Page 22 of Inglorious (Unwanted Bastards MC #1)

Inglorious

I swore something was going on between Nanci and Scythe.

Worse? I guessed something had happened because an unnatural ease existed between them.

Plus, Scythe’s eyes heated whenever he saw Nanci.

I bet everything I had that they’d fucked each other.

Nanci wasn’t one for being openly affectionate, especially around people not of my MC.

Yet, she let Scythe touch her when he wanted.

I barely held on to my temper as I drove back.

The way Scythe looked at Nanci kept replaying in my head, and my hands squeezed the steering wheel.

Nothing was stopping Scythe and Nanci from being together, but I fuckin’ hated that idea.

A possessiveness rose in me, totally aimed at Nanci.

That in itself was shocking. I’d only ever once considered Nanci as a sexual partner, and that had been the night she threw herself at me.

AA was teaching me not to lie to myself, and I couldn’t.

I was attracted to Nanci, but I also understood she was too young.

And Psych would have lynched me if I had made a move on her.

Refusing Nanci’s advances had been harder than anything I’d ever known…

before the war. Now, I’d welcome a genuine smile from her.

Nanci had given up her life to come here and resolve the issues I’d avoided.

That fact didn’t make me happy. Instead, I felt awful, and I suspected Nanci realised that.

My shame had been pretty public. All the allied MCs undoubtedly knew about my boozing, and that caused even more embarrassment for me.

I realised they were all waiting for me to break, to drown my sorrows again, but I refused to.

My strength had returned, and I would not fail.

Memories were to be cherished. The dark war ones had inhabited my mind for too long. Now it was the turn of those I’d loved.

Recollections such as the time Psych had swapped sugar for salt and Trip had literally tumbled down the stairs and landed on his feet with a bow.

Or the laughter and good-natured fights at cookouts.

Those were memories I wanted to recall. Not how they died.

Janet had told me I had to accept their passing, but asked why I needed to remember them in such detail?

Janet had wondered if there had been favourable memories and, if so, why wasn’t I focussing on them?

Those questions had made me pause and consider what Janet was saying.

I’d latched onto the deaths and allowed that to dictate how I honoured my brothers, and I’d failed them once more.

Everyone commented on how stubborn I’d been in the past; now I was reaching for that trait and holding on tight. No. More. Drink.

Nanci

I stared at the guy in front of me in disbelief. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

Raymond offered me a sickly smile. “You left Vegas, babe, without a word. What did you think I’d do?”

I glared at him in shock. “Raymond, we haven’t been together for over a year. Why on earth would I let you know I was leaving?”

“Bah. We were on a time-out,” Raymond responded, waving an airy hand.

“You mean a break? You fucked several whores behind my back. One of whom was a show dancer for me!” I snarled.

Raymond didn’t even flinch. “Babe, that’s just a man sowing his wild oats. You and I had something special.”

Surely, Raymond couldn’t be serious? He’d screwed at least four women unbeknownst to me, and those were the ones I knew about.

I studied him carefully, wondering what I’d seen in him.

Raymond was good-looking, but it was a false type of handsomeness.

His skin was fake tanned, his teeth whitened by a dentist, his eyes sparkled thanks to eye drops, and his hair had subtle highlights.

Sure, his bone structure was decent, and all the additions highlighted Raymond’s handsome looks, but it was false. Even his clothes were styled to show his muscles, and he dressed carefully. Hell, I bet Raymond admired his reflection in his shiny black shoes.

“Nanci?” Raymond asked as I stared at him.

“I’ve little patience for this bullshit. Raymond, go back to Vegas and leave me the fuck alone. There’s nothing between us, and hasn’t been for a while.”

“Don’t be like that. Nanci, you have no idea how shocked I was when I crossed paths with Isabelle, and she told me you had sold the school! You put everything into making that a success!”

“Shit happens, and goals change,” I replied.

“Nanci!” a voice called, and I turned to see Razor heading towards me. There was no expression on his face, but I sensed he was alert and on guard.

As he neared, I noted how much better he was looking now that he wasn’t shouldering everything.

Razor could concentrate on his health and leave everything to the rest of us.

He stopped level with me and stared at Raymond, who gazed back.

However, I saw the wariness in Raymond’s eyes even though his body remained at ease.

“Who’s this?” Razor asked.

“Name’s Raymond. I’m Nanci’s boyfriend,” Raymond said, and I became irritated—well, more than I already was.

“Bull. He’s my ex,” I retorted, and Raymond shook his head.

“Don’t be silly, Nanci, I’ve given you time to get over your hangups,” Raymond refuted.

“Expecting someone to be loyal, treat you with respect, and not cheat isn’t a hangup. It’s called having common decency,” I snapped.

Raymond offered a supercilious smile that made me grind my teeth.

“You cheated on our girl?” Razor sounded amused.

“Your girl?” Raymond queried.

“Yeah. Nanci belongs to the Unwanted Bastards. Hell, she’s our president. That makes you a chump for being the asshole who cheats,” Razor explained calmly.

A snort escaped me as Raymond gaped at Razor. “Oh, don’t tell me you haven’t fucked around. Look at you; you’re a biker.”

“Yup, I’ve had plenty of women—”

“See, don’t cast stones, my friend,” Raymond interrupted.

“—but only dated one at a time. And they realised exactly where they stood. Sounds to me you had your cake and tried to get the cream on top with it.”

I frowned. “You and your weird-ass sayings,” I said to Razor.

He shrugged. “Never aspired to be normal, Nanci. That’s just boring shit. Now, dude, the town isn’t open for tourists or guests, so move along.”

Raymond studied Razor for a few seconds and then dismissed him out of hand as unimportant. “Let’s go for lunch.”

“Are you kidding me?” I nearly shrieked.

“What’s going on?” Inglorious demanded, and I almost let rip with a string of curses.

“Inglorious, everything is—”

“Asshole here is Nanci’s ex, although he thinks they’re on a break,” Razor cut me off.

“How long you been on a break?” Inglorious asked, checking Raymond over, and distaste crossed his face.

“Over a year,” I replied when Inglorious waited me out.

“Well, shit. Dude, fuck off. That ain’t no break except a permanent one,” Inglorious stated with a chuckle.

“He cheated on Nanci,” Razor added, stirring the pot.

Inglorious’s eyes narrowed. “What type of idiotic motherfucker cheats on a woman like Nanci? What a prick. You had gold in your hand’s asshole, and you shit on it. Women such as Nanci don’t come along often, and when they do, you treat them like the precious things they are.”

Warmth swept through me at Inglorious’s words. Did he really see me like that?

“Don’t tell me how to handle my woman. What the fuck would you know?” Raymond snapped. He clearly didn’t enjoy being called out.

“Me? I understand a lot of shit you don’t.

Like how strong Nanci is, her capacity for forgiveness, and how kind she is.

Nanci bends but doesn’t break, and she’s got an inner strength that will carry her through life.

Nanci helps anyone and everyone and has a warped sense of humour.

She works hard and goes to bed happy, knowing she’s accomplished her goals.

I could continue, but you get the drift. ”

Raymond shifted uncomfortably. “Sounds to me like you want her.”

I was prepared for Inglorious to deny that.

Instead, he turned to me and held my eyes.

“If Nanci were mine, I’d worship the fuckin’ ground she walks on.

I’d break my back to ensure that every day she knew she was loved and cherished.

Nanci would never have to doubt my fidelity or my respect for her because I’d show her constantly. ”

My jaw dropped open at Inglorious’s words. I knew him like the back of my hand. Inglorious meant every single word he was saying. Sincerity poured from him as if the floodgates had been opened.

“Inglorious,” I muttered.

“Nanci is the sexiest woman I’ve ever set eyes on. How you could have cheated on her with some cheap slut is beyond me. You had the full package and threw it away,” Inglorious continued.

“One man’s trash is another’s treasure,” Razor stated and cocked his head.

“Yeah, that didn’t come out right,” I scolded as the meaning of his words sank in and he blushed.

“Sorry, Pres,” Razor muttered.

“You will be,” I promised and turned to Raymond. “I don’t believe this is about my leaving Vegas. What I do is no concern of yours. Why are you here?”

“Nanci, let’s go for lunch so we can talk. We had good times, didn’t we? These idiots are confusing you,” Raymond said, and I frowned.

“Is he gaslighting me?”

“Seems so to me,” Inglorious replied, his gaze narrowed.

“Raymond, just go away. I want nothing to do with you,” I stated, making shooing motions with my hands. For a brief instant, desperation and dislike flashed in Raymond’s eyes. That set me even more on guard: Raymond wasn’t here because he wanted me back. He wanted something from me.

“Babe, come on, we were special, you know? Let’s go talk and see if we can straighten this mess out,” Raymond urged.

“What mess? You cheated; you can’t take that back, and don’t give me the bullshit about men having needs. Loads of men have needs and don’t cheat! Get lost, you’re annoying me,” I stated and flapped my hands again.