“I wasn’t tattling. I was venting.”
“Same fucking thing. You came out here to complain to Rachel. About me!” I said, slapping my hand against my chest. “Complain to your own fucking old lady.”
“Can’t, she wouldn’t let me. She told me to grow up and get over it.”
I threw my head back and laughed. That was Beck. She didn’t put up with anybody’s bullshit.
“Rachel always listened,” he quietly spoke.
“Yea, she did. She always let you get it all out before she told you to grow up and stop being a baby.”
“I miss her. I come out here every so often, and I see her headstone next to mine and it kills me. Every fucking time.” The heel of his hands dug into his eyes. “I want to knock the fucking thing down but Becca won’t let me.” He dropped his hands to his sides and exhaled. “I just wish I could apologize to her. Every time I come here, I feel what her and Becca and Ryder must have felt. It fucking sucks what they went through thinking I was dead.”
“She understood, brother. And she didn’t hold it against you. She knew it wasn’t your choice.”
“Not coming back right away was,” he argued.
“She understood that too. Did you know she wanted to leave?”
He turned to me, his brows furrowed in confusion.
“She stayed for Ryder. And for Beck, in case she ever came back. She was the most selfless person I have ever met in my life. I didn’t deserve her. But I was fucking lucky to have her as long as I did.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Kytten
It was Friday night and time for me to go to the clubhouse. I didn’t know what to expect. Sypher had told King about me, so I was positive he would be pissed.
I should have let him know when I got to town. There were rules in the biker world about visiting another club’s territory. But well, Val never really held to those rules because of what we did. Often, we had to get in and get out with no one ever knowing we were there.
It was what I was used to.
I wasn’t used to this.
Tonight was a birthday party for one of the brothers.
And it was my birthday. Though no one who was there tonight knew that.
I couldn’t help but wonder what Amber was feeling. Did she remember the significance of today? I certainly did. It was a day I would never forget. I scratched at my leg.
At the diner last Sunday was the first time I had ever seen her in person. I guess she kind of looked like Val. They shared the same blonde hair.
I didn’t know why I was so nervous. I had met the women already. They all seemed nice. I knew Sypher, and I definitely knew Cash. But it was the others I worried about. Not all bikers approved of female clubs.
Not that I needed anyone’s approval. But I wanted his brothers to like me. Cash made it sound like we were a done deal. But if his brothers didn’t agree, there would be no us.
And I still hadn’t called Val.
I didn’t know what to tell her.
As I sat on my bed, worrying about what was to come, I heard a bike pull up out front. As I neared the front door, I heard boots stomping up the steps followed by a loud knock.
“Open up, Rosie.”
I yanked the door open and stared at the man behind it.
“What are you doing here? I said I would meet you at the clubhouse.” He grabbed my hand as he barged in.
