“Threatened to make sure he’d never get his patch. I’m sure that was the deciding factor.”
“So the patch was more important to him than I was.”
“Skylar, you have to understand, guys like us, that patch means everything. It’s who we are. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t care about you.”
“Right.”
“Look, that’s water under the bridge now. He’s a full-patched member. Nobody can say shit about who he wants to make his ol’ lady. That’s not stopping either of you anymore.”
“I don’t think it’s that simple, Crash. He looks at me like he hates me, now.”
Crash looked down, rubbing his hand down his thigh. “Yeah, about that…”
“What?”
“Cole led him to believe you were my ol’ lady. At Bulldog’s funeral, when we showed up together. Shades assumed you were with me. Cole, apparently reinforced that assumption.” Her eyes looked everywhere but at him, almost as if she were embarrassed. When she stayed quiet, he crossed his arms and added, “You knew?”
“I…he…”
“Spill.”
“Shades was talking to me, and Cole walked up and told me to get back to my ol’ man.” She looked up at him guiltily. “I knew he only said it to make Shades back off. And he did. Instantly.”
Crash’s brows rose, prompting her to continue. “And?”
“And, I’m sure seeing us together since then has underlined it.” Skylar looked up at him. “Not that I’m not honored to be your pretend ol’ lady, but I don’t think that’s the only reason he hates me.” She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter now, anyway.”
“Babe, that’s a fuckin’ flat-out lie. It’s obvious there’s still some unresolved shit there. If there wasn’t, he wouldn’t look at me like he wants to put his fist through my face.”
“I doubt that.”
Crash let out a laugh. “I don’t.”
“I’m sure you’re exaggerating.”
“You still stir up some feelings in him. That’s no exaggeration. You should call him. Talk it out.”
“I don’t think so.”
Crash blew out a breath. “Right. I’m gonna leave his number on the fridge. In case you change your mind.” He bent and kissed her forehead. “Sleep tight.”
He turned to go.
“Crash?”
Her soft voice stopped him at the door, and he looked back at her. “Yeah?”
“You should take your own advice.”
A frown marred his forehead. “What do you mean?”
“I’m sure there’s unresolved issues between you and that woman back in California.”
A grin pulled at the corner of his mouth, and he winked at her. “Touché. Night, sweetheart.”
CHAPTER NINE
Shades watched Crash walk out of the clubhouse. He’d just turned in the loaner bike he’d borrowed and said his goodbyes. He was heading back to his California Chapter. Shades followed him out the back door. He paused to light a smoke as he watched Crash walk toward the back gate, saying a few final goodbyes to a couple members in the yard.