Page 24 of I Should Hate You-but I Don't

It was after eleven o'clock. She lifted her chin, knowing he wasn't going to attend business. He was going to drop in on his MC brothers. There were girls there that wouldn't ask anything from him. Girls that would do whatever he wanted. Girls that weren't her.

"Thanks for taking me to Taylor's and bringing me back." She hightailed it to the house before she broke down in tears.

Slamming the door, she walked up the stairs to her room and threw her backpack in the corner. Disappointed and angry, she ripped off her clothes and started the shower to wash tonight's regrets away.

Would life ever get easier for her?

Would there ever come a time when she got what she wanted?

God, she was tired. It was as if the universe kept trying to destroy her. She dashed away the tears that escaped, irritated that she couldn't push past the pain in the background, ruining everything.

She thought it would be easier once she became an adult, but it was even more complicated. It was a constant battle to get over her childhood traumas. Maybe the scars would never go away. Maybe she'd be lonely for the rest of her life, and the ache for Zane would never go away.

Chapter Ten

Zane

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Music rocked the clubhouse. Zane locked the office door behind him and settled behind the desk. Ignoring the computer, he opened the side drawer and extracted the file that he kept close at hand.

He'd poured over the same papers he'd collected on Kenna, River, and Tom Pruitt numerous times, always searching for some vital information he had previously missed. Something had to stand out, showing him where Kenna would go.

Kingsley couldn't stay away from the club for too long. He was needed here.

Two hours later, no closer to finding answers, he shoved the file back into the drawer and used the key to lock everything away.

Big John intercepted him as he left the office. "Been looking for you." Big John motioned him outside.

He stepped out into the night, lit a cigarette, and slapped Big John's arm, letting him know not to talk until Razz and Snake went inside.

The door shut. He turned to his vice president. "Go ahead."

"Sheriff Hampton walked into the bar tonight asking about you."

"How long ago?"

"Around nine, maybe nine-thirty." Big John handed him a business card. "He wants you to call him."

He pocketed the card. "Is everyone accounted for?"

It wouldn't be the first time a member from Gem Haven got caught by law enforcement and he had to bail them out of jail. Or worse, the Feds picked someone up.

"Yep."

He dipped his chin. "Then, I'll call him in the morning. Whatever he wants can wait."

"It could be about Prez, uh, your dad." Big John met his gaze. "You might want to give him a call now."

His dad could always take care of himself, but he was getting older. Life in prison required never letting your guard down, and sometimes, circumstances could keep his dad from defending himself.

"I'll call after I get home." He clasped Big John's hand. "Get some sleep. The rest of those assholes can party until morning."

He walked to his bike and rode home to make the call in private. Instead of going to the house, he went into the garage apartment. It seemed like days since he'd slept.

He sat on the couch, removed his pistol, removed his boots, and peeled his socks off his feet. Then, he stretched out.

It wasn't only his dad who he had to worry about. Kingsley was riding by himself. Anything could happen on the road, in a different territory, especially when his brother wore his patch.

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