There was so much she wanted to say to him.
“You’ll always be mine,” he said.
This made her pause and look back at him. There was no reason to say anything else.
She walked to her car, climbed inside, and resisted the temptation to look back at him. Would he be watching her? She drove all the way home, hearing the sound of his bike as he followed her.
Smokey hadn’t listened to her.
She arrived at home a few seconds before Smokey’s bike pulled opposite her house.
Continuing to ignore him, she went inside and locked the door. Resting her back against it for a few seconds, she put a hand to her chest. “I can do this.”
She removed her jacket and went straight to the kitchen. Ava didn’t allow herself to think. She took ingredients out of the fridge and started to prepare herself a meal.
A nice stir fry.
She’d purchased some tofu the other day at the grocery store. She’d had this craving for it. Now as she prepared it, her mouth watered as she fried it in a small amount of oil until it was crispy on each side. It smelled delicious and she wanted to eat it instantly, but it would burn her mouth. She had to show restraint.
How would Smokey react when he finally read the letter? Would he be happy?
She’d know soon enough.
****
Smokey drank down the strong espresso, closing his eyes as he wished for the caffeine to work.
“You’ve got to stop doing this,” Hunter said.
“I’m doing what needs to be done.”
“You’re going to get yourself killed for a woman who doesn’t want you.”
He dropped the glass and smashed his fist against Hunter’s face. The brother didn’t take the hit, throwing a punch to his stomach. He grunted, but the pain was better than feeling nothing at all. Smokey threw another hit, tossing Hunter sideways until he collapsed on a table. The impact smashed the table.
Feminine screams filled the air. He cracked his knuckles. Hunter came at him.
“Enough!” Brick said.
Smokey grabbed Brick and shoved him out of the way. Anger flooded his gaze, and he wanted to kill everyone in sight.
Ava loved him. She just didn’t want him. The pain of that knowledge, the anger and hatred at himself, manifested. The club came at him. Each man taking him on. They landed a few blows, but he went for a full-scale attack.
The women were moved out of harm’s way. Chairs and tables pushed as he fought. Kinky was one of the worst sons of bitches around. He came at him, wrapping his arms around Smokey, holding him still.
“This is not the way, brother.”
“Let me the fuck go.”
Kinky wasn’t letting him go.
Ugly Beast came through the door. “Let him go,” he said, stepping up close.
“You want your ass beat?” Smokey asked.
The brothers stepped back as he faced off with Ugly Beast. “You think this is going to make you feel good?” Ugly Beast asked. “Taking us on one by one?”
“I don’t need you all to be pussies. I can take you on. Let’s make it an orgy.” Smokey knew he was being a dick. He needed to feel the pain that his club could dish out.
Ugly Beast stood there. “Then come at me.” He held his hands open. “Go ahead. Take me. Hit me.”
The fight had left Ugly Beast. There was no tension in his shoulders. No indication the man would even fight.
It was useless.
Smokey hated Ugly Beast at that moment. “One day, Ugly, you and me.”
“It’s never going to happen. You’ll realize you’re fucking up. When that happens, I’ll still be here.”
He wiped at his face and saw blood ran from his nose. Pushing Ugly Beast out of the way, he limped toward his office.
“This won’t win her back,” Ugly Beast said.
Smokey paused and glanced back at him. “Nothing is going to win her back. She’s lost to me.” With that, he turned away and went straight to his office, closing the door. Collapsing in the chair, he grabbed some tissues and wiped under his nose. The blood kept on coming. The nose wasn’t broken. Pity.
He threw the tissue into the trash and saw the pile of mail on his desk. He usually ignored the mail, leaving Hunter or Brick to open it.
Staring at the pile, he lifted the letters, and one by one, he put each letter on the desk. There was some bill or other. When he came to a different-looking letter with his name on the front, just Smokey, he paused.
It had Ava’s handwriting.
Turning it over, he quickly tore into it and reached inside. A single letter and a picture. He looked at the image. It reminded him a little of the baby picture Abriana had shown around when she was pregnant.
What the fuck?
He opened up the piece of paper to see they were blood test results. Scanning over them, he saw the marking for pregnant. He flicked the letter over and spun it around as the writing was upside down.