Page 74 of When It Reins
I race to my car and jump in, some miracle allowing me to get the key in the ignition, and not too soon either, because Ben comes out of the house, saying something I can’t hear. As carefully as I can, I pull out onto the road.
My mind races as I drive, thinking over the timeline of when this started to happen to when Mitch started to seem like he was more interested in me.
I went to the club and asked him to tell me the truth, and he wouldn’t do it. That’s when I decided to get an answer for myself. That’s when I came to the neighborhood and met Rosemary for the first time.
After that, he told me to stay away. I had no idea Rosemary was the one who ratted me out and got that information to Mitch. I feel like everyone was orchestrating something behind my back.
Then, he was protective of me when David decided to act crazy at the ranch. And then he came and got me from the studio, claiming Felicity was too busy to take me home, and he took me to his cabin and made me dinner and…has hardly left my side since.
My heart pounds in my chest as realization hits me. Has all of this been a lie? Has it all started because his club demanded that he stick with me until this was all over?
Something hits my cheek, and I wipe it away, realizing that I’ve now started to cry. I pull over on a long stretch of quiet road and let my emotions come. Mitch was doing what he always does, protecting others.
He did it for his family, for his brothers. He does it for his club, and now he’s done it for me because he was asked to.
How could I not realize this? For two years, he refused me. He told me with every action that he wasn’t interested in being with me. I point-blank asked him out, and he still said no.
I don’t know why I didn’t realize it at the time, but I guess I was so wrapped up in wanting his love that I just forgot to question why, all of a sudden, he was interested in being with me.
I feel like a fool. A complete and total fool.
Then, the thought of not being with him just makes me cry all over again because I do love him. Whether his love is real or not isn’t really the point. Mine is.
I wipe my eyes and moan. “Oh my god. I’m such an idiot!”
I hit my steering wheel in frustration, and my phone pings with a text. AnAre you okay?message pops up on the screen, and I shake my head, refusing to answer.
He probably got a call from his buddy, Loki, who told him what happened. I doubt he would understand why I would take off after something like that, or maybe he’s worried that I’ll, I don’t know, fire him from the bar or something.
That’s unnecessary, considering I am likely going to be very part-time there once I start recording.
I feel my heart squeeze tightly in my chest, and I try to breathe deeply. I’m due at the bar now, but for the first timesince we opened, I am going to do something I’ve never done before.
Lie to my sisters.
Not feeling great. Is it cool if I take the night off?
Of course, if there were an emergency, I would go in. But right now, I just want to go home and cry for a while and let myself realize and absorb the feelings of absolute heartbreak.
33
mitch
The long stretchof road that leads from the Wyoming mountains through to the Colorado ones is in almost complete solitude. The sound of our bikes is disturbing to what is likely a very serene scene that surrounds us.
Atlas and I ride our bikes in front of the van that one of the other members of the club drives, carrying our brand-new haul that we went to Wyoming for in the first place.
And instead of enjoying the nice, quiet drive back home, my mind is running through every scenario of what I am about to come home to.
An hour before we were set to leave, Loki had called and let me know that he may have said something to upset Juniper. I was pissed the minute her name left his mouth, and though I am a lower-ranking member of the club, I let the fucker have it.
Surprisingly, he took it on the chin and told me he fucked up even saying anything to her and was upset with himself for letting her run out of his mother’s house crying.
Of course, all of that would have likely surprised Juniper. She probably hadn’t pieced together the fact that Loki is actually Rosemary’s son, and like an idiot, I didn’t think to mention it.
Strike one.
Then he said something about the club having mekeep an eye on her.
