Page 61 of Sweet Pea

“You’ll die inside if you don’t start thinking about yourself for once.”

Minus was right. I clearly had some personal shit to work on, but I still didn’t see how dragging Callie into any of it would be good for her.

* * *

Callie

I hadn’t heard fromSweet Pea for almost two days and I was beginning to freak out. Was he ghosting me? We’d had three weeks of mind-blowing sex and change the world kind of conversations, so I thought we were solidifying something beautiful here.

My phone buzzed and Sweet Pea’s name popped up on the screen. I answered immediately. “Hi. Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Just been a shitty past few days.”

“Well, I can make it better. Just say the word,” I offered.

“Yeah, ah, I think we should talk.”

“Fuck,” I breathed out. “Why?”

“Just really think it would be a good idea.”

“If you’re dumping me, do it over the phone like a normal human,” I snapped. “Don’t do it somewhere I’ll be mortified.”

“Callie, I’m sorry. This just isn’t working.”

“Next you’ll say, ‘It isn’t you, it’s me,’” I said sadly.

“I wouldn’t insult your intelligence, even if it’s true.”

“Fine, whatever, Charles. Have a nice fucking life.”

I hung up, closed and locked my office door, and dissolved in a puddle of tears on my office sofa. I gave myself exactly twenty-five minutes to be sad, and then I stood up, opened my makeup drawer, and reapplied my ‘face.’

Fuck Sweet Pea and the bike he rode in on.

* * *

Sweet Pea

I knew it was for thebest that I hit the brakes on this thing with Callie, but I still felt like shit about our conversation. I told myself, over and over that she was an amazing woman and deserved a life with a man who was better than me, but the mere thought of her with someone else twisted my guts in a knot. Despite what Minus, Clutch, and even my brother had to say, I had to walk away before either of us got in any deeper, even though it was the last thing I wanted to do.

Since I couldn’t work on the Triumph until Doozer got back, I closed the shop and went for a ride to cool off and clear my head.

I arrived back at the Sanctuary at sunset. Massive clouds painted with vibrant streaks of pink and orange filled the winter skies as the sun said its final goodbye for the day. Kitty was stationed at the guard tower and opened the gate as soon as I pulled up. I parked my bike and made my way inside.

I walked into the Sanctuary to find it empty. Socks was on guard duty in the great hall and appeared to be the only one around.

“Hey, Socks. Where is everyone?”

“Minus is in his office,” he replied. “Clutch and most of the guys are watching the UFC fight down in the basement, a couple of others rode out a few hours ago. Your brother’s somewhere, probably fuckin’ Devlin.”

“What the fuck about me makes you think I’d want to think of my brother’s sex life?”

Socks shrugged.

“No issues tonight?” I asked.

“Not so far.”

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