Page 71 of Piper's Pyro

“Maybe someday the timing will be right for us.” I didn’t want to end what we’d just started or ruin my chances for another shot down the road. But ruining people was what I did. I needed to go—now.

“No. I don’t see that happening. Have a safe trip.” She power walked toward the house and took all the air from my lungs with her.

I almost called her back and begged for forgiveness for everything I’d said and hadn’t meant, but the Uber driver honked, and the moment was lost.

I never intended to hurt her. Never meant to fall in love with a biker princess.

It had only been a week since I’d first seen her sitting at the bar and heard her siren song in the depth of my soul. Though I’d tried to fight the lure to her, I’d instantly fallen for her.

I couldn’t live up to her family’s expectations, couldn’t be an outlaw like them. Her brothers would never fully accept me as I was, an emotional and broken recovering addict and drummer.

She was perfect for me, but I was all wrong for Piper.

Goodbye, my biker princess.

23

Piper

“Which one of you assholes scared off Russell!” I yelled at the top of my lungs. My heart cracked and broke into a million pieces at the sound of the car driving off the property.

I waited and held my breath. I prayed to God, begging Him to make Russell stay. I wanted him to walk through the door and tell me he had made a mistake.

“What happened?” Momma rushed down the stairs.

I watched the door, willing it to open and Russell to appear.

It didn’t happen.

“Get your asses out here now!” I screamed, on the verge of tearing the whole fucking place to shred.

“Piper, honey, tell me what happened.” Momma put her arm around me. “Abe! Silas! Get. Out. Here!”

“What’s all the yelling about?” Dad asked.

“As if you don’t know. I know you had to be in on it.”

“In on what, Piper? Did something happen with Russell?” Momma asked.

“Yes. And it’s all their fault.” I pointed at my brothers. “I will never forgive you for sending him away.”

“We didn’t send him away. We offered him a job and an opportunity to prospect for the club,” Abe told me. “He left on his own, sweetheart.”

I shook my head, my vision blurring. “No.”

“Yes,” Silas said firmly. “I’m sorry, but he chose to leave you.”

“I don’t believe you. You did something. Said something. And I will never forgive you!” I ran upstairs to my room, slammed the door, and locked it. I threw myself on the bed and buried my face in his pillow.

I sobbed as I inhaled his scent.

My soul wailed with emptiness, his absence more than I could bear.

I didn’t want to be without him, but if he didn’t want to be with me, so be it. I would never beg for his love.

I hate you, Russell Cullen, for proving my brothers right.

Damn you.

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