Page 29 of Falling for Her
Sighing, I look at the time and shake my head. My client is an hour late for her appointment, which means as soon as she walks in here, I’ll be turning her away because I can’t fucking stand people taking up a spot and not giving me a heads up that they’re going to be late.
It’s just a waste of my time.
“Client Jo…. I mean Damian,” Tara, our receptionist, shouts, and I roll my eyes.
It’s been a month, you’d think people would be used to calling me my legal name by now.
A knock sounds at my open door, and frustration builds that Tara sent Michelle back here. Time and time again, I’ve told her not to send clients back if they’re late.
I sigh, “You are an hour late, turn around and fuck off.”
“Well, it’s a good thing I’m not here for a tattoo then,” my mother replies, and I turn on my stool in shock.
Mama stands in the doorway, sadness etching her hazel eyes.
“Mama, is everything okay?” I ask with concern.
Normally, she doesn’t come here, instead, I’d get a call if there was a problem. Last I checked, she hates coming to the shop, and that is mainly because women throw themselves at the brothers every fucking day. One woman threw herself at Dad, and Mom nearly killed her, no lie. Hammer had to pull her off the woman she was strangling.
Mama shakes her head, puts her hands on her hips, and snaps, “No, everything is not okay. My son has blacklisted all of his family, and no one will tell me why,” I wince, not surprised Dad and Butcher have kept their mouths shut as to why I left. She continues, “Heck, that woman just called you your legal name, and you are not wearing your cut, a cut you worked your ass for. What is going on?”
“Mama,” I start, but she cuts me off and rants, “No, don’t tell me any lie that is about to come out of your mouth like your dad has done for the past month. My son hasn’t been home!”
Shit…
She points at me, “Growing up, you wanted nothing more than to become a brother. You lived and breathed the club, and suddenly, you’ve handed in your cut. You’ve cut everyone off. I don’t even recognize you anymore, and Bethany,” she shakes her head, “that girl is so heartbroken she’s fallen off the wagon. Louise found her sleeping with Stone for Christ's sake!”
I begin to zone out, not caring to hear this yet again, especially the crap about Bethany before shock takes over as I realize what she just said, and I stutter, “S-Stone, as in…”
Mama nods and finishes my words, “As in Caitlyn’s old man.”
I wince.
Fuck. Caitlyn will want her head. Stone will most likely be demoted from club tech, but that will be it, which is fucked up but Bethany, fuck… Caitlyn is going to kill her one way or another unless Stone can fix his fucking mess.
“Butcher managed to calm them down for now while Caitlyn is banned from the club until further notice. Whether she and Stone will stay together is uncertain," Mama says.
What a fucking shock that yet again Bethany gets to continue her shit while Caitlyn gets kicked from the club.
“Your dad mentioned you'll be home soon and that she'll be under control, but you are not home," Mama adds, and I scoff.
So they expect me to return to the club and want to pressure me to be with her even after I handed in my cut to prove I won’t do what they want.
Fucking idiots.
I shake my head and state, “Bethany and I will never happen again. I don’t love her, and I never have, fuck, I never even kissed her,” and Mama furrows her brows, “And as for the club, I’m not coming back and if you want to know why, go ask Dad and Butcher.”
Tears swim in my mother’s eyes, and I hate it, but I won’t take back my words. Enough is enough. Bethany had a weird obsession with me, and Butcher used that to get her under control without having to send her away or ban her from the club, fuck, even now, it’s Caitlyn suffering, not Bethany. All because everyone knows Caitlyn will kill her while tearing Stone’s dick off.
A knock sounds at my door before Michelle, the woman who is now an hour and a half late, saunters in, wearing a tiny dress and no bra.
Fuck’s sake.
I shake my head but use her as an excuse and say, “My next client is here, Mama. I’ll call you.”
Mama sniffles, looking like she wants to argue, but instead, she nods as she looks over me for a few seconds, seeing the coldness I’ve never shown her before, and then leaves without another word, and I swallow hard.
I hate disappointing her, but this isn’t about her or the club right now. This is about me reclaiming control of my life, and I feel like I’m finally getting there. If Bethany is going off the rails and using me as an excuse, that is down to Butcher for forcing me into a relationship with her to begin with and giving her an entitled attitude.
