Page 41 of Tormented By Regret

I yanked the bottle away from him and leaned forward. “How ‘bout you say that a little louder, I don’t think her brother heard you across the room?”

“I said…” he shouted, and I gripped his vest, I yanked him back down into the seat.

“Stop fucking around,” I uttered.

“Okay, okay. I’m sorry,” he stated, raising his hands in surrender. “But it is kind of obvious. The more you ignore her, the more obvious it becomes.”

"If Macabre or her father finds out something happened between us, you won’t have a brother come morning.”

“Relax. Macabre won’t do anything to you. Spectre…well, he may skin you alive.”

“Thanks for that reassurance,” I grunted, taking a swig of the beer,

“But hey, he’d have to get through Jameson and Tick Tock first, so you’ve got that advantage.”

“I’m so fucking screwed.”

“I wouldn’t put it that way. But it doesn’t matter how much you avoid her, it’s written all over her face, And I guarantee I’m not the only one who’s noticed.” He signaled at Tick Tock across the room, who merely shook his head at me.

“Fuck my life. Does everybody know?” I asked, searching the room.

“Nah, just Tick Tock and me. Although it won’t take long for people to start talking, especially when the ladies are involved. He raised a glass at the group of women who sat at a table in the middle of the bar.

The clubhouse was full tonight. We'd been celebrating Sadie's birthday and several of the members’ Ol’ Ladies were in attendance. They were all in good spirits, jokes and laughter echoed through the clubhouse, and music filled the space. The members were all out for a good time and even Jameson, with Sadie under his arm, looked happy.

“You need to talk to the girl. Breaks my heart to see her looking at you that way,” Goshawk muttered, stealing my bottle again.

I tried swiping it from him, but he held it out of reach as he guzzled the remaining contents.

“Dammit Trevor.”

“You're in love,” he smirked. “Never thought I’d see the day that would happen.”

“Don't be ridiculous. I don't fall in love.”

“Could have fooled me.”

I sat back, sighing. “I need to keep a clear head with everything that’s happened. Especially with Lucy’s death. My brain fogs up when I’m near Whisper and I can’t protect her that way.”

“Your brain’s gonna fog up no matter what. We all are keeping a close eye on her, there’s no need for you to become a martyr, or turn her into one.”

“I’ll figure it out.” I glanced her way, noticing the new tattoo that she had inked on her arm. It was a black raven perched among the curve of the black and red roses that lined her arm. It didn’t do her beauty justice, but I knew it was a step towards healing for her.

Goshawk interrupted my thoughts. “Then figure it out and get your shit together, bro. But I'll give you a piece of advice. This life is fucking lonely, and it gets worse the older you get. Trust me when I tell ya’, you don’t want to let a girl like that pass you by.”

He set the empty bottle down in front of me and slid out of the chair, patting my shoulder as he went to join the crowd.

From the other side of the bar, I locked eyes with Whisper. It had been two whole days since we arrived in New Orleans. Two long days since we’d had a real moment together. Her lips were set in a slight pout, telling me she wasn't exactly enjoying herself. Against my better judgment, I decided to go over and see if I could change that.

As I made my way through the crowd, it felt like navigating through a maze of heavy unspoken emotions. The air grew thick with this feeling of hope that lingered between us. Each step brought me closer to her, and it was as if time slowed down for us.

Closing the distance between us, I couldn’t help but notice the subtle changes in her demeanor. The tension in her shoulders eased ever so slightly, her lips parting in a silent invitation. It was as if she had been waiting for this moment as eagerly as I was. When I finally reached her side, the rest of the world seemed to fade into the background. The other women around her seemed to sense our need for privacy and they dispersed pretty quickly, leaving us alone.

“You gotta stop looking at me like that, baby girl.” I lowered my voice so only she could hear me.

“Like what,” she asked, a quiver in her tone.

The weight of her gaze was heated, heavy with unspoken truths, mixed with our secret desires.

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