... and Forever (Next Generation: Chaos Bleeds 1)

“What the fuck are you doing here?” she asked.

Luke had always been nice to her. Ever since the truth of her pregnancy, he’d been the perfect gentleman.

She hated him.

“I’ve come to pick up a few things. A couple of the guys at the club, their kids’ birthdays—”

“And you’re being perfect, right?”

“I know you don’t like me, but I’m trying here.”

“No, you’re not. You’re not trying. You need to leave this town and stop coming here.”

“I know this is hard for you.”

She laughed. “No, you don’t have a fucking clue what this means to me.”

Luke looked toward the shop and she followed his gaze to see Nathan hugging a cuddly toy. Whenever he did that, it meant he was in pain and trying to be a big brave boy. “If you excuse me, I’ve got to go.”

“You know, if he’s Ryan’s, then he has a right to—” He didn’t get a chance to finish what he was saying. She was done hearing him. Hearing all of this bullshit, and so she wrapped her fingers around his thick neck.

In the past five years, Luke had gotten taller, bigger, more muscular. He was fitting right in with his club.

“You don’t get to say his name to me. Understand? Nathan is mine. No one else’s. He is mine. He is my blood. My son.” Tears filled her eyes.

“I would help you if you let me, Tabs. You know that. You know I’m here for you, always.”

She gritted her teeth and pulled her hand away. “And I’ve told you every single time that you offer, no. I don’t want you, Luke. I’m not going to allow you to think there’s a chance for you. I’m not yours. I will never be yours.”

“You’re still saving yourself for him?” he asked. “After all this time, you still think he’s coming back?”

As she stepped back, her heart shattered into a million pieces. “He’s coming back.”

“And after all this time, you’re going to forgive him? The Skulls and Chaos Bleeds handled this shit. The Monster Dogs covered this as well. We’re all in this together and you’re telling me, what? All is forgiven? He could have come back by now, but he’s still gone.”

She tilted her head to the side and stared at him. “Do you really want his castoffs? Is that it? You see me and you, and you think we can, what? Be friends, be together? So what if Simon never comes back. You’d be happy being second best? Knowing that the moment he did come to town, he was where my heart truly lied.”

Some people believed she was cold by telling him exactly how this was going to go down. She wasn’t. The truth hurt, and rather than let Luke continue to believe there was even the merest hint of a chance with the two of them, she cut him down.

He deserved to find someone who could love him for him.

She would never love him.

One day, there might be a chance to fall in love with him, but again, it wouldn’t be the same. Her heart belonged to Simon, and being with anyone else just wouldn’t cut it.

“I will always go to him, always.” She turned her back on him and went into the store. It was time to take her son home to allow him to get well.

****

“You’re baking,” Anthony said.

Daisy looked up and shrugged. “You’re pointing out the obvious.”

“I heard what happened.”

“Of course you did. It if wasn’t down to a couple of prospects, I’m sure Rachel had a fun time sharing, or was it Darcy this time?”

“I heard my parents talking.”

“Right, of course, yes. You have those.” Daisy pounded the cookie dough, anger rushing through her body.

“Why are you so mad?”

“I’m trying to bake here and you’re distracting me. Don’t you have somewhere else to be?” she asked.

His brow went up.

“Of course not. That would be easier for me to be pissed at something.”

“You’re cursing out loud. I know something’s up.”

She slammed the bowl to the surface and gripped the edge of the table. The Skulls’ clubhouse had a large kitchen. For as long as she could remember, this place had been her home, her family. Every single year, the old ladies would gather together, cook up a whole lot of food to feed everyone. If some of the nomad crew stopped by, they’d be right there, enjoying it with them. Her mother though, Lacey, she didn’t cook. The one time she was allowed to cook something, she set it on fire and Whizz came to the rescue to put it out. No one was injured but Lacey had merely been allowed to taste test. She was too much of a hazard to be left alone in the kitchen.

Brushing the back of her hand across her brow, she shook her head. “I’m fine.”

“You’re lying.”