Page 100 of Choices

Fire churns in my gut the closer I get, the dim glow of a street light highlighting the grim sneer on his face. Before I open my mouth to say anything, he pushes off the bike to his full height and swings at me. I see it coming, but let it land. His fist catches me in the jaw and almost knocks me on my ass. I don’t defend myself, taking what he needs to deliver. Another fist connects with my cheekbone then my lip. My legs weaken, and my head swims, making me dizzy. I stumble, crashing to the gravel with a thud, and spit out a wad of blood, the metallic twang expanding over my tongue.

“Kitty?” he seethes, looming over me like the grim reaper.

We’ve bickered before, but he’s never hit me with malice. “I love her,” I defend, swiping my hand across my mouth. Adrenaline pumps through my veins, making my skin vibrate.

“What the fuck are you talking about? You love her? You’ve always said she’s like a sister to you.” Tension leaks off him like sweat.

“No,” I grit out. “You always say that—not me.” Catching the breath the fucker knocked out of me, I ask, “Who told you?”

“Does it fucking matter? It wasn’t fucking you.” He kicks up a plume of dust in my direction, his hands braced on his hips.

“I was going to do it tonight,” I confess, dabbing the cut on my lip with the pad of my thumb as blood pools in my mouth from the gash in my inner cheek.

“That’s convenient,” he snaps. Turning away from me, he shakes his head, raking a hand through his hair.

“I know you don’t think I’m good enough for her, but I’ll prove to you I am. I want to be.”

Spinning to face me once more, he screws up his nose. “Why the fuck would I think that? You’ve been my best fucking friend my entire life. I love you like a brother, you fucking idiot.”

“You’ve always said you’d never want her with any brother.” My brow furls.

“You’re not just any brother!” he shouts, the sound echoing across the silent sky as he paces, his boots biting into the gravel.

“You wouldn’t have an issue with her and me?” I ask in disbelief, ignoring the throbbing in my face telling me otherwise.

“My issue is the deceit, motherfucker. You know I’ve been worried about her, and this whole time, you’re the fucking reason. I should cut your heart out of your fucking chest.”

“It’s complicated. Everything with the Carnells and Claire and Pres…” I push myself up in an attempt to stand, swaying on my feet. The motherfucker has a fist like a sledgehammer. I’m surprised he didn’t knock a tooth loose.

“You should never have been with Claire. And Pres already fucking knows. He told me.” He drives the words out with anger, his hands animated. Things have never been the same between Pres and me since Claire, but to go tattling to Callan to cause conflict seems beneath him.

“Your old man doesn’t want me with her.” I make it clear. “He’s always warned me off.”

“He didn’t want me with Rogue either.” He snorts. “How long has this been going on?”

I steady my feet and shrug. “I’ve always loved her.”

“For fuck’s sake, how the hell have I missed this?” He throws his hand up at me.

“I’m sorry, brother. I tried not to want her, but my fucking chest feels empty without her.”

“Does she want this?” He comes to a stop, the tips of his boots touching mine. His pitch-black gaze homes in on me,dissecting me like I’m a stranger he’s trying to figure out. “Is she in love with you?”

“Yes,” I say confidently, looking him in the eyes.

“You know this changes everything, right?” He jerks his head, clenching his jaw.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, if shit turns bad with you two, I’ll have to break your legs, and Pres will strip you of your patch. He won’t play around when it comes to her.”

“It won’t come to that.”

“It better fucking not. If you do this, it better be the real fucking deal. This is Kitty we’re talking about.”

“I know. She’s it for me. It’s always been her.”

“Then you better get your shit straight—starting with your marital status.”

---