His soft smile brought a little wetness to my eyes.
“Call Iron,” he said with a firm nod. “And for fuck’s sake, please let Ingram know you’re not dead. And then let us worry about everything else.”
“You’re kinda awesome, Chris,” I said and I hoped he got how much I meant it.
“Awww, Mouse. Are you telling me that you love me?!”
“I hate you so much right now,” I said but couldn’t hold back my smile.
“I know. You’re family, too, dude,” he said.
“Fuck,” I breathed out. “I’ve messed everything up. I just…”
I was thinking about Amber. I was thinking about Ingram.
I was thinking about how much of a shit person I was.
“She isn’t going away,” he said and his face turned serious. “She’s making a life here. She wants to be close to Ky. To me. To the club. You know, close to her family. I know you have a lot of shit on your plate right now, but you have to make a decision and go at it one-hundred percent. If you love her, love her with everything you’ve got in you. If you can’t, then let her go.”
I didn’t need to ask to know that he was talking about Ingram. Chris was too wise for his own fucking good. And mine. He also didn’t have to include Chry in that, because it was already clear that the little guy had a part of my heart. I’d do anything to protect him.
And if I thought about it, I’d do anything to protect Ingram, too.
And now, I had another name to add to that list.
I wouldn’t have to think for a second to give my life for theirs.
Though, I hoped it would never come to that, because the idea of spending a lifetime with all of them suddenly gripped my heart really fucking tightly.
“Thanks, man,” I said as I swallowed down the last apple slice and got to my feet.
“You want to hug now?” he asked with a fucking funny twinkle in his eye.
“I would, but I’m pretty sure I’ve done enough already to warrant another ass beating from Ky. No need to add to it.” I had no idea why I’d sort of admitted to things right then, but I did. I’d fucked up with Ingram… again. And there was no way to deny it.
Chris didn’t look surprised and I shrugged it off.
I was an asshole.
I needed to own it now.
But having him sort of know, made me feel a tiny bit lighter.
“Love her, or let her go,” he said with a serious nod.
I couldn’t answer because I didn’t have one to give yet.
So I sent him a chin jerk letting him know that I’d heard him, and then I left out the front door.
I tore through the city and back to my girl with a slight weight lifted off of my shoulders.
