Page 74 of Wolf

“Is it true?” I roared with a volume that put Wolf’s voice to shame as Ash’s body stood toattention.

Her sunglasses were still on her face, but I knew her eyes were taking me in, taking apart every hint of emotion and body language that were no doubt clear as day. I saw the moment she understood, the moment when her face went from shock to pity. Hers and Wolf’s like two sides ofacoin.

“Myfather—”

“I couldn’t give a fucking damn who your father is, Ash!” I snapped, lunging for her as I managed to grab a fistful of her tank, my nails scratching across her skin, making her hiss with pain and causing blood to bead. I smashed my face against hers, our foreheads cracking with the force and her sunglasses creaking as the plastic frame fought not to splinter. “I want to know,” I growled, my voice so low and deadlier than I had ever heard in my life, my throat burning as it scraped its way from the depth of my chest, “if you said Wolf could hand you over if he got the fuckingchance?”

Ash only paused for a single breath before she answered. “It’strue.”

The crack of my knuckles smashing against her face filledtheroom.

Ash went staggering back, her hands covering her nose that no doubt broke on impact, spewing blood down her face as she fell to the floor. But I wasn’t done, and I lunged for her, a devastating, painful wave of emotion, that took the form of a terrifying rage that Icouldn’tstop.

“After everything!” I screeched, her now broken glasses falling from her face, fractures of the lenses buried in my fist. Clouded, gray eyes shot toward me, the sight of them only a fuel for my rage as her cold, broken voice from those years ago filledmyears.

Isshedead?

“After all the running! The fear! After everything he did to you! You want to throw it all away!” My voice broke as the sound began to disappear, the dryness of my throat preventing me from hurling all the pain breaking inside my chest. “I wasfucking stabbedfor you! I almostdiedfor you! I riskedeverything!”

Ash’s face contorted in pain as the tears that welled up and fell down her cheeks, mixing with the blood and mucus dripping down her chin, were no doubt burning her sensitive eyes, but even so, she didn’t sob, or whimper. She didn’t make a singlesound.

She just shook her head at me, and without any regret, she breathed, “I can’t anymore.I’mdone.”

“Done?” my hoarse voice repeated, unsure I heard her correctly. “You’redone?”

“Yeah,” Ash said, holding her nose, her lips tightening, eyes glaring, as if stubbornly trying to force her tears to stop. They didn’t stop. “I’mdone.”

“Fine.”

And it was like the storm was over. All the energy, the anger, the pain. It just...stopped.

Silence rang in my ears as I took one last look at her, her withering, pathetic, limp body looking up at me, shakingherhead.

“You know what, Ash,” I said, staring at her as her empty, fogged eyes looked up to me, ready for me to give her the final blow that would no doubt crush our relationship for good. Waiting for that goodbye. Those words that would tell her I would lethergo.

She deserved thesatisfaction.

“Iloveyou.”

And that, I could see, clear as day, broke herheart.

And mine alongwithit.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Wolf

As a president,I knew my shoulders would bear the responsibility of protecting my club. Before myself, before the ones I loved, before anything, it was truly and simply club before all. That was the duty I chose to dedicatemyselfto.

It was the duty I honored with the highest pride, the duty I would dirty my hands to protect. I carried the flame from Roscoe, who had done exactlythesame.

It was why Kay’s words had hurt me deeply. I knew I must have glorified Roscoe’s legacy, and Kay had managed to tear it down. I always remembered Roscoe being willing to come to your aid when you needed it, was attentive and devoted to the club, to the point he always noticed trouble in you before you could even notice it yourself. He was also always there when youneededit.

Because he was neverathome.

Being a good president ruined him for his wife andfamily.

If Kay had said that to me three years ago, I would have been disappointed, because three years ago, I wasn’t even thinking of a family beyond mybrothers.

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