Page 29 of Viper
We can’t come back from all this, can we?
He winces then admits, “Randy mentioned she told him as she was walking out the door, so he couldn’t talk to her about it last night. He’s really worried, brother. She’s not eating right and has lost weight. She’s faking her smiles, faking being happy that he can see right through, something I’m guessing you could as well. Brother, she’s not who she used to be, and Randy mentioned that if we help her, he’ll stay at the garage.”
So many emotions run through me as he speaks.
Fear.
Concern.
Sorrow.
Heartbreak.
But it’s the last one my body focuses on, anger, and I can’t even stop myself as I snap, “Oh, by giving her my patch?!”
“Fuck’s sake,” Blade snaps, “that is not what he meant, and you know it, Jaylen! She fucking hates the club, has since way before you two met, and deep in your heart, you know this. She had a label put on her the day she was fucking born, and if Randy had known about said label, he would have left years ago.”
I swallow hard and look away.
“She’s not a fucking patch chaser, and the sooner you get your head around that, the sooner you two may be able to come back from this, and I get my brother back again!” he finishes, but I just ignore him.
This is why I need to leave.
I instantly took the anger route and accused her yet again of wanting my cut.
I need to try to clear my head.
My childhood has shaped me into who I am, and trying to change from that, it isn’t easy.
The brotherhood is something I’ve always put first, loyalty always to them, but I’m also fucked up in the head where womenare concerned because of them, all my generation are. I never fucked a clubwhore because they want a cut badly, trying to trap a brother.
How can I ignore years of being told not to trust women? That Cherri’s daughter will be exactly like them?
Fuck, she got Viking killed!
Brick didn’t just take his cut, he killed him from something she said.
“She needs you right now, Jaylen, that is why Randy came to me. She needs you, otherwise she’ll drown and fuck, Ivy spoke to me before I left to come here,” Blade states, and I lock eyes with him as he admits, “The little girl she tried to save… Her mama is suing her for three hundred thousand dollars.”
My eyes widen, and I snap, “What the fuck?!”
He nods, “Yeah, and she didn’t even tell Ivy, Callum did, her partner. She’s cutting everyone out of her life, and she’s slowly drowning without you.”
I shake my head and turn around, trying to breathe as my chest tightens and I admit, “She called a lot after she lost the little girl… I ignored every call.”
Guilt builds inside me.
Ignoring the calls was the right thing to do, I know this. Our relationship has turned toxic. Every time we’re in each other’s presence, nothing but burning anger settles between us, and we end up arguing, saying nasty shit, but it doesn’t stop the guilt.
“Do you love her, brother? Because how you’re reacting, it doesn’t seem like it, if anything, it seems like you don’t,” he tries to taunt to get a rise outta me, but it doesn’t work. Instead, I walk over to my bag and root through it before I find my phone, ignoring Blade.
I wake my phone, ignoring the photos of Lake, I bring up Venom’s number, hoping he’s not causing shit with Raya and answers as I press on his name and put the phone to my ear.Breathing heavy, pissed that a woman would go after someone who tried to save their child.
We may no longer be together, I may believe she’s using me for my cut because my head's fucked up, but she’s still the love of my fucking life who was doing her job.
“Already found the information you need, brother,” Venom answers instantly, “She got herself into debt with the Hyenas before her child was hit and thought suing your girl would get her what she needs, so she doesn’t share a grave site with her daughter.”
Mother fucker.
