Sleepless Nights(4)
I shrink back in shock when fingers are snapped in my face. I look up into a pair of dark blue eyes and blonde hair. “Hey Glossy. It’s been a while since I seen my favorite daughter-in-law.”
I want to roll my eyes but I don’t. If there’s one thing I remember, it’s don’t disrespect Blade in front of the club. I could get away with it in private. The old guy is a softy when no one else is around. Besides I’m not his favorite. Lola is.
“It’s so good to see you Blade. How are all your kids?” I ask with a sugar sweet smile. I don’t look around the inside of the clubhouse because I don’t want to see the spitting image of Blade in his oldest son. I didn’t think it would be this hard. But just looking at Blade has my body in fight or flight mode.
Blade chuckles and puts an arm around my shoulders. “Chutney should be here any minute, I’m sure she’ll love to see you. Ryan you’ve seen of course. I hope he wasn’t too tough on you.” He pauses and looks around while I keep my eyes on only him. Storm is Ryan’s road name, in case you were wondering. “My third child, well, I’m sure you’ll know how he is the second you see him.” That doesn’t sound promising.
He leads me through groups of people and into the back hallway, which leads to his office. I want to struggle away from him but I can feel eyes following us still. We pass doors with nameplates indicating who sleeps there. The closer we get to Blade’s office, the more familiar the names get. There’s one with “Storm & Lola”, one with “Princess” which would be Chutney’s, and the last one stops me in my tracks. “Rage & Glossy”. I think I might pass out.
“He refused to take it off,” Blade mumbles in my ear. I shiver at the words because that is so like Rage. He’d do something like that just to spite me. Fucking bastard.
The next door is Blade’s room, which only has his road name on it. His office is right inside the door and his room is off the back of the office. The second we enter I suck in a breath. Pictures are everywhere. I forgot how much he loves pictures. I don’t think in twenty-six years of being club President he’s taken any of them down, just added more until almost every inch is covered.
I hear him move around me, probably headed to his desk. I can’t move from this spot because I know what I’m going to see on this wall. I’m going to see the two-year relationship I had with Rage. Before I can take any of them in, I snap my eyes away and look at Blade. “Why am I here?”
“For lots of reasons. You’re a very important person Ashley,” he answers from his chair. He’s leaned back as far as the chair will allow. His long blonde hair hangs around his face in crazy waves and curls. It’s starting to turn grey around his temples and it clashes but I would never tell him that. His dark blue eyes scrutinize me, probably wondering if I’m going to bolt. I’m not, that would be stupid considering there are about three hundred people here who would stop me.
I finally sit down in a chair facing his desk. “That doesn’t tell me anything, Carl.” He smiles at me when I use his given name. There are only about ten people who know his first name, so it’s actually kind of a privilege. I’ve always known it though. Carl used to be friends with my dad. He used to bring me presents because he didn’t have a daughter then but that was a long time ago.
Carl sighs and sits forward in his chair. “We’ve got to have a conversation about your ex-boyfriend.”
I sit straight up in my chair and grip the armrests hard. “Victor? What does Victor have to do with anything?” Victor and Talon didn’t have an easy time in the real world when they got back from Iraq. I’m not sure about Talon because Victor wouldn’t talk about it, but I know Victor was reckless. I’m just hoping he didn’t do something reckless and piss off the Wrath’s. Because I can’t save him from this club. No one could save him from this club.
“You really don’t know?” Carl looks at me like I’m lying but I don’t know shit. Even when I was with Victor he didn’t tell me everything. In fact I’m pretty sure he hid a lot more than I can even imagine.
“I haven’t spoken to Victor in a year. Not after he asked me to marry him for the eighth time and I had to say no because your idiot son won’t divorce me.” I cross my arms over my chest and start tapping my foot. Thinking about my marriage always gets my blood boiling.
Carl swipes a hand down his face and gives me a hard look. “Victor isn’t who you think he is.” Now what is that supposed to mean? “Victor’s father was working with the mob before he passed away.”