UnLove Me - The Angels Warriors MC Complete Trilogy Box Set (18 page)

I start preparing supper, when the front door opens and I hear the sound of running feet. “Hey, kids! In here,” I yell out.  Once everything was out of the bag, there really wasn’t a need for them to stay with Hilary anymore. I love that she was able to take care of them the way she did, but I missed my babies; I wanted them home. Jessica shares a room with Glenna, and Ethan has his own. Jessica wasn’t too happy about having to share with G-baby, but she has grown to love it.

“Hey, Edie!” Glenna says. She shoves straight past the kids and comes right for me to give me a hug.  G-baby is always so loving with me.

“Hey, Mom!” Jessica and Ethan yell. They all get a seat at the table. Ethan and Jessica are bumping elbows and arguing about personal space—siblings. I shake my head knowing that they will eventually stop.

“Hey, Edie! Angel took us out for ice cream! It was so good! I wanted to bring you back some, but everyone yelled at me,” Glenna says, frowning.

I laugh. “Is that so?” G-baby and her big mouth.

Ethan glares at Glenna. “You were told not to tell her!” I snicker on the inside. Ethan has taken to wanting to look just like his dad, and I gave in when he wanted to start wearing a leather jacket to school. He thinks he looks cool, and he does.

I notice Jasper come in behind the kids, and I stiffen. Ever since he learned the truth, things have been strained with us. Given the situation, I went back to working at the diner.  I had to give him his space, as much as it hurt to give in. I really wasn’t left with much of a choice. He will hardly talk to me, not unless it is for the kids.  He needs to see we were so much better together than we ever will be apart.

“Can we talk?” he asks. He won’t even look me in the eye.

I nod. “Kids, supper will be ready in about an hour. Get started on homework, okay.” I follow him out of the room. My palms are sweating; he still makes my heart hammer out of my chest.  He looks really good. Fatherhood looks nice on him. His beard is a little longer, and his hair has grown out more, but it suits him. I wish more than anything I could claim his lips right now without question, hesitation, or doubt.

“I’m doing another charity run this weekend. I have some of the club doing child protection duty in the next town over, so I need to be a part of this. I’m letting you know, because I won’t be able to have them this weekend,” he informs me. Jealousy spikes in me as I hope and pray he won’t be seeing another woman while he is away. He hasn’t mentioned having anyone. Lilly says she thinks he’s too focused on being a dad, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have needs—needs that he could be getting fulfilled by someone new.

“Okay, that’s fine,” I say, pausing slightly. “Are we ever gonna talk about this?” I ask him. This is killing me on the inside. When I made the choices I did, I never dreamed Jasper would ever know the sacrifices I made. I just wish he could see things from my side. I gave him a second chance; I didn’t question him or his choices. Why can’t he give me the same consideration? We could be a family right now if he’d just let me in.

His jaw flexes, and he swallows hard. “Nothing to talk about. You kept them from me all this time. Not only that, when I asked you a few weeks back if you ever wanted kids with me, you said you couldn’t have kids. You ruined every fucking thing. I’ll never get to hold my kids as babies, see them take their first steps,” he says, getting angry.

“Please, Jasper, just let me explain. Give us a second chance.”  He won’t even look at me.  My hand is hanging in the air; I want so badly to comfort him.  He looks at my outstretched hand and shakes his head. I just want to cry, but I am trying to stay strong. I don’t want the kids to see me breaking down.

“I’ll never forgive you for that.”  He pauses, looking down at his boots then looks back at me. “Do you know how badly right now that I wish I could unkiss you? I wish we could go back, because I’m so fuckin’ angry at you that I wish I could un-do everything I ever did with you,” he says with anger. With that, he moves to the kitchen. I hear him saying bye to the kids, and then he leaves out the back door of the kitchen to avoid me.

“I love you, Jasper,” I whisper as the tears fall down my face, watching him through the living room window as he takes off down the street in his truck. I keep staring, hoping to see him coming back, but his taillights fade into the night.

“Any new developments?” The voice on the phone asks me cautiously.

“No, they were all at a cookout at Eden’s place a few weeks back. Shit got about ten times more interesting,” I say quietly from my hiding place. I watch Angel leave the house and climb into his truck.

“What would that be?” he grunts.

“Turns out Eden has a set of twins. Eight years old. They belong to Jasper,” I inform him.

“And you didn’t think to tell me this when you found out weeks ago?”

“Wanted to keep watch for a bit before I reported back. Doesn’t look like Angel will be forgiving her any time soon,” I tell him, pleased with the scene I just witnessed through the window.

“Good. It will be easier getting her alone,” he says. “And the results of her reading Big Willy’s letter?”

“What you would expect. Lost her shit.”

“And the men?” he asks, sounding amused.

“About the same; Vinny and Lilly are on the outs, and Hilary is back.”

“Good, good.”

“A few members have questioned if Reaper ended Foxy and Big Willy.”

“Things are falling apart already. Won’t be long.” I hear the click of the phone. I shove it back into my pocket and move from my hiding spot. I make my way back to my bike and go in the direction of the club.

Soon.

The Past

By the time I get home, it’s almost noon. Mom’s gonna kill me. I promised her I’d be back by eight last night. I open the front door, and instantly, I know something is wrong. The house is too quiet. My mom always has the TV blaring the news first thing in the morning while she enjoys her coffee.  The TV is off, blinds are drawn shut. “Mom?” I yell. I know I should have at least called or something, but I lost track of time. I was too wrapped up in being with Vinny.

My dad ended up moving up to Calgary, opened a law firm. My parents never got married; actually, I was a result of their one night stand. What can I say- my mom’s sort of a slut, but I don’t judge her. Hell, when my dad does end up visiting, which now that he moved away is maybe once a year if that, him and Mom always end up in bed together. It’s weird.  I don’t know what to make of it really.

Mom walks slowly out of the kitchen, eyes red from crying. “What’s wrong?” I ask worriedly. Why is she crying? Is it because she was afraid something happened to me? I didn’t mean to upset her. I know I should have called, but I just wasn’t thinking. I smile on the inside, thinking about the taste of Vinny’s lips lingering on my own. That boy, he knows how to kiss—among other things.

“It’s Eden, honey,” she says quietly, surprising me. I was so sure I was about to get my ass chewed for staying out all night. “Come, let’s have a seat.” She takes my hand tenderly and pulls me into the living room to the couch. I tuck my feet underneath me after toeing off my shoes and wait for what she has to say. But she stares at me blankly, working over something in her head.

“What’s wrong with Eden?” I ask, snapping her out of her trance. Eden’s father is a piece of shit, and if there is bad news about Eden, I fear it’s something really, really bad. I’m scared something’s happened to my friend. I’m afraid her dad has done something to her.

“She left, honey. She took the bus out late last night,” she tells me gently, rubbing her fingers soothingly over my knuckles. I’m not sure if the gesture is to give her comfort or me.

I frown. “What? Why would she just leave? Did her mom go with her?” Why would one of my best friends just up and leave without so much as a goodbye. Eden and I tell each other everything- well, almost everything. I think about the fact that I’ve kept seeing Vinny a secret from her.

Mom chews on her bottom lip, as if wondering what to tell me. “Yes, she ran with her mother.” The way she says it, I know she’s keeping something from me. “We can’t tell anyone, not even the boys. No one can know. You have to promise me,” she says urgently. Her worried eyes are begging me to keep this secret.

“I don’t understand, Mom,” I tell her, confused. What’s changed? Last time I talked to Eden, she was excited, said she was ready to go all the way with her boyfriend Jasper. My mind shifts to Jasper. How’s he going to react when he realizes she’s gone? He’s always been so possessive when it comes to Eden.

“If William finds out where they are, he’ll kill them. Eden promised to keep in touch, but she begged me to make sure not one person knew anything about where she is or why, okay?” she says.

“Is she okay?” I ask, wanting to know how my friend is.

Mom shakes her head slightly. “I don’t know, baby. I don’t know,” she whispers. Mom wraps her arms around my shoulders and kisses me on the temple. “You smell like smoke. Go get in the shower, and I’ll fix us some breakfast.”

My mind is heavy with worry as I trudge to the bathroom for a shower. How in the hell am I going to keep my mouth shut when it comes to my friends? I picture Willy, Eden’s no good father in my head; he will kill them if he ever hears of this. Hell, he’d kill me if he thought I knew where they are. I have to keep this a secret—no one can know, not even Hilary, for now.

Stripping down to my undies, I turn the faucet and wait for the water to warm. I watch as the water circles the drain, feeling like the water is my life as it washes away. Everything I have come to know has changed; life as I’ve known it is going to be much different without Eden. I can already feel the weight of her secret bearing down on my shoulders.