“It is to me.”
“It’s not so much my biological family that controls the county.” Her eyes narrowed on me, and I sighed, knowing the truth wasn’t going to win me any points. My family did basically own Trinity County in some shape or form, but not exactly all of it. The college wasn’t owned, operated, or even on our agenda. If anything, it was a pain in the ass, but one that brought economic growth to the community when school was in session. “Most of the small businesses in town are owned and operated by at least one member of my MC.”
“Of course they are,” she signed, her head shaking disparagingly. “You’re not only the sweetest, kindest guy I’ve ever met, but you’re also like the prince of this place. You’re royalty, and I’m… I’m…” A tear spilled over her lashes. “I’m just the trash that needs to be taken out.”
Her words broke my heart and pissed me off all at the same time. Picking her up, I made sure the door was locked before carrying her back into our bedroom. Shutting and locking that door as well, I crossed to the bed and placed her on the end before dropping to my knees in front of her.
“Pay attention,” I instructed. “Because I need you to really understand what I’m saying here.”
Her chin trembled, but she nodded.
“Do not ever refer to yourself as trash. Not now, not ever.” Her teeth sank into her bottom lip, and I used my thumb to release the tortured flesh. I wanted to kiss the teeth imprints away, but I needed to get this sorted with her before I put my lips on her again. “I am unworthy of you and your beautiful soul, treasure. The moment I set eyes on you, I knew that angels were real because one had fallen from heaven and stood before me. I thought I’d died, but when I realized I would have been dragged to hell, not given a taste of paradise in the form of you, I knew I was still very much alive.”
Her brows pinched together. “You couldn’t possibly be sent to hell,” she tried to argue.
I wanted to laugh, but she didn’t know the darker side of my life. If she did, she would never think I was sweet or kind. But she wouldn’t have been so misled into thinking that I was better than her either. In comparison, I was worthless. Anyone who knew the real me would see that in two seconds flat.
Guilt should have weighed me down for not showing her who I really was, but I was a selfish bastard. I wanted her blinders to remain on. I hoped she only ever saw the good in me, that small flicker of light that still lived inside me. I could fan the flames of that part of myself for her, make it bigger and bigger until one day I might be worthy of her. Until then, I would hide my darkness from her.
If I had to hide the darkness for the rest of my life, so be it.
“What did my cousins say?” I asked, pulling her focus on to a more important topic. She shrugged and looked away, trying to avoid the conversation, but I wasn’t about to allow that shit. Tipping her chin back to look at me, I asked her again. “Which cousin, and what did he say?”
She released a tiny huff, making me smile. “The one with the nose ring,” she signed. “Chance?”
Gritting my teeth, I nodded, knowing exactly who she was talking about. Of course it was Chance, the fucker.
18
Max
“He told Reid that I had no business with you, or something like that. I stopped looking after that.”
I threw my head back, laughing so hard my sides hurt. This girl, she was so ready to believe people thought she was the reason we didn’t belong together. If she’d kept reading Chance’s lips, I knew she would have discovered a hell of a lot about that particular cousin’s opinion of me.
She slapped her hand against my chest, her eyes glittering with hurt and effectively stopping my laughter. “It isn’t funny!”
“Ah, baby, if you only knew, you would be hysterical with laughter, trust me.” Leaning forward, I touched my lips to her forehead before pulling back enough to sign. “I completely believe that Chance said that. But I doubt it was in the same context as you think it was.”
Her brow scrunched up. “How could it mean anything but exactly that? He doesn’t think we should be together. None of your family does.”
“Believe me when I say that Chance wasn’t worried about me when he said what he did. He hates me, and the feeling is mutual for the most part,” I told her truthfully. “We’ve never gotten along. There hasn’t been a single time we’ve been in the same room and not argued or even gone at each other’s throats. Our moms say it’s because we’re too much alike.” I shrugged. “Don’t tell them this, but I think they’re right. There isn’t really a reason for us not to get along. We grew up in houses side by side. I love him, but I hate him. If I’m in a jam, there really aren’t many other people I would want to have my back. But I swear to you, on my mother’s life—and I don’t take that shit lightly, treasure—Chance was most likely looking out for you and not me.”
Her expression turned skeptical. “You’re trying to tell me that he thinks we have no business being together because you’re not good enough for me?” I nodded emphatically, but she pushed at my shoulders angrily. “No. I don’t believe that for a second. That is ridiculous. I don’t care how much you two dislike each other, there is no way that guy was worried for me.”
Frustrated that she didn’t believe me, I scrubbed my hands over my face. “What do you need me to do to prove it to you, babe?” I asked when I looked at her again. “Do you want me to find the little asshole and make him confirm what I’m saying is the truth?”
Her plump lips pressed into a hard line, her eyes narrowing on me angrily.
“I will if that’s what you need.” Fuck, I’d beat the shit out of him and then throw him at her feet—before I made him tell her that was exactly what he meant when he was running his mouth.
“Fine,” she signed, rolling her eyes. “Maybe that was what your cousin meant. But what about your sisters? They obviously didn’t think I was good enough. They tried to confront me, but Nova stopped them.”
“What did they say?” I couldn’t help growling the words as I signed them for her. I loved my sisters, but if whatever they’d said or done caused me to lose my treasure, I would never forgive either of them.
“I don’t know!” She glanced down at her hands for a moment before continuing. “I wasn’t brave enough to stick around to find out what they thought of me. But with the way Nova was reacting to whatever Lexa and Tavia were saying, she wasn’t happy.”
Cursing, I pulled my phone out of my pants pocket. I could have called either of my sisters, but I knew if