“Want me to go downstairs and cut out her tongue? Slit her throat? Dump her body in a well somewhere?”
I shake my head. “This isn’t funny.”
“You see me laughing?”
“Be honest with me. Did you fuck her today?”
“No.”
I glance past him at the bed. The crumpled sheets don’t tell me anything, but the condom wrapper sure as hell does. “Liar,” I whisper. I step around him. “This look like nothing to you?” I snatch the wrapper and hold it up in his face.
Link knocks it out of my hand. “I don’t know where the fuck that came from. The crazy cunt musta put it there to set me up. You said you had a text.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “You swear on Connor’s life you didn’t fuck her?”
“Yeah. One thousand percent. Only time anything happened was what you saw. If I fucked her, I’d tell you. I may be a bastard, but I’ve never lied to you. That’s a check you cash.”
“Maybe so. I can’t look at you without hating you. I want to rip out your heart.”
“Want to get me back? Tit for tat. Go find you someone to fuck to make us even.”
“Maybe.”
“Fuck around and find out how far that’ll take you.”
“Would serve you right. Only unlike you I’ve kept my vows.”
“I said I was sorry.”
“Sorry?” I scoff. “You’re sorry doesn’t mean shit to me. I don’t care what you do, but I’m leaving.”
“That’s right walk away and ignore me. Pretend your shit doesn’t stink. You’re so damn perfect.”
“I’m not doing this. I’m going to see Jules and then I’m picking Connor up.”
“Guess I’ll see you at home, babe.”
“Oh fuck you.”
Link smirks at me. “Already did that. Can still taste your pussy.” He licks his lips and moans.
Jackass.
I grimace. “You sure it’s mine?”
His face falls, and he jerks as though I physically dealt the low blow.
I leave him where he stands. I slam the door to his room, and he doesn’t try to stop me. I asked for space so why does it hurt that he’s not chasing after me?
I quit the clubhouse not seeing Danika anywhere. Maybe she was trying to start some shit but none of it looked good. I don’t know what to believe. The whole situation with my husband has my head all fucked up. My heart too. I don’t think Link is playing games.
I don’t think my man is playing me.
I drive to Jules, thankful that I have my sister close by, knowing she’ll always have my back. I’ve always been the strong one who doesn’t sugarcoat the bullshit. Now I need her to pick up the shattered pieces of my life.
I’m the fixer.
I don’t know how to fix this. Me. Link. Our marriage.
Do I expect too much?
I don’t think so.
**
“I never thought Link would do something like that.” Jules shakes her head and shoves a couple of seedless green grapes in her mouth.
“Join the club.”
“How are you really? Don’t give me that I’m a badass bullshit.”
“Honestly, I don’t know. Part of me hates him. But the other half of me knows that despite the bad I still love him. He hurt me. I don’t know how to come back from it. How to move past it. Because if I forgive him it’s as though I’m saying it’s acceptable behavior. I’m not that woman.”
“You’re handling it better than I imagined you would.”
“I busted her face up pretty damn good.” I smirk, recalling how good it felt to ram that bitch’s head into the wall.
“She deserves worse for that damn text message and condom bit.”
“You think it was all a setup?”
“Don’t you?”
I shrug. Roane, my brother-in-law comes from the kitchen and hands me a beer. “Thanks.”
“Want my take?”
“Depends on if you’re just gonna have your brother’s back on this or if you’ll be straight with me.”
Roane drops onto the loveseat next to Jules, curling an arm around her shoulder. He takes a hard drink. “Link’s a fool, and I say that freely ‘cause I’d say it to his face. He fucked up. Knows he did. If he wanted to fuck around on you, he wouldn’t sneak around. I’ve known him a long time. I tell you this as someone who has been fucked around on. You know my ex-wife was a lousy cunt. Link may have physically cheated, but I guarantee to you that wound he inflicted would bleed a helluva a lot deeper had there been emotions involved.”
“You think there’s a difference in cheating?”
“I do,” he tells me and Jules nods as though she agrees.
“Would you have taken her back?”
“My situation was different.”
“How do you figure?”
“She didn’t love me and deep down I didn’t love her either. You and Link can find your way back. Give it time. You know we talk a lot. He didn’t come right out and say it in so many words, but the man thought you didn’t need him. Didn’t want him anymore. You were so busy being up in everyone else’s business you neglected your own. That’s real talk, Pam. I’m telling you this shit because I love you both. You belong together.”
“I’m not so sure about that.”
“Where’s Connor?”
“Zoe has him. I should probably go pick him up.”
“You’ve been drinking, and you’re still upset. You’re staying here. I’m ordering a pizza. We’ll have a sister’s night. Roane can handle Jasper on his own.”
“Guess that’s our cue to get lost, little man.” Roane finishes his beer and picks his son up from where he was sitting on a blanket in the middle of the floor with his toys.
Chapter Seven
After a shower, I head downstairs to rummage in the kitchen for something to eat. I’d eat at home but fuck, I’d be scared of Pam attempting to poison my ass with the opinion she has of me currently. Gotta admit it was hot watching her go after Danika like that. Always known my woman is a wildcat. Seeing her jealous streak gives me hope that there’s a real chance for us to come out the other side of this bullshit.
I root around in the fridge getting out the meat, cheese, and condiments to make a sandwich. Not the warm home cooked meal I hoped to find waiting on me when I arrived home after weeks on the road doing a security detail on a run for weapon delivery for Birds of Hell. They sometimes get their ammo from a retired Vet in the area who repairs guns and shit. I drop my load onto the counter and search for the bread.
The kitchen door swings open. Danika slugs through it holding a frozen bag of corn to her bloodied nose. Damn. Pam really fucked her face up. She’s already bruising around her eyes. I ignore her presence and continue preparing my sandwich, slathering mayo and mustard on both inner sides of the bread.
“I think my nose is broken.”
“What did you think would happen? Played with fire and you got burned. Best thing for you to do is take your ass off the property and never come back. Next time you pull some stupid shit with an Old Lady you might not walk away.”