Romeo (Dark Knights MC/Blood Fury MC: Crossover)

Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty-One

He had just pulled into Dick’s lot on his sled when he spotted her Highlander. It was hard to miss at this hour in the morning when their customers were few and far between. His ringing phone displayed Maddie’s number.

Apparently, she wanted a word with him.

Once he answered and entered Dick’s, he spotted her standing near Sigh. When he was within a few feet, she spun with the phone still glued to her ear.

His gut twisted when her eyes narrowed on him.

Something was wrong if she was here this early. She should be at work?—

Fuckin’ fuck.

“Want a beer, brother?” Amusement colored Sigh’s tone. “Or maybe a helmet and one of those plastic cups to protect your nuts?”

Ignoring his brother, Romeo snagged Maddie’s elbow in a firm grip, causing her to lurch forward and her phone to be dislodged from her ear.

“Let me go,” she hissed like a pissed off cat.

“Once we’re in private,” he ground out through clenched teeth. “Let’s go.”

“Why? You don’t want to have this discussion in the middle of your bar?”

“No idea why you’re here.” Even though he had a damn good guess. “But whatever it is ain’t anyone’s business,” he finished on a mutter.

Clearly, the woman was pissed. Not only pissed, he could see her eyes were red and puffy, like she’d been crying.

Of fuckin’ course. He was hoping he was wrong, and she was here about something else, but his gut was telling him differently. Trying to help her out last night was about to bite him in the fucking ass. Not a sexy bite, either. This one was going to leave a scar.

He didn’t need to wonder how much damage he did because he was damn sure he was about to find out. Only, not in Dick’s. Not in front of his brothers, any sweet butts or the couple of early customers sitting at the bar. Of course, the few sets of eyes in the establishment were already turned their way.

“In your cage? Or my place?” he suggested.

“You sure you don’t want to have this discussion right here?” She stabbed her finger toward the floor.

He lowered his voice. “Better we don’t. C’mon. Let’s go out back.”

When he steered her toward Dick’s kitchen, Sigh yelled out, “Should I send a rescue team if you don’t return in a half hour?”

“Gimme ten,” Romeo told him.

“He won’t need ten,” Maddie assured Sigh. “This will be quick.”

That could be good. Could be bad. He steeled himself for the latter .

Since it was too early for the kitchen to be open, it was quiet as they worked their way through and headed back outside. It was better out there than inside since less eyes and ears would be on them.

As soon as they stood behind the building, he asked, “What’s goin’ on?”

“What’s going on?” Her shrill voice made him grimace. “What did you do, Romeo?”

He pressed his lips together.

For fuck’s sake. This discussion was about to give him heartburn.

He quickly ran through some scenarios to see how he could get out of the hot seat. Though, he was pretty sure that would be impossible.

Her expression said it all.

“What the hell did you do? And why? I told you to stay out of it. I also told you this would happen if you didn’t!” she cried out, slamming him in the chest with both palms. The impact forced him back a step before he had the chance to brace himself.

He didn’t give a shit that she shoved him. He was more concerned that her voice was now thick with sadness and disappointment. Add in the betrayal on her face and she might as well have stabbed him in the heart.

He kept his voice low and steady to try to keep the powder keg standing before him from exploding and leaving behind scorched earth. “Tell me what happened,” he urged, even though he knew.

“I got fired.”

His head twitched.

“All because of you. He’ll have me blackballed.”

That motherfucker. “Bullshit. ”

Her jaw dropped and her dark eyes went wide. “Bullshit? Do you think I’m lying?”

“No—”

“Do you think he’s lying?”

That question was so sharp Romeo was surprised he wasn’t bleeding out.

Before he could respond, she continued. “You fucked up, Rome. Big time. Now I don’t have a job and most likely my career will have a permanent black mark on it. Not only that, but my dream of working with the Steelers will never happen, all because of you! You made sure I didn’t even get a fair shot!”

Tears welled up in her eyes. As one spilled over, she swiped angrily at it.

“You do realize that I only put up with his abuse to help my career? A whole damn year and a half and it only took you a few minutes to screw that up. Whatever you did to him made my life and career crash and burn.”

“Was tryin’ to help, Maddie, not fuck shit up.” He reached out to brush away the now steady stream of tears rolling down her cheeks, but before he could, she slapped his hand away.

“No. Don’t act like you care, Rome. You don’t care about anyone but yourself. You’re no better than him!”

His head jerked back, and the knife jammed in his heart twisted painfully. “Was tryin’ to help you.”

He wasn’t sure how to undo his fuck up. Make Smith disappear before he had the opportunity to fuck up Maddie’s future?

Jesus.

“Well, you failed. I’m not sure why you’d think assaulting my boss would help! Who does that?” She lifted a hand. “Oh wait. Someone who can’t control their impulses, that’s who. Someone who doesn’t respect me enough to take what I say into account. I’m just a woman. What do I know, right? I need a big, bad biker to solve my problems because I’m not strong enough to solve them myself.”

He unclenched his jaws. “He fuckin’ didn’t respect you, Maddie. Even kept callin’ you by a name you don’t like. He treated you like shit. Who fuckin’ puts up with that?”

Fuck , was he digging himself a bigger hole?

“Me, the fool, apparently.” She shook her head and pressed both fists into her tear-filled eyes. “Just like I’m a fool for ever dealing with you. I thought you of all people wouldn’t get involved with my life. Boy, was I wrong, as well as stupid. You guys can’t help yourself, can you?”

Damn. “Made your point,” he murmured.

When she dropped her fists, her expression had turned hard. “I don’t think I have, but here it is, loud and clear… Leave me the hell alone. Don’t call me. Don’t stop by. Don’t even think about me. You’ve done enough and I don’t need any more of your so-called help. This was only supposed to be casual sex, Rome. That’s it. I didn’t want anyone trying to rule my life. Or even stick their nose into it. You did it anyway without my consent and now look where I’m at.”

“Maddie…” When he reached for her, she quickly moved away.

“I told you to let it go, Rome.” She pounded a fist against her thigh. Not once, not twice, but too many times to count. Maybe it was so she wouldn’t punch him instead. “This is exactly why I never wanted to get involved with a biker. Thanks for the reminder. I’ll make sure not to make that mistake again.”

“It wasn’t supposed to go like that?—”

Her head tipped to the side. “You know what I haven’t heard yet? A damn apology. You know why? Because you guys don’t want to admit when you’re wrong. Not that saying sorry will undo the damage. It won’t.” With another shake of her head, she stormed past him.

“Maddie!” When she didn’t stop and disappeared around the corner of the building, he muttered, “Goddamn it.”

He rubbed at his forehead because he was getting a damn headache.

Even if gave her an apology, he doubted she’d want to hear it anyway. Right now, she was too damn pissed. He needed to give her some space and wait until she cooled off so he could explain that he hadn’t gotten her fired on purpose.

That hadn’t been his intent.

Did he want her working at Smith’s? Fuck no.

Did he want to screw up her career? Also no.

Did he really have to pay Smith another visit? Probably. Maybe the asshole would take her back if Romeo ate a little humble fucking pie. He hated that flavor but would force a piece down if only for Maddie and to make up for his fuck up.

Once again, he realized his biggest mistake.

He shouldn’t have been a cheap ass and should’ve stayed anonymous by hiring Mercy to pay Smith a visit.

Yeah , he should’ve handled it a whole different way and kept his hands clean.

His fucking mistake.

One he wouldn’t make again.

He waited a few hours—long enough for her to cool off a bit—before shooting her a text.

He did something he rarely ever did… Apologized.

Fucked up. Sorry .

All he got in return was radio silence. Maybe a few hours wasn’t long enough. He might have to wait a few days.

For fuck’s sake , he didn’t want that.

Her tears had killed him. She had her heart set on working for a well-known sports team and he broke that heart.

He thought he’d done right by her when he resisted putting his hands on her boss—now former boss—at least to the point of causing any injury. What he did was only supposed to be a warning.

He didn’t want to get her fired. He only wanted Smith to start treating Maddie better. Treat her like she deserved. She did not deserve to be abused by her damn boss and stressed out to the point she had to find relief by having sex with a man.

Of course, he benefitted from that stress, and he was the lucky one to help her relieve it. But she could’ve gone to any fucking man.

His lip curled at the possibility of her picking someone other than him. The thought of Maddie getting dick from someone else burned deep in his gut. Of having orgasms from some other asshole.

Goddamn it.

The truth was, she could’ve gone anywhere. But she had come to him .

Because she trusted him enough to do so.

The same way she had trusted him enough to take her virginity.

He broke that trust. Now he had to fix it.

Even if she didn’t want that.

Even if she stuck to her guns about him staying out of her life.

He got it .

She was pissed. She was hurt. She was worried about her future. And, as expected, how she’d pay her bills until she found another job.

“Stupid fuck,” he muttered under his breath as he got off his sled.

He stared at his house. He didn’t need to go inside to know it was empty. Just like his goddamn soul.

He should’ve told her no. Just like Magnum insisted. He should’ve sent her on her way. Told her to run fast and far from him.

He had never been good at doing the right thing.

The evidence of that was obvious.

Maddie was right. He was a selfish fuck. He only thought about himself.

Her situation was the first time he hadn’t. And, of course, he fucked that up.

Maddie said what he did was a good reminder why she didn’t want to deal with bikers. Her reaction was a good reminder why he didn’t like strings.

He choked on them.

Maybe he only needed to snip those fucking strings and simply let her go.

That would be the best thing. For her. For him.

Even for the alliance.

He hated that Magnum was right.

As he pulled his keys from the front pocket of his jeans, he paused when he heard a rustle nearby.

It could be an animal. A bird or a squirrel.

Fuck. Did they come out at night? He was no wildlife expert. What if it was a skunk?

Squinting, he searched the shadows while listening carefully.

Why the fuck was he still standing there? It was safer inside where he had plenty of beer, a bong, and a baseball bat.

Only six steps away from the door, he heard something again. This time it sounded like the crunch of gravel underneath feet.

That was either one big fucking skunk or another type of animal.

One with two feet instead of four.

He reached for his cell phone to turn on the flashlight app but before he had a good grip on it, something came at him hard and fast.

Romeo didn’t even get a chance to react before he found himself not only on his knees, but unable to breathe.