister, Maria.”

“Well, it isn’t your job to warn him of that. Trick made his choice and you must allow him to live through it. He will figure it out, and you or your brother will not worry about Angel. She is safe here at the club, and most importantly she is safe with Trick. You men do not allow anything to happen to your women, you never have.”

“Chaos doesn’t give a damn about what happens to Angel. He hasn’t for years.”

Maria’s face drops at my words. She doesn’t understand the rough history that we have together. Her and her sister’s story is so much different then ours. Maria hasn’t ever admitted everything that they went through when they were with Rafael, but I can tell that they relied on one another to survive. But even before that I know they had an amazing childhood, she even admitted that to me. Chaos, Angel and I didn’t have any sort of amazing childhood. Shit, we had to grow up when we were kids. I remember digging through dumpsters behind restaurants just to make sure we were eating. It was garbage – the food and the circumstances, but it’s how we survived. We did whatever we had to do. After a certain point Chaos got over tired of Angel disappointing him again and again by Angel, and I can’t blame him for that. He just stopped caring because it was easier then the constant worrying. I think he saw how badly it was slowly tearing me apart and decided that he didn’t want to do what I was doing. Hell, what I still continue to do.

“Chaos cares about Angel...even if it doesn’t look like he does. You and I both know how he hides things deep inside himself. When he hurts...it cripples him. Chaos is much more emotional then he actually lets on.” She’s right, but of course she is right most of the time.

I nod. “Angel is in my room for now. Who the hell knows when Trick is going to explain to her what he did, and that she’ll be in his bed every night.”

“I doubt she will be in his bed tonight. I wouldn’t plan on sleeping in your bedroom.” Maria giggles, falling into my chest.

“Where will I be sleeping then, hmm?” I play coy, grazing my fingertips under her chin and tilting her head up to look at me.

“Hmm. The couch is a good option.” She winks as I scoff.

“I think there’s a girl in here that wouldn’t mind me snuggling up against her tonight.” I feign looking around the club, “Do you know who she’d be?”

Maria smacks me harder then I expect in the throat and I cough. “That’ll teach you to be a smartass with me, culo. Yes, you can sleep in my bed tonight.”

“Thank you.” I whisper to her, quickly getting lost in my own thoughts. Even knowing that Angel is here in the club, you’d think that I’d find some comfort in it, but I don’t. All I seem to be able to think about is why she still chooses to stay on the drugs.

Maria grabs ahold of my forearm and squeezes, like she knows what I’m thinking. “Sometimes drugs are a way for people to dull their pain. They want to feel nothing, so they do the one thing that will make sure they are feeling nothing.”

“I don’t try to understand it anymore. There’s no use because I never will.”

Maria softly smiles at me, half sympathy, half relief. “You have tried to understand the best way that you can, but now all you can do is be here for her. She is going to be in a safe place with us, and it won’t be easy.”

I take in a deep breath, because I have to tell Maria something that I know she isn’t going to like. She’s not going to like it one bit. I’ve been keeping this secret from her for days. Maybe it’s because I’ve wanted to protect her from it...to keep her from the pain that she may have to go through.

“Mar...”

She furrows her eyebrows together, “What’s the matter? You have that voice.”

“Chaos told me before Thanksgiving that he didn’t know how long he could keep sharing you with me.”

She shakes her head, “I don’t understand. I don’t belong to him, I am both of yours.”

“Babe...we need to solidify whatever the three of us are and soon. There needs to be rules, because I’m not going to lose you, and I can’t lose my brother. I’ve had enough loss through my life...and he’s getting heated about it.”

“What did he say to you?”

“Exactly what I just said, that you belong to him and he is simply sharing you with me. You and I both know that we’re more then that. Not just you and me, but the three of us. You have a connection with both of us, and we both have a connection with you. You aren’t my girl, and you aren’t his, you’re our girl.”

“I know that. I’ve always belonged to the both of you, even when none of us knew what we were doing. I will try to talk to him and see where his head is at. I don’t want any of us to get hurt...I care for both of you and...I can’t lose him.” Those words burn, stinging me more then they should. I know that she didn’t mean it in a horrible way, that she wasn’t trying to hurt me. I can’t help but feel hurt though. “I refuse to lose either of you. The three of us have suffered enough through our lives and I will not have any more losses.”

“You’re right baby, we’ve all had enough loss.” I wrap my arms around her, pulling Maria against my chest and holding her close. No matter how many times she’s in my arms like this, I will never find the right words to explain how precious she is to me.

Maria is my walking heart, and if she hurts, I hurt.

I’m gonna do my best to make sure that she’s happy, and that we all get what we need, even if Chaos tries to be a selfish bastard.

But Maria needs Chaos. I need my brother too. It’s the hard truth I have to accept. : each of us needs the other. If Chaos ends up ripping whatever we have apart...my heart will be broken, and I’m not talking about the one that beats in my chest.