Page 64 of Truths

“Nelson. I need to talk to you and Max.” Both of them freeze. “Please.”

Thepleasecomes out through clenched teeth, and his tone tells both of them how serious whatever the situation at hand is. Max made sure to lock the door after the Kingsmen hit two houses earlier tonight, and she worries something happened to someone in the club.

Daphne climbs off of Max and slips into her robe while Max jumps into his boxers and jeans. Once they're both covered, she opens the door to find his skin a ghastly ashen color.

“What's wrong?” she asks, her pulse quickening.

Max stands in a stance that shows he's ready to fight if need be, but his face wears a similar look of confusion when he catches sight of his brother. “Nelson?”

“I'm sorry to interrupt, but I need to talk to someone who... knows me,” Nelson says, and if Daphne didn't know him better, she'd think this conversation pained him. Instead, she suspects something happened, and she feels uneasy. “Can I sit?”

“Yes,” Daphne says, her eyes staring into his. “You're scaring me, Nelson. What happened?”

“Sutton and I are on the outs, right?”

Nodding, she swallows. “Yeah.”

“Part of the reason for that is because I snapped at her when she got after me for being pissed about the two of you together. I told her to talk to me when she stops fucking me as a distraction. It pushed her to meet her real dad, and he's a piece of shit.”

“Oh, Nelson,” she mutters. “You didn't.”

“That's not the worst of it. I was at the clubhouse when Cannon got a call from Sutton. She was screaming and crying. That asshole basically broke into her apartment, and she had to lock herself in her bathroom while he stabbed the bathroom door with a goddamned knife. He trashed the entire place, and Cannon, Venom, and I had to break down the door to get into the apartment.”

Max grabs his shirt and kutte, slipping them both on. “Where's the fucker? You need help burying the body?”

Daphne looks at Max, and she knows without a doubt she can't hold back how she feels about him now. She loves this man because of his unwavering loyalty. Even though he decided to hook up with his brother's ex, he's still ready to jump into action when his brother needs help. Their being at odds doesn't mean a thing in a situation like this.

“No, Venom and I took care of him while Cannon stayed with Sutton to calm her down.”

“She okay?”

“I've never seen someone that scared before. She should never be that scared, and I can't get it out of my head. It's like it'splaying on a loop, and I wish the asshole hadn't gone so quick. I liked Venom's idea better than how Cannon took care of him, even if it was bloody as hell.”

The look on his face tells Daphne everything she needs to know. “Go to her, Nelson.”

Shaking his head, he looks at the ground. “She told me she's done with me. That we don't fit because I'm a fucking asshole, my words, not hers, and she's probably right.”

Her eyes look at Max, who looks just as surprised at Nelson's accountability. This man will use anything and everything to get out of owning up to his mistakes.

“What do you need from us?” Max asks him.

“I need... I need to know what to do,” Nelson admits. His eyes stay looking at the ground, and he just shakes his head. “I know I've been a jerk, but you both know me. One of you a little more intimately than the other, but you know me.”

The growl from Max makes Daphne chuckle as she takes Nelson's hand, forcing him to look up. “You know why it bothers you, don't you?”

“That you two are screwing each other's brains out? Yeah, kind of.”

She levels him with a stare. “First of all, you know it's more than that with Max and me. But I'm talking about Sutton. About why her being so scared bothers you so much.”

“If I knew that, I probably wouldn't be here interrupting the sex I know you were having.”

“It bothers you because seeing someone you care about in pain hurts you. You love her, Nelson.”

“No, I don't,” he says, his head snapping up to look into her eyes now. “No, I don't.”

“Don't fucking lie to me. But more importantly, don't lie to yourself. You love Sutton.”

He shakes his head and stands. “I knew this was a mistake.”

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