Page 21 of Slayin Villain (Royal Bastards MC: Nashville, TN #11)

Ember

I didn’t plan to walk into Royal Road with a baby in my belly and a storm in my chest. But that’s exactly what I did.

The place still reeked of fire pits and spilled blood from the patch-over and the fall out. There were cigarette burns on the picnic tables and bloody handprints still staining one of the doors. Wild few nights. And yet somehow, my world had gone even wilder since.

Villain hadn’t called.

Rome was circling again like a dog who’d forgotten he chewed through the leash.

And Rachel? She was here.

I found her in the back hallway near the girls’ bathroom. Her red hair caught the hallway light like a warning flare. She turned at the sound of my boots and froze, like she’d been waiting for this.

So had I.

"Rachel," I said.

She crossed her arms under her chest. “Ember.”

We stood in silence for a beat, just breathing, just measuring. I thought she might slap me. I thought I might let her. But what happened instead was worse.

She looked tired.

Not club girl tired. Not I’ve-been-partying-for-days tired.

Tired of loving a man who only gives pieces of himself away while keeping his whole heart locked up tight.

“I don’t wanna fight,” I said first.

Rachel let out a bitter laugh. “Then what the hell are you doing here?” She wiped away a tear.

I stepped forward. “I needed to say something. Not about Villain. About me.”

Her brow lifted. “Alright then. Say it.”

“You know. I’m pregnant. Could be Rome’s,” I admitted. “But it might be Villain’s. I won’t know until I know.”

She nodded slowly, wet eyes darkening.

My throat went dry.

“I’m not here to claim him,” I whispered.

“I was stupid. Thought playing pretend would keep me from feeling something real. Thought using Villain to make Rome jealous wouldn’t leave marks.

But fuck, that’s a fuckin’ lie, too. I knew it would hurt you.

I thought, hell, if he didn’t care, why should I. ”

Rachel gritted her teeth. She looked like she wanted to kill me. “You thought how can Villain love someone like me, right?”

I teared up myself. “Maybe. But actually, I was jealous. That he wanted you when no one wanted me. Truth is, I thought maybe I was better than you. But I’m not.”

“And now?” Rachel asked, running a hand under her weeping eye.

“Now, I’m confused.” I leaned against the wall across from her, arms folded. “I’m not here to fight you. I’m not even sure I want him.”

Her voice cracked just a little. “Then what do you want?”

“I want to raise a kid who knows what love looks like. I want a man who chooses me when no one’s watching. I want peace. Fuckin’ quiet peace.”

Rachel’s hand went to her stomach like she was protecting something fragile. “Me too.”

I looked at her. Really looked. She was fierce and beautiful, with her curves and tattoos and fire-engine hair. But under that? She was just a woman like me. Scared. Strong. Torn.

“I don’t think he knows how to choose,” she said.

“Then we have to stop letting him think he can have us both,” I replied.

She stared at me, something shifting behind her eyes. “You serious?”

I nodded. “Dead.”

We stood there like some kind of broken mirror. Different shapes. Same pain.

“I’m not walking away,” she said. “Not unless it’s the right thing.”

“Me neither,” I said. “But I’m not raising a baby in limbo while he fucks his way through confusion.”

Rachel tilted her head. “Then I guess we’re agreed.”

“Yeah.”

Just then, the heavy door to church slammed somewhere in the clubhouse. Voices echoed, Villain’s among them. My pulse kicked up.

I turned to walk away, but Rachel called after me. “Ember.”

I looked back.

“Thank you. For not making this uglier than it already is.”

I nodded. “We’ve both got enough ugly to deal with.”

I didn’t go far. Just far enough to find Villain and Rome standing in the gravel lot near the fire pit. The flames had long since died out, but the heat remained.

“I’m done,” I said loud enough to catch both their attention.

Villain turned first. “What?”

Rome looked like he’d been ready to follow me earlier, but now I made him freeze.

“I’m not yours, Rome. You only want me when someone else does.”

He opened his mouth, but I raised a hand.

“And you?” I looked at Villain. “You keep saying nothing matters, but I’m carrying something that says otherwise.”

He swallowed hard.

I stepped between them.

“I’m not a sweetbutt. I’m not a secret. I’m not some placeholder until you get your shit straight. I’m pregnant. I’m scared. And I’m done waiting for either of you to grow up.”

Villain reached for me. “Ember…”

I backed up. “No. Don’t call my name unless you mean it.”

Rome tried to speak, but I shook my head.

“You want me? You show up. You pick me. You fight for me. Otherwise, don’t say a damn word.”

And then I walked.

My boots crunching gravel. My chest aching. But for the first time in weeks, I felt power in every step.

Not because I won.

But because I finally knew I deserved better than the war, they’d made me fight alone.