She begins to protest again, but her denials lose their fire the more she notices that people aren’t believing her.
That’s the thing with growing up around the majority of these people—theyknowme.They know I’d never lie about something so serious.She doesn’t have that same assurance.
“Who was the male you had pretend to be me?”Pope asks her.
Spunky’s body shakes when it hits her that this is it.This is her chance.Her eyes search frantically around the room.They stop, move on, then come back to the side again before leaving.Suddenly, her eyes widen, and her face turns a sickly shade of white as terror fills them.
I look around the room, trying to see what she saw.
Whoshe saw.
But no one sticks out, and that’s more terrifying than anything.
“No one.”
“Very well,” Pope says, inclining his head before straightening his posture.
His eyes darken as his face goes blank.He folds his arms across his bulky chest, his ‘President’ patch on prominent display on his kutte.
Pope is such an intimidating presence when he steps into his role.
“Tanya ‘Spunky’ Colson, the vote was unanimous.For your erroneous interference in the relationship of the President of this club, you are hereby banished from this club and any of its properties.If you’re found on them, the ol’ ladies of this club will deal with you swiftly before you are arrested.You will take nothing with you except what you came to this club with.Manic and Butcher will see you from this property.”
“But there’s another club after us,” she says, shocked as tears pour from her pale face.
Pope shrugs and then says in one of the hardest voices I’ve heard from him, “You are no longer a member of this club.However, I’m not so much of a bastard that I won’t provide you a place to sleep tonight.A motel room has been paid for you for two days.That gives you plenty of time to figure something out.”
There’s a part of me that feels bad about this, but it’s not bigger than the piece of me that despises her for her role in all of this.Who does what she did?Maybe it’s so hard for me to comprehend doing something so heinous because I couldn’t imagine causing someone that kind of pain.
I’m not a perfect person.I’ve done things I haven’t been proud of, but I don’t know.It’s just ...how do you get to the level she is?
Spunky begs and pleads until her voice grows hoarse.When she finally understands that there is no rescue coming her way, not even from the one she thought was her best friend, she hangs her head and lets Manic and Butcher lead her from the room.
After she’s gone, Pope turns to the room.“We considered putting the club on lockdown, but as it’s only my family that’s been targeted, we’ve chosen not to.”He looks at me.“I know you don’t want it, but this club is the safest place for you and the twins right now.If you’d rather I pull men from here to safeguard the house, I will, but I’d feel better if you let us protect you all here.”
Every member wearing a patch on their kutte steps forward, surrounding their president.
Basilisk nods his head at me.“Will lay down my life for you and the kids.”
One by one, they offer us the same protection, having my back in a way they didn’t in the past.
Cyanide is the last to speak.“Let us show you that you can trust us.Allow us the opportunity to show you that you and the twins are Saint’s Outlaw’s as much as everyone else in this club.”
My eyes seek out my sister standing against the back wall.Her face doesn’t reveal much, but she shrugs and nods, telling me I should accept their protection.
I blow out a breath and roam my eyes through the group, stopping on each person.“This doesn’t mean the past is forgiven, but it’s a step in that direction.I’ll accept your offer to keep my kids safe.”
“And you,” Savior states.
I shrug.“I’ve been let down too many times to believe it.Just keep your word.”
Without saying anything else, I turn my back to them and head back upstairs to my kids.
I’m here and I’m working on forgiveness, but it’s not a fix that’s going to happen quickly.Trust is so precarious and once it’s broken, it’s hard to find your footing around those people again.
The path is slippery, but I’m navigating it to the best of my ability.
Let’s just hope they’ll keep their word and be there if I fall.
