Page 131 of XOXO

Everyone takes a seat around the conference table in Prez’s office. Danika watches her sister. Her normally calm, kind demeanor seems forced, but the tears that run down her face seem real. It's her who breaks the tension-filled silence.

“What….” She clears her voice. “What’s going on, Dalia? What...” Danika says as she looks around the room.

Nitro could give a shit for why she’s here. He is focused on his woman and Dalia’s words hurt her. His glare is angry and he cuts Danika off, getting to what he cares about. “That’s really how you feel about your sister. The most kind, loyal, loving, and dedicated person I know. You think she let shit happen? You think she leaves you out to dry? That’s fucked up, even for you.”

For Fuck's sake.

Nitro’s anger is palpable, and I can see it in his eyes as he holds his crying woman. He will not let this go. He will not let sleeping dogs lie. My head slowly turns to Dalia, who looks at him like she doesn’t know who the fuck he is.

Letting out a resigned breath, Dalia sits forward. “You want to know. You truly want to hear what I have to say?” Giving him one last chance to back down. He doesn’t. He raises a brow.

“You asked for this, so don’t say I didn’t give you a chance to back the fuck down. I didn’t come here for this. I came for him.” Here, eyes trail blankly toward me. And I wince at the coldness in her eyes. “But since you don’t seem to want to let this go, fucking fine.” She huffs, slamming back into her seat. Taking a breath, she squares her shoulders.

“You know I was an oops baby, yeah. Born eleven months after Dani. My mother was happy for another girl, my father… my father wasn’t. Long story short, when it came to Danika, as you know, he treated her like a Princess…”

“Us… us… until all that stuff happened, and he lost his way. He treated us like princesses.” Dalia doesn’t acknowledge Dani, which has everyone in the room narrowing their eyes on her. With a soft chuckle, Dalia shakes her head and keeps going.

“She was his world, the best of everything for his girl. But his girl wasn’t perfect. She tried to be…” She smiles softly at her sister, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “… most of the time, she was. But when she wasn’t, I paid dearly….”

Dani shakes her head furiously. But I have a feeling that Dalia isn’t lying.

“Dad shielded her from his life. He kept her out of the business. Dad wasn’t blatant. He never lost his way. He had always been a cold, evil son of a bitch. He didn’t show her that part of him.” A humorless chuckle leaves her as she looks into Nitro’s eyes. “I learned early on that we wouldn’t be the only people in my sister's life who make me pay for not getting what they wanted from her.” She says, her hands unclenching, laying them flat on the tabletop. “When Dani was sixteen, she dated a senior. He wanted more, but she didn’t. Instead of taking from her, he took from me. Round and around it went. That has always been my life. I was always paying to keep her who she is. I’m always the bad guy, the crazy one, the whipping girl. Those are facts. When Dad sold her off. I was again a part of the deal. While you were protecting her, so was I, and again, I paid. So, yes, I believe my sister turns a blind eye. I don’t blame her because that is how we were raised. She knowingly or unknowingly perpetuates what people around her think of me. You guys aren’t the first; I’m used to it. I honestly don’t think it is intentionally meant to hurt me, but Dani enjoys being liked and enjoys being the good one. Nothing wrong with that. I don’t love her any less because of it. I know my place and my role, and I play it.” She shrugs.

“So yeah. I have to be stronger, wiser, and better. My world is dark; there is no light unless I have my sister; their happiness is everything to me. I’m more than willing to suffer for it. Their safety is everything to me.” Her eyes come to me. “I will do and have done everything to protect them, even when neither of them sees it or appreciates it, even when they will let people believe that I’m some unhinged stalker psycho. But it doesn’t matter. I’m not here to make anyone like me. I honestly don’t care if you do. I’m here because of my job. I wanted to help. This shit with your ex is easily remedied. That’s why I asked you to come with me, and that is the only reason.” Her tone is impersonal, and indifference burns in her eyes. Prez looks from her to Danika; then, he has a silent conversation with his brother Nitro, whose brows are furrowed.

And I have had enough. I fucking. Fuck.

The door flies open before I can speak, and all hell breaks loose.

Chapter Ten

DEKKER

“When I fuck up, I fuck up.”

A week later…

When officer dickhead busted into the clubhouse, shit happened fast. They hauled me out in cuffs. He couldn’t use my warrant to fuck with the club. He used every door and wall to let me know. If it weren’t for Jackson Dalia's partner, the club lawyers wouldn’t have been able to get what they needed. Jackson and Dalia saved my ass, which had me feel like an even bigger dick for how I treated her. Having time to think, I planned to make up for it. At the very least, Dalia deserves an apology.

After processing, they sent me back to Vegas to answer to the charges against me. What Dalia and Jackson gave them was enough for the charges to be dropped. They made a case against Veronica and her brother. At first, I was going to decline, but the moment I saw her sitting in the courthouse looking smug, I told the lawyer to do what needed to be done. After my case was dismissed, they put Veronica and her brother up on charges.

After all was said and done, my brother knew I needed to ride back on my own, my bike was waiting for me at the clubhouse in Vegas. I needed to get my head straight; the long ride would help.

My heart breaks for Dalia. As corny as it is, it was me, not her. Something I doubt she will believe me. From what she said in Prez’s office that she is used to being treated like shit. She deserves better, not just from me but the club and her sister, and I’m going to show her that, even if she wants fuck all to do with me.

A resigned sigh leaves me as I park my bike and head into the clubhouse. Looking around, the brothers are partying hard. They act like I’ve been gone for months when it’s only been a few days. I receive back slaps and nods while making my way to the bar. I chuckle as I signal the prospect for a beer. Any excuse to party, the fuckers will take it. Turning, I lean against the bar. My eyes skim the room. I’m not surprised by the notably absent faces. I didn’t expect to see Dalia, Danika, or Nitro. My blood brother Hound has been keeping me in the loop while working with the lawyers and Jackson to deal with my shit. From what he says, things between the sisters ain’t good–apparently, more was said after they took me in. And no one has seen or heard from Dalia since she left the clubhouse. Nitro isn’t doing any better; Hound didn’t get into much–he isn’t one to gossip. I have a feeling shit isn’t good between Nitro and Danika, and I feel partially responsible for it. A slight pang hits me in the chest when I don’t see her. I don’t know why I thought she’d be here. The way I treated her. I shake my head. Yeah, that girl wants nothing to do with me.

“Shit has been fucked, brother. Nitro is…” Axel says, pulling up a barstool. My eyes look over at him. He shifts and leans back into the bar. “I heard about everything that went down when I returned from the run.” He shakes his head. “Nitro is fucked up over it. Dani has been his world, but shit between them ain’t good.” He lets his words hang. I know what he means. Danika has always been his light; she’s soft, kind hearted, and no one would ever believe she’d hurt a fly. To find out that she ignored her sister's pain makes Nitro and all of us see her differently. Axel takes another pull of his beer, looking forward. “Nitro has been trying to rectify the woman he loves with the woman she is. He’s been staying here, and she’s been staying at their place with Daria. Ain't nobody seen or heard from the girl.”

“Dalia.”

“What?” He looks at me, confused

“Not the girl, Dalia. Her name is Dalia.”

“Yeah, well, congrats on getting your shit handled, and glad the crazy bitch and her fucked up brother are getting what they deserve. Glad to have you back, even if you brought a world of shit with you.” He chuckles. I grunt in response.

We sit silently, both in our heads, and a commotion at the front of the room draws our attention. Without second-guessing, we make our way over to see what is happening.

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