Page 29 of Skully's Property

Skully

Anoise next door jolts me out of the fog that had taken me under. I drop my paintbrush and rush out, my heart already racing a mile a minute. She’s back. Finally. I’ve been so fucking desperate to talk to her, to tell her how fucking sorry I am, I haven’t been able to breathe. But when I roll into her room, I’m crushed with disappointment. It’s not her. It’s Ripper. And he’s boxing up her things.

“Why are you packing her shit?”

His head turns and I’ve never seen such anger in his eyes.

“Because you finally broke her. She’s leaving. Quit her job and asked me if I could bring her her things.”She’s leaving?“Now, I gotta figure out how to replace her genius ass. No one, not even Rubble could do the shit she did. But it’s not even that.” He turns to face me head on. “It’s the fact that she gave us our brother back. You were fucking happy, man. Haven’t seen you smile that big in a long damn time. Why couldn’t you fucking seeit? Why can’t you realize that it’s okay to ask for fucking help? We don’t always have to do shit ourselves. It doesn’t make us less of a man. It doesn’t make us weak to depend on others. To need people. And as much as you think this is all one-sided, that girl needed you just as much. She was a shell of herself when she first arrived. But her confidence grew and so did the brightness in her eyes. She was fucking happy. And that’s because she was in love. In love with a man that she deems more than worthy. But after the way you treated her, I’m starting to think she’s worthy of better.”

He turns back around and continues to put her belongings into a box.

“Don’t,” I snap. “You’re not packing her shit. I’m not letting my girl go anywhere.”

His head slowly turns, those eyes peering in closer.

“I need you to take me to her, Ripper. Now.”

There’s a flare in his eyes, and finally he’s not looking at me with so much disgust.

“’Bout fucking time.”

He’s right. I should’ve done this ages ago. I should’ve rolled out that door and gone after her. Chased her down and told her I love her. I should’ve called her or bled my heart in a text. I should’ve never let her go in the first place. But I was a fucking coward. Letting myself sink instead of swim. I’m fucking done being the victim. I’m alive, and it’s about damn time I start living. But that life isn’t going to be without my girl.

As soon aswe pull up to the motel, I turn a glare on Ripper.

“Who the fuck let her stay in this place? She could’ve gotten her ass hurt.”

A pretty girl coming in and out of a motel room for all of the bastards to see. They could’ve busted her door down and raped her.

“The girl is stubborn. Tried to put her up at the fancy hotel in town, but she refused my offer, spoutin’ how this was perfectly fine. So, I put two of the prospects on watch. They’ve been staked out around the clock.”

And damn if I don’t feel like a fucking sack of shit. My brothers have been protecting my woman when it should’ve been me. I owe this man my life.

“Thank you, Ripper. Not just for lookin’ out for my girl, but thank you for puttin’ up with my ass. For fighting for me when I couldn’t get out of my own damn way. It wasn’t just her that brought me back to life, it was you. You and Razor, Link and King, all of them. You’ve all been there for me, and I will never forget that.”

“Shit, man.” He shakes his head. “I’d fight for you until my last fucking breath. You’re a good man, Skully. And I don’t just call you my brother because of the patch we both share. I call you a brother because you’re my family. I love you, man. And I’m here for you.” He gives my shoulder a squeeze, and I’m caught with my emotion, wiping the damn tears from my eyes. “Now, are you ready to go inside and get your girl?”

Fingers fucking crossed I’m not too late.

22

Madison

“Yo, Mads! It’s Ripper.” He pounds on the door, and I almost don’t want to answer. This is it. He’s here to give me my things. And then…it’s time for me to leave. I don’t even know where I’m going to go. Or what I’m going to do when I get there. All I know is I can’t stay here.

I wipe my eyes, but it’s useless. I’ve been crying for days. My entire face is red and swollen. I open the door with my head tucked down so he doesn’t see my hideous face. But it’s not him standing before me. It’s Skully.

The tears burst out of me as soon as I see him. It’s all too much. All the pain is crashing in at once.

“Baby, no.” He pushes forward and reaches for me. I’m pulled onto his lap, hurting too much to fight it. I have no strength. The floodgates of pain are open. When his arms wraparound me, holding me close, the tears fall faster. The pain digging deeper.

“God, baby. I’m so fucking sorry. I never meant to hurt you. Please don’t cry, Maddy baby. It’s breaking me.”

I’m the one who feels broken. I tried so hard to fight for him, to fight for us, but I lost. And I can’t do it anymore. My heart isn’t strong enough.

“Baby, there’s a lot I need to say, and I’m hoping you’ll give me a chance to explain before you make up your mind.” Make up my mind. What am I making up my mind about? He’s the one that closed me out. He’s the one who told me to leave. “Shit. I’ve never been good with words. I don’t want to fuck this up.”

It’s then that I hear the nervousness in his voice. He’s practically shaking beneath me. I lift my head and it’s in his eyes too. Fear. It has me frozen. I don’t understand what has him so afraid.

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