Page 71 of Straight to Me

“Outlaw?” I shake my head.

“No, just, normal.”

“Unlike me.” He jokes half-heartedly.

“VP, is it my fault you missed church? I told you I would see the flat on my own. You didn’t have to miss anything for my sake.”

He sighs. “Mads, I’m not sure what Travis said, but I told you I want you with me, all the time.”

“How is that going to be possible? It’s not very realistic to be joined at the hip,” I tell him.

“It won’t always be, but I’ll do my best to make up for time we missed out on.”

I look his way to gauge his reaction when I say, “Travis said that’s why Rocco’s sending you to Australia.” His teeth bite down against each other, his temple twitching.

“Travis opened his big mouth when he shouldn’t.”

“He didn’t mean to. I asked him and he started answering before catching himself. Sorry, I was curious.”

“You don’t need to apologise for wanting to know more about me, it’s just... it's the long story, the one for another time.”

I nod, understanding that he isn’t ready to tell me yet.

He grips my leg again, stroking his thumb over my jeans. As we round a slight bend, I spot the red head from the clubhouse waiting for a bus. “Speaking about wanting to know more, what’s the story there?”

He clocks her, shaking his head as we drive by. “Do we have to?” he asks.

As we pass her, I can’t help but stare. “She’s clearly in love with you.” I’m teasing him, but he genuinely looks aggrieved.

“It’s nothing.”

“It’s something. Come on, tell me.”

“No,” he coughs, as I place my hand on his thigh.

“Travis said you’ve never brought a woman to the clubhouse, never introduced a woman to any of the guys.”

“Fucking Travis,” he half laughs.

“He also may have mentioned something about you crushing hard after leaving me down south.” I raise my eyebrows, smiling.

He crooks a smile at me before relenting. “Right, she and a few other girls were hired about five months ago—”

“—did you sleep with her?”

“Mads, please. My story,” he says, clearly liking the fact I sound jealous.

“Sorry.”

He takes my hand in his. “She and a few other girls were hired to clean, serve drinks, deal with the lads. That sort of thing.” How lovely for them. I’m sure he can feel my glaring at him with eyebrows raised because he pauses, considering his next words. “I fu...slept withher a few times,” he says shrugging his shoulders.

When I don’t say anything, he looks to me out the corner of his eye. “The club rode south to manage the Forgotten Tribe’s issue where I met you. When I came home, I didn’t touch her again. I couldn't think about touching anyone but you again.”

I relax, no longer holding my eyes fixed to his face. “Obviously because I’m a stud she wouldn’t take no for answer,” he jokes. “She tried calling and messaging daily. It was ridiculous. I couldn’t avoid seeing her altogether, but I didn’t encourage her. Anyway, you messaged me that night asking how I was and I was fucking buzzing that I’d heard from you. But I caught her with my phone not long after and she went mental. Said she was going to hurt herself if she couldn’t be mine. The only way I could convince her not to do anything stupid was to lie and tell her she meant something to me.”

I get why he said that to her, but when she finds out she’s being strung along, it will undoubtedly blow back on him. “You have to tell her the truth,” I say.

“I know. I will. One day. She’s just a bit, wobbly. If I get the timing wrong, that’s it.” I wonder how she felt seeing me with him tonight, or if she saw me in the van with him just now.

---