“FINE!” Cherry shouts, her hands outstretched on either side.
“I’ll send Lip to get you some things. The club will be tight with everyone here, so you’ll be sharing a room with him.” Shadow smirks, knowing the position he’s putting me in. Fucker.
“Oh that’ll be-” Cherry nods sarcastically and bites her lip. “That’s just perfect,” she continues.
“Shadow, tomorrow find this ex-boyfriend; I want his every move. Report back as soon as you can and then we’ll make our move. We will get this figured out, Cherry.” She purses her lips and nods. “You can go now,” Bull directs.
Cherry shoves past me and leaves the room in a fit of anger. I sigh heavily and fall into the chair. My chest fucking hurts with an ache I’ve never experienced before.
“You all right, son?” Bull questions, and I nod.
“You love her?” Shadow questions. I shove my hands into my pockets, thinking about that question, not sure how to answer it, when my hands hit my gremlin bell. I pull it out, and look it over. The chrome of it is tarnished, but it still dings all the time. It fucking annoys me.
“You got thirty minutes, inmate,” the prison guard yelled before slamming the door. Cherry was wearing a white dress that went to her thighs, with white high heels. My dick instantly went rock-hard. I fucking wanted her, and badly. It’d been too long since my dick felt the wetness her pussy had to offer. I stepped up to her and grabbed her under the thighs, lifting her in the air. The smell of cherries and flowers wafted around me. I inhaled deeply. The smell was a scent of freedom, a scent that reminded me of my lies and sins to a woman who wanted nothing but my cold fucking heart. Why is she sticking around? Why does she care so much about me? I grit my teeth. Because I made her believe I was something I’m not. I close my eyes, and set her back down on her feet. Pulling my fingers away and distancing myself from her is almost as painful as looking her in the eye every day. She laughed, wrapping her arms around my neck.
“I got you something,” she whispered. My brows pulled together.
“You got me something?” I questioned. Her face lit up with a flush of pink as she pulled her fist out and opened it. It looked like some sorta bell in the shape of a skull.
“It’s a gremlin bell,” she informed.
I grabbed it, and it chimed.
“How did you get this in here?” I asked, looking it over.
“I have my ways.” She smiled, shrugged then smiled harder. “I used my puppy eyes and insured them you couldn’t kill anyone with it.” She laughed. “I saw it at the biker shop. It said it helps keeps evil spirits or gremlins from messing with your bike, and makes your travels safer.”
I trailed my eyes from the bell to her. Those gray eyes cutting me, slicing through my walls of shame and guilt. No matter how much of a piece of shit I feel, I just can’t seem to spit the words out that she’s a job.
“Nobody has ever given me anything before,” I muttered. Her face went still, and her lips parted.
“I love you, Lip,” she whispers. My balls sunk into the pit of my stomach and my chest constricted with an unfamiliar emotion. I grabbed her by the back of the head and pulled her into me, the smell of her flower shampoo strong. I closed my eyes and inhaled it, and kissed her forehead. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to tell her, because that will be the day she stops looking at me like I’m her world, her fucking man.
“LIP!” I tear my eyes from the bell to see Bull and Shadow both eyeballing me.
“What?” I mutter.
“Do you love her?” Shadow repeats. The question strikes my chest like lightning.
“I don’t know. Before, I would say no, but now I’m not sure.” I look back at the bell and rub the pad of my finger over it. “She’s grown on me,” I mumble.
“Lip, I think it’s in everyone’s best interest if you just back off. Leave her be. Just let her go, man,” Shadow suggests. My chest lifts with every fury-infused breath I take. My brows pull together and my jaw clenches.
“Let her be?” I question. Shadow gives me an off look before glancing at Bull, unsure. “You gave her to me, you put her in my fucking hands, and you fucking patched her in as MY property. That means she’s fucking mine.” I slam my fist on the table. “Mine! I will choose what I do with her. You won’t tell me to stay away from her.” I stand from the table, and knock my knuckles on the wood. “She’s my goddamn property,” I reaffirm, my voice deep and rough.
“It wasn’t my intention for you to go and fall in love with her, Lip,” Bull rasps, swiping his hands through his hair. My brows furrow, then widen. Realization that I may in fact love Cherry sends pain through my chest. Scowling, I point at Bull and Shadow. “Just…” I shake my head, thoughts of love and hate swirling through my fucking head. “Just stay out of it,” I mutter before leaving.
CHAPTER NINE
CHERRY