“Do you think I’m stupid, East? There’s whispers all around town. Darin says Wylla Mae dumped him for you. I don’t want you ruining her life like Murder ruined mine.”
I let out a breath. “You done?”
“How long?”
“How long what?”
“How long have you been fucking her? Did you at least wait until she was eighteen?”
“Stop running your mouth. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh really?”
“Yeah. Really.” I snort but I’m a filthy lying bastard.
“Then explain to me why I can see her peeping out the window.”
“Fuck.”
“Yeah. East.” Thwack. Her palm connects with my cheek. Wylla Mae flies out the door wearing my damn t-shirt and only it.
“Stop it. I’m an adult.”
“You’re sick.”
“A lot less sick than you fucking Murder when you were barely sixteen. At least Wylla Mae’s an adult.”
“Murder…” Wylla Mae whispers out his name. “Is he my father?”
Alexa shakes her head. “You weren’t supposed to find out like this, and I damn sure never expected this from you, East. Of all the women in the world you could have you had to pull this? She has a bright future. One that doesn’t revolve around playing a biker’s whore.”
“I’d never treat her that way and you know it. Wylla Mae, go put some damn pants on.”
“Fine.” She stomps inside and Alexa slides her palms over her face. “You’re going to stay away from her or so help me, East. I will go to Murder and tell him.”
“No, you won’t.”
“And why is that?”
“Because you know damn good and well that I’d ne
ver ever make a choice that would result in a damn thing to hurt that girl.”
“What do you think this is, East? What’s the endgame here? What—you gonna marry her? She needs to go to college and make something of herself.”
“And she will.”
“You don’t know that. She’s gonna be like me. You’ll knock her up and get tired of her and then what?”
“I told you that won’t happen.”
“You say that now, but you don’t know.”
“I do know because I give you my word, I won’t ever see her again.”
“What?” She blinks.
“You heard me. I love her enough to let her walk away, but what about you?” I swore after the third time that was it, it was one of many lies I keep telling. I don’t know how to quit. How to let her go. I don’t want to if I’m being honest with myself, but she’s eighteen with her whole future ahead of her.