“You said you were done with him. You said you were done with letting him use you.”
“I know, but—”
“How long has this been going on?” Paige snapped. “Is this why he came here the other night? You know what, I can’t believe you’d keep something like this from me.”
I’d known that would bother her most of all. We’d been through a lot together; she’d trusted me with all her secrets. “Paige, it wasn’t like that.” There hadn’t been much to tell until last night.
She took a step back, her smile bitter. “Oh, I see what it was like.”
“I was going to tell you, tell all of you, tonight. This is—”
“Bullshit,” Paige bit out. “It’s. Total. Fucking. Bullshit. You’re smarter than this.” She pointed at Butch. “And if you cared about anyone but yourself, you’d realise she deserves better. You’d walk away before you hurt her again.”
I held up a hand. “Paige, just let me talk a second.”
“Talk?” She barked a sardonic laugh. “You weren’t interested in talking to me about this before. How many times have I confided in you, Imani? How many times have I told you shit that I’ve never told anyone? Yet, here you are keeping things from me.”
“Paige—”
“Not that I need to ask why you kept this from me. You knew I wouldn’t like it; you knew I’d tell you that you’re being dumb, and you didn’t want to hear that. You didn’t want to hear the truth, because you didn’t want to face it. You wanted to live in a fantasy land where Butch actually gives a flying fuck about you.”
He puffed out a breath. “Didn’t have you pegged as the dramatic type, Paige.”
“Excuse me?” she hissed.
“You’re protective of Imani, I get it. You don’t want her to be with someone like me, I get that too. But this isn’t about you. And if you’d push past your protective streak and your hurt feelings and let her fucking speak, you’d hear that you’ve got this wrong.”
“No, Butch, you might be able to bullshit her, but you won’t bullshit me. Nu-uh.” With that, she stormed off with a majorly annoyed Alora close behind her.
Sighing, I rubbed at my forehead. “I can’t say that didn’t hurt. But I also can’t say I didn’t expect it to go like that. It’s going to be mere moments before this reaches the others.” Alora would tell Evan, who would tell Sam and Jared. Paige would tell the other girls, at which point Jude and Ava would tell their mates. Salem and Chico would then tell the other members of their squad. “Paige is seriously pissed at me.”
Butch kissed my temple. “She’ll get over it.”
“You don’t know Paige like I do. That girl can hold a grudge.”
“Having second thoughts?”
I frowned. “No. I knew when I made my choice that people would react badly. You were right; we have to be tight and stand against it.”
“So you’re still with me on that?”
“I’m with you.”
He nodded in satisfaction and twined his fingers with mine. “Let’s get to the arena and get the rest of this shit over with.”
As if by mutual agreement, we took a slow walk out of the building and to the arena. It seemed that neither of us were in any rush to listen to more people slate our decision. I kept my chin up as we walked inside, still hand in hand. To my surprise, none of the girls were there. I didn’t know what that meant, but I guessed it was an ‘I’m so pissed at you, I can’t even look at you right now’ message.
Butch’s squad was there, however. With the exception of David and Salem, they all scowled at him. The weight of their disapproval and anger set on my shoulders like lead. It also ticked me off big style. Who were they to freaking judge?
None of them spoke. They just stared at Butch expectantly, as if waiting for him to begin explaining himself.
Finally, Chico arched a brow at Butch. “Got something you want to tell us?”
Butch just shrugged, nonchalant. “You already know.”
“It’s not enough that you fucked her over once before?”
I was about to make it clear that he hadn’t fucked me over; that I’d known what I was getting into a year ago and I’d chosen to take a risk, but Reuben was speaking before I could.
“I thought better of you, Butch. I really did.”
“Jude is having a shit fit right now,” said Chico. “She’s also considering slicing off your balls. I had to confiscate her knife.”
“It’s nothing to do with Jude or any of you,” Butch stated, his tone even.
“Wrong,” insisted Chico. “This is Imani we’re talking about. She’s not just anyone. She’s a member of the legion, she’s under our protection.”
“If you want to be a hit and run guy,” began Harvey, “I figure that’s your business. But when the girl you’re running over is a member of the legion and under our protection, it becomes our business.”
Chico nodded. “We gave you the benefit of the doubt a year ago, because we trusted that you wouldn’t get involved with someone you’re supposed to protect unless it was serious. We realised we were wrong. So don’t think any of us will trust you not to hurt her a second time.”
“There are other females on this island for you to use and drop,” said Damien.
I narrowed my eyes. “And you’re so certain he’ll use and drop me?”
Looking at me like I was dumb, Damien snapped, “Well he’s done it before, honey.”
“Careful,” warned Butch. It was a lethal whisper that made Damien swallow hard.
“He doesn’t use women to be an asshole, Imani,” Denny told me, his voice gentle. “He does it because he’s not capable of more. That’s why we’re worried here.”
Nodding, Max turned to Butch. “I’d like to think you’ve changed. I’d like to think that you’ll be different with Imani. But I know you won’t, because you walked away from her once before.”
“And you know this isn’t good or you wouldn’t have hidden it,” added Reuben.
Butch lifted a single brow. “Since when do I have to announce the details of my personal life to all of you?”
No one had an answer to that.
Wiping a hand over his face, Stuart looked at me. “Imani, you’ve got to see that Butch isn’t who you need. You just got out of a relationship after being let down by someone you trusted. Do you really want to go through that again?”
“Is this like a rebound thing?” Harvey asked me. “You’re feeling lonely and vulnerable and just looking for something to fill the void?”
My eyes widened. “No. It’s so far from a rebound, it isn’t even funny—not that I need to justify myself to you. And I’d just like to point out that some people worried that Salem wouldn’t be good for Ava, but no one said shit about it.” Though that may have been because Sam threatened that any interference would be met with bodily harm.
Damien, Stuart, and Denny shifted uncomfortably as they glanced guiltily at Salem.
Reuben jabbed a finger in Butch’s direction. “If you have any decency in you, you’ll end this before you have the chance to hurt her.”
Looking bored, Butch ran his gaze along everyone. “You all done now?”
Reuben cursed. “Don’t you have any—” He cut off as Sam and Jared entered the arena. “Have you heard about Imani and Butch’s special news?” he asked, his tone mocking.
“I don’t think that’s the business of anyone here other than Imani and Butch,” said Sam.
I blinked, surprised.
Chico gaped at her. “You can’t tell me you’re okay with this, Coach.”
David cleared his throat. “Let’s just forget about this and start the session. Coach is right; this is their business.” Salem grunted in agreement.
After a moment, Reuben inclined his head. “Fine.” His annoyed gaze moved to me and Butch. “I think it would be best if you two go. Emotions are running too high in here right now, and we need to have our heads straight while we’re training.”
My mouth fell open. Had he really just said that?
Face blank, Butch said to him, “I don’t recall asking what you think is best. If Coach and Jared want us to leave, we’ll do just that.” Butch looked at the couple. “But I’ll never enter this arena again. I remember Max once making an offhand comment about you two out of jealousy.”
The image of awkwardness, Max averted his gaze.
“You told him personal shit has no place in this arena,” Butch said to Sam. “Is that true? Or does that only apply to some people?”
She didn’t reply, but her next words made her stance perfectly clear. “Take your usual places.”
Chico’s face hardened. “Coach, seriously—”
“I am bloody serious,” she fairly snarled. “You can be pissed at Butch and Imani in your own time. Though why you’re all taking this personally as if they’re together to spite you, I don’t know. It’s bloody ridiculous. Stop fucking whining and get your shit together.”