The Scars That Define Us (The Devil's Dust #2)(25)

Shadows eyes slowly study my face, and he licks his lips slowly before dropping my leg gently. The loss of his touch makes my skin burn. He stands and turns his back on me. I can see his body rise with the steady breath he takes. I close my eyes and take a deep breath myself.

“I’m just going to go to bed,” I state flatly as I start hobbling toward the bedroom. This overwhelming attraction toward Shadow is breaking my heart more than I can handle. Not to mention the menstrual cramps digging deep into my abdomen.

“Dani,” Shadow calls, desperation in his voice. I open the bedroom door and step in. When I turn around and look back. Shadow’s standing there holding the bloody rag with desperation written on his face.

“Night, Shadow,” I say sweetly before shutting the door.





SHADOW


I drop the wet rag and stagger down the hall, sliding against the wall until my ass hits the floor. I look at the closed door, the same door I stared at last night for hours. I saw Dani dancing with those little girls tonight; she looked so angelic, so innocent. The smile she had, the energy she wore—she was truly lost in her own world.

I watched her mother pull up and wait for her, and then I saw the whole altercation. I didn’t stop it or step in because I knew my question of whether Dani was a threat or not would be answered as soon as she stepped out of that dance studio. I didn’t expect Dani to try and kill her mother, though. I had to pull away from her when she returned to the club, not knowing if I could go against my club one hundred percent. I wouldn’t be the one holding a smoking gun that took the life out of the one I loved—the only girl I have ever loved, at that.

Knowing she was not involved, knowing it was all her mother now, I don’t know what’s stopping me from storming in that bedroom and claiming Dani’s body as mine once again. Maybe it’s the fact that I don’t know if she wants to be with me anymore. I run my hands over my face. Who blames her for not wanting to be with me? What kind of man claims he loves a woman but doesn’t take her side, doesn’t trust her? I should have grabbed Dani and ran far away with her, protected her.

I reach in my pocket and pull out her iPod, putting the plugs in my ears as Justin Timberlake’s “Not A Bad Thing” starts playing. I look down at the iPod dumbfounded. I know for a fact I wasn’t anywhere near this song. I stare at the door holding my Firefly, hope rising within me that maybe she put the song on just for me to listen to. Either way, I will make this up to Dani somehow. I should have trusted her. I should have listened to her, but I didn’t. I took the path of mistrust and damaged us both. Now I’ll have to earn her trust once again.

***

I’m sitting at the table, in the chapel where we have all our meetings. I’ve been here all morning, waiting for everyone to drag their lazy asses in so I can tell them what went down between Dani and her mother last night. I haven’t even been to sleep. On top of that, all I can think about is Dani.

“Shadow, you’re in early,” Bull comments, sitting in his chair with a cup of coffee, the other guys following close behind.

“I have some important information,” I say, sitting up in my chair.

“I would hope so. You called me for a meeting at three in the morning, son,” Bull remarks, sipping on his coffee.

“You look like shit!” Hawk quips, his old wrinkly eyes staring right at me.

“Ya, I didn’t sleep much,” I say, frustrated. Who gives a f*ck what I look like? I just said I have important news.

“All right, spill it,” Bull implores, lighting a cigarette.

“Last night, I went to pick Dani up, and her mother stopped by for a visit.” Everyone starts to talk amongst themselves.

“I f*cking told you,” Locks says, pointing at me with a cigarette in his hand.

“Go on,” Bull urges, sitting up straighter in his chair.

“She wanted Dani to turn on us, come to her senses,” I explain.

“What’d she say?” Bobby interrupts. I look away from Bull to glare at Bobby. Fucker is still on my shit list.

“Dani told her no and when her mom wouldn’t let up, Dani tried to shoot her. Told her to go back to New York and if she came back, she would kill her.” I release the breath I was holding from the moment all the shit went down last night.

“Well, I’ll be,” Bull exclaims, rubbing the scruff on his cheeks.

“That don’t prove shit,” Locks says, slamming his fist on the table.

Bull rolls his eyes but before he can lay into Locks, a petite knock came at the doors.

“What!” Bull roars.

Babs steps in with an ear-to-ear grin.

“Hey, boys. I just wanted to remind you that the Fourth of July party is next weekend, so don’t forget.” She smiles one last smile and closes the door.

“Are you kidding me?” Locks says, gesturing toward the door. Women are not allowed to interrupt a meeting unless it’s important, but it’s no surprise Babs gets away with it. I wouldn’t be shocked if she was messing with Bull the way he sees her above all other females, but what do I know. I can’t assess my own relationship right now, let alone someone else’s.

Bull starts to laughs. “Damn women.” He turns back to the table. “Make sure Dani is at that party. She is cleared of any potential threats to the club, so let’s get her back in here and start making her feel like family,” he commands, putting his cigarette out.