Page 22 of Skully’s Property (Savage Knights MC: NW Chapter #2)

Skully

H er laugh trickles through the room, and I turn my head, seeing my girl dancing with Dagger. The jealousy instantly takes hold. A wildfire of pain blazing right through. She’s smiling so wide. Her eyes so full of happiness.

He dips her back and she smiles even brighter, looking up at him like he’s a fucking king.

Her cheeks turning pink from whatever he’s saying to her.

And I can only fucking imagine what’s coming from his smooth-talking lips when she’s looking as tasty as she does.

All dolled up. Every curve hugged by that tight dress she’s got on.

Her tits pushed up, about to spill over her neckline.

When he brings her back up, he lifts her from the ground and spins her around, showing off how fucking strong he is.

I can’t fucking watch this shit anymore.

I turn my chair and roll my ass over to the bar to get myself a drink.

All night she’s been off dancing and having a good time.

And until this moment, I hadn’t noted the fact that she’s been ignoring me. She’s barely spent two minutes with me.

I’d been distracted by the guys. Each one coming over and asking if I’ll give them a tattoo like the one I gave Ripper.

Each one talking my ear off like they haven’t seen me for over a year.

Which some of them haven’t. But now that I’m not distracted, I realize the only one who hasn’t wanted my attention is Madison.

Why would she when she’s getting it from my brothers?

“Hand me a cold one, Cage.”

He gives me a look like he doesn’t want to serve me.

I don’t need the fucking judgement in his eyes.

Everyone else has a drink in their hand.

After all, it’s a fucking celebration, isn’t it?

Razor and his girl are getting married tomorrow.

He’s going to walk down that aisle with the woman of his dreams and then climb onto his bike and ride off into the sunset. Love is fucking in the air.

For everyone else it sure fucking is. Meanwhile, the girl I’m in love with is off twirling around and flirting with the real men in the room. Leaving her crippled boyfriend to sit in the corner because it’s not like he can dance with her.

He hands me a beer and I chug down nearly half the bottle, knowing beer ain’t gonna do shit to numb the pain. I need the hard stuff for that, but Cage will judge me further.

“Thought you’d given up drinking?” says the girl who all of a sudden finally gives a shit about what I’m doing.

“Ain’t none of your business, is it?” I bring the bottle to my mouth, watching her eyes fill with disappointment as I chug down the rest of its contents.

I finish it off with a satisfied sigh. “You want to get me another?” I can hear the ice in my voice and see it casting a chill over her face.

Her tiny frame is tensing and her eyes are turning darker. That happiness chilled right over.

“What’s going on, Skully?” She moves in closer and now there’s concern in her eyes.

The only thing I’m looking for is love from the girl, but that’s not the look she gives me.

Lust, desire—see that every night. But I want the look she gave me back when we first got together.

I want her looking at me like I’m a fucking king.

Giving me the look she was just giving Dagger. But I’m never going to have that, am I?

“Nothin’. You should get on back out there.” I tip my head to the dance floor. “Go find Dagger again.”

Her lips turn down and those aqua eyes are scrutinizing me, trying to get inside my head. She doesn’t need to think too hard to figure it out. No man wants to see his woman dancing and making eyes with another man.

“Are you jealous, Skully? Is that why you’re acting like this?”

“Jealous?” I let out a harsh laugh, forcing the wind out of my lungs. “Nah, doll. I ain’t jealous. You should go on and have fun with anyone you want to. It’s a free fucking country.”

She shifts in her heels, moving in closer, her hands reaching for the armrests of my chair as she bends down.

“I promise you, Skully…” Her voice has dropped into a soft purr, a whisper of seduction.

“You are the only man I want to have fun with.” She runs her fingers over my crotch, but I grip her hand and stop her.

“Don’t want you touching me anymore.”

She jerks back at my near shout, and now her eyes are filled with rejection. Sadness is creeping around the edges. And the darkness that had been gone for weeks is slowly invading, trying to swallow my every thought.

“Please come to the room with me, Skully. Please don’t push me away.”

I ain’t pushing her away. She was never mine to begin with.

I’ve been fooling myself this entire time.

Thinking that because she was sleeping with me at night, fucking me whenever she got a taste for sex, she was mine.

But she hasn’t told me she loves me. And I’m starting to think it’s because she doesn’t.

But I can’t blame her for that one. It takes a hell of a lot more than a big dick to make someone happy.

“You don’t take a hint, do you?” I grit the words, feeling the hate building within. The hate towards the injustice. Hate for what I’ve become. “Told you to stay the fuck away from me.” That way she won’t get hurt.

Her hand goes up, pressing against the left side of her chest, shaking her head, and there’s a new look in her eyes. One filled with so much pain it slices me wide open. She turns and runs out the door and I can barely breathe.

“Looks like you could use this, brother.” Razor steps up, holding out a beer for me. I snatch it from him and chug it back. Again, it does nothing to numb the pain.

“You want to tell me why you’re givin’ that girl hell?”

Because I’m a fucking bastard. That’s why.

“Don’t want a pity fuck.”

“You gotta quit thinkin’ that all people see is that damn chair. Maddy still sees the man you are inside, brother. That girl is still in love with you.”

It’s really fucking hard to believe. And after everything I’ve put her through, I don’t deserve her love.

“She can do better. I’m just some crippled shit who can’t give her the life she deserves. Don’t need to keep playin’ house and pretend like that ain’t the truth. She needs to go live her life.”

“Do you know what Rubble would say if he were here?” Him saying our brother’s name hits me harder with guilt.

“He’d be knocking your two front teeth out, telling you to quit your pity party and start living.

He’d tell you to get off your stubborn ass and go chase that hot little number down before it’s too late. ”

That he fucking would. Rubble thought the world of Madison. Told her she was good for me. He’d be rolling over in his grave if he saw the look I just put on her face.

“If not for us, do it for him, Skull. If you want to go to therapy, I’ll take you.

If you want to look into getting prosthetics, we’ll pay any amount to get you the best damn doctor there is.

All you got to do is say the word, brother.

We’re all here for you. And all of us feel so damn lucky we get to see your grumpy ass every day. ”

“It’s damn good to have you back, Razor.

” After losing Rubble, it was hard losing him too.

“And you’re right. Rubble would kick my ass.

But some days, I wish I were lying right beside him, keepin’ him company.

” I hate that he’s alone. “But you know why I never pull the trigger? Because I know he would kick my ass in my grave and tell me what a pussy I was for givin’ up.

Don’t want to talk to no shrink. But I’m not opposed to speaking with a doc. ”

I’ve been researching for weeks. It’s about time I got off my ass and finally bit the bullet.

“We’re gonna find you the best damn doctor there is and get you running marathons.”

My brow cocks up. Does he know who the fuck he’s speaking to? I ain’t a runner. Hate the fucking sport.

“You want to pull the gun and shoot me now?” I tease, and the laugh that bellows out of him is a damn good sound.

“What’s so funny?”

I turn my head to the sound of a sweet voice.

His girl Kensy has joined us. She’s a good seed.

Back when I’d first met the girl, I knew she was perfect for him.

But his stupid ass went off and made some shit decisions and they lost eight years together.

Finally, he got his shit together and went after her.

And now, they’re going to be married tomorrow.

If I don’t get my act together, that could be me. I already lost a year with my girl because of my stupid fucking mistakes. Another seven would fucking kill me.

I look toward the door Maddy ran out of, wishing like hell I could go after her, but I can’t fucking drive, and I’m not pulling any of the men away from the celebration to help me clean up another fucking mess I’ve made.

I’m just gonna have to wait. This is where she lives, so she’ll be back.

And when she does, I’m going to be groveling for forgiveness.

Apologize for everything I’ve said and done.

I’m going to make sure she knows exactly how I feel. How much I fucking love that woman.

Only…she doesn’t come back. Not that night. Not the next. She doesn’t show for the wedding. Doesn’t show for work on Monday. And as every minute passes, my hell grows more excruciating.