Page 20 of Piston

“I-I uh, haven’t…” she stutters, and I snort as he cuts her off, “Then I suggest you leave club property. The doors only open to outsiders on party nights, which you are well aware of. You no longer work for us, so your extras are gone.”

Her face reddens, but he ignores it and looks at me with a raised brow, and I raise my hands up in my defense. “I was just having a beer when she approached me from behind two minutes ago.”

Katie growls just as a prospect grabs her arm and drags her away, but I ignore her as Canine narrows his eyes, watching me for a moment. He nods once and reminds me, “Alright, fine. Tonight’s family night, Piston.”

I groan, dropping my head a little. I managed to miss last month’s because I volunteered to go on the club run to Texas, swapping transport vans with the Devil’s van, which was full of ammo, and catching up with Sniper, their Road Captain. I also missed those few hours I’d usually spend with Natalie.

I just needed a fucking break from everyone trying to tell me their thoughts on my marriage, and a break from looking into my wife’s eyes without feeling betrayed and hurt that she did this to us, that she forced me into something I’ve always been dead set against.

Fuck, we both knew we were falling, but we continued doing what we were doing because we both knew it couldn’t go any further, but she made sure it did.

A small part of me, the fucking smallest, is happy to have her tied to me, but the rational part knows my father’s blood runs through me, and that I’m a potential danger to her.

“Alright,” I sigh. “I’ll meet you at Gran's; I’m sure she’ll want some yard work done before dinner anyway,” I say in defeat.

Finding out we had a blood uncle was a shock, but the fact our grandmother was still kicking killed; years we missed with her….

Fucking Dad!

I stand, grabbing my keys, when he clears his throat, and I frown. He gives me a sheepish look, and I brace myself, but his words still knock me for loop.

“Hol and Gran want Natalie there as well,” he admits, and I grit my teeth.

Two years and I’ve managed to keep her away from family night, to keep her from affiliating herself with club life, from my family. Two fucking years….

“Eli,” he tries, but I shake my head, glaring his way.

I snap, "She trapped me!”

He winces. “Or you think she did. Three years you two were together. Why would she wait to trap you until just before you ended things?”

It’s the same question I always get—hell, it’s the same question I always ask myself—but I'm not willing to find out the truth because I don’t plan on staying married to her anyway.

I growl, “Not you, too,” feeling so very fucking alone.

He winces at my hurt and says, “I’m sorry, kid.”

I shake my head, and he pats my shoulder. “Go grab your wife, yeah? Because I can guarantee, if you show up without her, there will be hell to pay, and you know it.”

I nod, knowing he’s right. Aunt Holly tried hitting me with her stick when she heard I got married and she wasn’t invited.

Silently cursing, I turn and head to the front door.

I’ve tried to keep contact with Natalie low, but it’s hard because I realized this past month that Steal was right. I am butt hurt over her trapping me because I fucking fell for her.

She owns me, yet she betrayed me.

Shaking my head, I climb on my bike and start her up, taking a deep breath.

Three years to go, then we’ll both be set free. She’ll get a big lump sum, and then we’ll go our separate ways.

To try and move on….

It only takes me a few minutes to arrive at the apartment complex, but I frown when I don’t see her car.

It's four in the afternoon, and she doesn’t work Thursdays, so where in the fuck is she?

With questions running through my head about where the fuck my wife is and, more importantly, with who, I walk toward the ground floor apartment, unlocking it, only to pause at the sight before me.

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