Page 47 of Locke

“I mean, you’re not goin’ anywhere, Locke.” I let out a breath of relief. Dad isn’t making him leave the club over this.

“I did what I did, Prez. I should be out,” Locke tells him.

“I know what you did. We handled it. What I need is for you to get your head on straight and stop usin’, Locke. I need you a hundred percent,” he says. Locke nods his head. “The thing with you and Kiki,” Dad begins, but Locke finishes.

“Is over. I won’t touch her again, Prez. You have my word,” Locke promises him. My heart drops in my chest at his words.

“You liar!” I scream at him. Locke doesn’t even look my way. He keeps staring straight at my dad. “You told me things, Locke. You told me you cared about me!”

“I do goddamn it! I do fuckin’ care about you, Kiki, that’s why I’m doin’ this!”

“You can’t do this!” I cry now. My mom holds onto me as I sob and look to my dad for help.

“Listen,” Dad begins, but Locke cuts him off.

“I get it, brother.”

“Brother. That’s a strong word. It used to symbolize somethin’ to us. It meant a lot, too. That word can be broken, yeah?”

“I did what I did, Gunner. Am I ashamed of it? Fuck, yeah, I am. Can I take it back? No, I can’t. I fucked up.”

“I knew from the way she looked at you, and you looked at her that shit was headin’ somewhere. I could see it. I should have stopped it then.”

“This isn’t on you, Prez. It’s on me. and I can promise you this, there will be nothin’ else between me and Kiki.” That’s when I lose it.

Chapter 24

Locke

Hearing her cry is tearing me apart. All I want to do is grab her and hold her. I want to tell her that everything is going to be fine, but I can’t do that. I don’t know if everything is going to be fine.

“You can’t say that!” she cries out. Before I know it, she’s out of her chair and storming toward me. Her little fists are balled up at her sides before they’re slamming into me.

“You lied to me! You said you cared about me. You’re a liar!”

“Stop,” I say softly, but she just keeps on going. She keeps punching and shoving me, and all I can do is take it. I swallow hard before grabbing her wrists in my hands and yanking her against me.

“Don’t you get it? I do care about you. Fuck, I think I fuckin’ love you, Kiki. That’s why I’m doin’ this.”

“You told me things. You lied to me, Locke!” She cries harder. This hurts. Worse than I thought it would.

“I’m messed up, Kiki, but I never lied to you. I meant every goddamn word I said to you.”

“Then why are you doing this?” she cries harder. I look to Gunner for help but I don’t get any. He just steps back and lets this happen.

“Because I can’t be what you need. I wish to god I could, but I can’t.”

“Yes, you can! You just need to leave the pills and drugs alone, Locke.” I look to Gunner now, having enough of this. I’m losing it here. I’m about to break.

“Am I out?”

“No. I know guys like you, Locke. Good guys. You gotta get off that shit, though. That’s the only way you’re stayin’.” I nod my head and release Kiki. She comes back at me full force before Gunner grabs her. He nods at me once, letting me know I can go.

I turn and walk out the door, listening to her scream for me. For me. Of all fucking people. That’s when I lose it. I slam my fist into the wall and roar. How the hell am I going to do this?

“Come on,” Remy says as he grabs my arm and pulls me down the stairs. We stop at the bar and he passes me a drink.

“You okay?”

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