Page 31 of Shame

She kissed me.

That never goddamn happens. I mean, not with someone like her. Sure, I got the clubwhores all over me, trying to shove their tongues down my throat every chance they get. ‘Course they wanna be with the VP of the club, though they’ll take anything they can get as long as they’re “included.” Most of them know I don’t play that way anymore, but it doesn’t stop them from trying.

But Cora leaned all the way in to kiss me, and when I felt her lips on mine, I nearly exploded it felt so goddamn good. It felt right. Sounds cheesy as fuck, I know, but it’s true. Kissing her, being at her house, eating dinner with her family, it’s all the shit I’ve been missing.

Mama died when I was eleven, and life for us changed. Snapper took it real hard. Pops got stricter with us being a part of the club. I think he didn’t know where else to turn, so he went to what he knew. Club life was always our life, but Mama made sure we had a good home life, too. She kept it more separate than Pops did, but not as separate as it is now. Snapper and I both got patched in the day we turned eighteen and Pops had neverbeen more proud. This is what our life is, and I’m cool with that. But knowing there is more out there? Feeling all those nostalgic memories come up? I want more of it.

There are only a few tables taken when I step inside the diner, the bar completely empty. Smells the same way it always does—like greasy food and coffee. There’s one waitress I don’t recognize talking to some customers at a table. I look around for Cora, knowing she’s here. She told me she was working today. But also, I already knew that.

As I move closer to the bar that’s just ahead of the door, I get a flash of dark in the kitchen through the food window. I smile, knowing immediately it’s Cora, until I get a better look and see Norman fucking Haltman, the prick manager, pointing in her face like she’s a dog. Now there’s no way in fuck I’m gonna stand for that. We don’t disrespect women in this town, and we definitely don’t disrespectmywoman.

With a growl, I drop the flowers into the bar and push through the kitchen door, knowing I have no business being back here, but I have every bit of business being back here if some diner manager piece of shit is going to be disrespecting my girl like that.

I take care of this town, protect the people from douchebags like this, and some bullshit rule aboutemployees onlyain’t gonna stop me.

Christian, the guy on the grill who’s worked here for fucking ever, widens his eyes when he sees me. He ain’t scared for me or himself, though. He’s scared for Norman—as he should be.

Christian’s family goes way back in this town, though most of them have passed. Everyone knows of the Carmichaels, though. We’ve got statues all over to make sure people remember. Christian keeps to himself most of the time. Now and then he’ll come to community events, but usually only leaves his house to work or stop at the grocery store. He’s the guy you go to when you want info because he’s always got it but will never tell you how he got it. I respect that. Bringing his attention back to the food he’s grilling, he smirks.

“Why the fuck are you talking to her like that?” I spit out when I reach the piece of shit screaming at my girl.

Norman scowls at me, looking like he can’t figure out why the fuck I’m back here. He isn’t much taller than Cora, maybe three inches. The fucker is way smaller than me, meaning I could break his bones pretty damn easily. I’m tempted to do it too. Let’s see how badly he wants to point in my girl’s face with broken fingers.

Cora’s eyes widen almost as much as Christian’s did, but she looks more surprised than worried.

“You don’t belong back here,” Norman growls.

“This is my goddamn town, and I’ll go where the fuck I want.” I take a step closer to him. “Now tell me why the fuck you’re yelling at her like that.”

He looks up at me, and I’ll give it to him. Guy’s got balls. Doesn’t even look scared. That just makes him stupid, though. If he thinks I won’t fuck him up, he’s dead wrong.

“I wasn’t yelling,” he says. Okay, hewasn’tyelling, but hewasbeing a dick. “Work business isn’t your business, biker boy.”

Biker boy?Biker boy?Is he fucking joking?

I jab him in the chest with my finger, causing him to frown.

“That’s my girl, meaning it is my goddamn business.” I take another step closer to him. Cora takes a step back so I can move directly in front of Norman, who stumbles back. “Now you can tell me why the fuck you think you can talk to her like that, or I can see how well your grill works by smashing your face into it. You pick.”

There’s a gasp. Sounds feminine. Likely Cora.

I warned her club life isn’t always pretty, and well, she kissed me. If she’s gonna pursue something with me, which I sure as fuck hope she does, it’s best she sees all the ugly shit up front.

Okay, maybe notallof it. I don’t need to let her know I’ve killed a guy or two—or ten—but she should at least see some of what I do. Get a little taste. Just to make sure she’s cool with it. I mean, she has to be cool with it. How else is this going to work? Even if it’s just friends, I won’t lie to her about what I do. This is my life; this is how I am. I will kill for the people I care about it. That’s it. It’s very black and white for me.

“If you don’t get out of this kitchen within the next three seconds, I’ll call the sheriff,” Norman threatens, voice steady.

I bark out a laugh, throwing my head back. The sound echoes around the small kitchen, and I bet everyone heard it out in the dining room.

“Go ahead, Haltman. Please call Dunner. Have him and Shaw come down here. We’ll have a good old meeting. See how well that goes for you.”

Norman grits his teeth, his skin flushing an angry purple. He’s some douchebag prick who has no ties to this town. Doesn’t even live here. No idea how he got this job, considering everyone in this town likes to keep things in the family. But something about Norman marrying into Daisy’s family or some bullshit. His wife died, yet he got all her stuff? Took all the money and moved to the city. Yet he drives his ass here to manage this place? Something’s up with that.

I lift my hand, shoving my finger inhisface. Finally he flinches.

“If I ever, and I meanever, see you talking to her, or anyone else for that matter, but especially her, with anything other than the utmost respect—“ I grip his face, squishing it into a fish face, and I watch as his hands ball into fists as if he’s going to punch me. Man, I wish this fucker would. It’s been a while since I laid anyone out, and he’s the perfect target. “They’ll be using your dental records to identify your body. Do we have an understanding?”

Anger blazes in his eyes, but he doesn’t say anything. Doesn’t do anything to let me know he understands. So I squeeze him tighter until he whimpers.

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