Page 43 of Spider

“Look, I just wanted you to know that. In another life, maybe we could have been something, but I won’t be the reason to end your friendship. I won’t destroy that,” she states firmly. She looks up at me with such sadness in her eyes.

Everything inside of me wants to hold and comfort her, but I don’t. “You had better go,” I force myself to say.

She bites down on her bottom lip and nods. “Yeah,” she sighs. She turns slightly as if she’s walking back to the truck, but she suddenly turns back around and launches herself at me, crashing her mouth down on mine and slinging her arms around my neck. Instinctively, my arms wrap around her, holding her close to my body as I kiss her back.

She breaks the kiss, tears stinging her eyes as she smiles a sad smile. “Goodbye, Spider,” she whispers, stepping back.

I loosen my hold on her and let her go. “It’s Luca,” I state, telling her my real name.

Her eyes are warm and as she smiles at me, tears are dancing in her eyes. “Goodbye, Luca.”

I watch as she gets in the truck and drives away, feeling like she’d carved a chunk out of me as she left.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

NOVA

I sniff,trying my best to wipe my tears away. “There are some tissues in the glove compartment,” Star says, pointing.

I nod and take one out. “Sorry.” I sniff.

Star frowns at me. “What in the hell have you got to be sorry for?” she snaps. “You can’t help who you fall for. All of them know this. Hell, look at Cash and Maggie. Them two getting together could have caused an all out war,” she sighs. “Then there was Hawk and Josie. Ghost told him not to mess around with the nanny, and what did he do?” she asks. “He fucked her senseless.” She tuts, answering her own question. “And Beast and Belle, well that’s another example. She was a crime boss’s daughter. He was an alliance to the club and a friend of Ghost’s, but Beast was adamant from day one that she was going to be his,” she adds. “Maybe if Spider had declared it openly from the first day, been honest rather than fuck you in secret, things may have been different,” she suggests.

“It was hardly a secret. Hawk found my underwear within 20 minutes of us screwing,” I point out.

Star laughs. “Oh, yeah.” She sighs. “We will find a way. I always find a way around their stupid rules, and this one ain’t no different,” she promises.

I turn my head and look out the window at the dark night sky. I wish I had as much optimism as she did. It runs deeper than just rules. It was the way Acid would have continued to beat him if he wasn’t stopped, and that Spider would have allowed him to do that. It shows how deeply they believe this so called rule.

Star pulls the truck over right next to a house. “Here we are,” she sighs as she looks out the window. “You don’t have to stay here, you know. You were perfectly fine at the club. You wouldn’t have any more issues,” she adds.

I nod. “I know, but with me there, it’s just a constant reminder. Maybe if I’m not there, Acid will bury the hatchet quicker and him and Spider will be okay,” I state.

Star sighs. “If it’s what you want, but you know you can’t leave this place without one of us being with you. Ghost is going to lose his shit at me for this anyway, but I don’t want anything happening to you either,” she asserts.

“I promise, I won’t go anywhere. And thanks for paying for it. I will pay you back as soon as I can get baking again,” I promise, feeling awful that I have had to ask this of her.

She waves it off like it’s nothing. “Don’t worry, it’s fine. Who knows? It could teach them a lesson to not act like neanderthals all the time,” she says with a roll of her eyes. “Come on, I will help you in with the bags,” she offers as she gets out of the truck.

Stopping at the front door, Star unlocks the door and walks in, switching on a light as she goes. I follow closely behind her. “Oh, this is cute,” she beams, looking around the small living space. We dump the bags and continue to look around. It has a nice kitchen and the upstairs has one bedroom and one bathroom. “I might permanently hire this place just so I have somewhere to escape to when Ghost is being a pain in my ass,” she sighs.

I laugh. “You mean Enzo, right?” I ask.

Star shakes her head no. “I get breaks from mom duties enough, and my little man couldn’t do anything to piss me off. His father on the other hand knows exactly how to piss me off, but then he also knows how to give a good apology fuck.” She smirks. “Anyhoo! I better get back before Ghost has an almighty shit fit.” As soon as those words have left her mouth, her cell starts ringing. “Oh, speak of the devil,” she says, looking down at the screen. “Hello?” she answers, placing him on speakerphone and speaking like she doesn’t know who is on the phone.

“Where the fuck are you?” Ghost growls down the phone. Star holds her phone out in front of her and lifts her index finger to her lips, signalling me to keep quiet. I nod.

“I was just helping Nova settle into her new place,” Star answers.

“What the fuck do you mean, ‘settle in’? She’s staying at the club,” he snaps back.

“She doesn’t want to stay there because of the situation. So, I helped her find somewhere she can stay for a while. It’s safe, there is an alarm, and she isn’t going to leave without a member of the club with her,” Star explains.

Ghost sighs loudly. “Woman, why have you always got to get involved in this shit?” he asks.

“Because I do. Now, will you be awake when I get home?” Star asks.

“You know I won’t sleep until I know you’re safe beside me in our bed,” he states.

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