Page 104 of Clash

Gina pulled out her phone, dialing her sister’s private number. It rang a few times before her sister finally picked up. “Hey, Cadence! How are you?” There was a long pause, and you could hear someone’s voice on the other line. “This will only take a second, you’ll never believe this…”

But before Gina could get out another word, the line went dead.

“That’s odd,” Gina exclaimed, staring at her phone. When she tried texting and calling the number back, it went straight to voicemail.

“What did she say?”

“It was just strange. She said she couldn’t talk right now, and then oddly called me Angela.”

Wasp straightened beside me. “Angela?

“Yeah, weird, huh?” Gina worried her mouth, but it was the strange look in Wasp’s eye that had me on edge. Something was up.

“Gina, maybe we should go to Vegas and tell your sister in person?”

Gina’s face lit up. “Really?”

“Yeah, we need a bit of a break, and the drive shouldn’t be too bad, maybe a good two-day drive. Plus, you haven’t seen her in a while.”

“I’d like that, Clash.” She embraced me in a hug. “Thank you,” she murmured. “I don’t know what I do without you.”

“Let me just let Snyder know what’s up and we can head out tomorrow.”

“Okay, baby.”

God, I loved when she called me baby.

I started to walk over towards where Snyder and Shasta were being congratulated by the others, but I felt a strong hand come down on my arm.

“I wanna go with you,” Wasp demanded.

“Why?”

“You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into. I think she’s in trouble, Clash. So, please. Let me come with you. Don’t go alone.”

“Okay, okay. You can come. But I swear if you piss me off in any way, I’m sending your ass back here, with them…” I threatened motioning to Shasta and Snyder.

“Fuck that shit. I’ll be on my best behavior.”

“It’s Vegas, Wasp. No one’s on their best behavior.”

He laughed. “Then I’ll do my best to not get fucking arrested or fucked by a disease infested hooker.”

“That’s my boy!” I exclaimed, patting him on the arm.

“But let’s not say anything to Gina. She’s been through so much, and I don’t want her to worry right now, especially if she’s pregnant.”

“I still can’t believe you knocked her up, dude. Now you’re forever tied to her.”

My gaze migrated over to where she and Alex were dancing to some music. There was a glow to them both I couldn’t quiteexplain—Alex’s was one of joy, but Gina, she had a glow that could light up a starless night sky.

“I’m okay with that, Wasp.”

Wasp smirked. “Well, unlike you, I’m not going to let some girl just waltz in my life and turn my life upside down. I did that once, and look where that got me.” He glared over in Shasta’s direction, but quickly shook it off, taking a swig of a beer he magically produced out of nowhere.

Clapping him on the back, I laughed. “Dude, it’s going to take a woman fluent in whips and chains to tie a brother like you down.”

Wasp grinned. “When you meet that woman, send her my fucking way. Until then, Brother,” he stated, handing me a beer. “Better you than me.”

We both took a drink, but unlike Wasp, I wasn’t dreading a future filled with babies and one woman. I was embracing it with open arms, thankful that fate had put me in that store that day, and brought me my own little family. Hopefully, one day soon, I’d forever make them mine. Until then, I was just happy for the ride, and the company of a beautiful woman who I didn’t have to blackmail into my bed, or pretend to love. Loving Gina just came naturally to me, as did falling in love with her adorable son, the one that brought us together with a dimpled smile, a strange admiration for bugs, and a pocket full of Skittles.

THE END!