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“So then what’s the problem?”
“She’s going behind my back, and I don’t believe her.”
Quickly glancing at Priest, Shane purses his lips, scratching his jaw.
“Then stay away from her. I agree with Damon. You’re going to end up hating yourself for what you’re doing to her eventually.”
“I’m not doing anything-“
“Yeah, you are,” Priest argues. “And when you give yourself a second to think about it, you’ll see that you’re the asshole in this situation.”
I open my mouth to argue with that, but both Shane’s and my phone buzz. Pulling mine out, I curse under my breath.
Another family meeting, this one at Gabe’s.
“What’s going on this time?”
Shane shakes his head. “It probably has something to do with Ivy. At least it will keep you busy tonight and away from Emily.”
My jaw tics as I side-eye him.
“The fuck ever. I don’t hear any of you bitching out Tanner or Gabe about what they’ve been doing to Luca and Ivy. Everybody is apparently of the opinion that I’m the bad guy.”
“Because you are,” Shane says as he pushes away from the wall. Slapping his hand against my shoulder, he grins. “But it’s fine. You’ve always been a pain in the ass and the bad guy. One of these days you’ll pull your head out of your ass and see it.”
All of them.
I’m going to punch all of them if they don’t shut their yapping mouths.
Shane must know what I’m thinking because he only smiles and sighs.
“It is what it is, Ezra. I’m glad you and Damon have agreed to avoid Emily. Just make likeFrozenand let it go.”
“Maybe if you put on a pretty blue dress and tell me that again while singing and dancing, I’ll think about it. Also, let me record that shit so I can use it against you later when you’re bent out of shape over a woman.”
“Won’t happen,” he says with a wink. “I’m not a dumbass like the rest of you.”
Tilting his head at my bike, he tosses the mechanic’s rag down.
“Take the bike to Gabe’s and leave your Jeep here. Let me know if there are any problems with it.”
“Yeah, I’ll let you know.”
With that conversation over, I say goodbye to Priest and walk the bike out of the garage. Once outside, I straddle it and pull my helmet on.
I’m irritated as hell that nobody can see this situation from my perspective, and as I haul ass out of the parking lot, I weave through traffic wanting nothing more than to hit an open road and take off.
Still, as I get more annoyed with the constant stop and go of the cars in front of me, I can’t help but clench my jaw at the thought that Damon had to protect Emily from me, that the consensus has me pegged as an abusive jerk.
Just like Emily said at the cabin.
Just like Williammademe.
Kicking into a higher gear and weaving around the cars, I ignore the pissed off honks, and drive up the shoulder of the road to break free of the traffic jam.
I finally make it to a clear road, open up the engine and lean down to go as fast as I can.
Fuck them all if that’s what they think.