Twisted Steel: An MC Anthology: Second Edition by Elizabeth Knox (top 5 ebook reader txt) 📕

by blood, but you are in all ways that count. Ever since Bull pissed you off and chased you out of town, you’ve been running. The shit you just said doesn’t matter. You’re about to miss your shot. Unless this one isn’t yours, step aside like you did with Sadie, let another man love her.”

“Why do you think I don’t come home? So, every time I get here, we talk about that shit? You defend your son and his actions, fine, don’t pick at mine.”

“That’s where you are wrong. Of course, I chewed out both of their asses for what they did. It’s time though that you see the truth. Bull loves you as a brother. He should have told her to break it off with you, he should have told you. You all were a bunch of punk ass kids playing like grownups. Fucking around and rodeoing way too god damn much. Chasing ass and getting drunk—” Angus starts coughing. You would think he would put down his cigar, but no, he chugs his beer. “Point is, ya’ll were up to no good and you didn’t treat her like a man in love does. Leaving her at parties and god knows what else. You’re madder at Bull. Admit the truth.”

I want to fight and argue. Tear him apart with my words, but at this point, does it matter?

“I can tell you this, when a man is in love, he will take her. Damn the costs. That is what Bull did. I know you felt the blade of betrayal. Even if he would have done everything right, you still would have been a pissed off asshole. You were too young then to see you didn’t love her and cut her loose. Any other guy, you wouldn’t have cared, would ya? No, it was your best friend, he took your toy, and you never forgave him for it.”

I look off into the distance and allow his words to marinate into my thick skull. “It’s not only that. He knocked her up while I was recouping from that rodeo. That bull gored me because I was distracted watching them. I thought something was up and then after I woke up, I forgot all about it. I had rehab for months, and Sadie was at my side the whole time. Then she breaks it off with me because my best friend knocked her up during that time.”

“Yeah,” a voice calls from the side of the house. Bull rounds the corner and stands at the first step of the porch. “I did that to you. You’re right. I fucked up how I handled that. I should have gone to you way before that night. Sadie felt like shit for a long time and felt it was her duty to get you back on your feet. Me knocking her up was an accident, or how it was just meant to be.”

My hands itch to knock his ass out, my nostrils flaring with the man standing in front of me. “What you did shredded my belief in any friendship.”

“Who fucking cares what I did? You are the man of your life. Colt, not everyone is going to fall in love with your woman and she’s going to leave. It was me. I’m that special asshole. But I loved her. I was going to tell you that night. That’s what Sadie and I were fighting about before that bull rammed his horn into you and sent you flying across the arena. Afterward, we didn’t know how.”

I slowly stand and walk to the edge of the porch. “Fuck it. I should have been paying attention. Shit happens. It’s not your fault for what that bull did.”

“No, it’s not. But it is my fault my own best friend and brother can’t even talk to me, let alone look at me. I’ll wait, Colt. I’ll wait as long as I need.”

A deep dark secret wants free. I never hated Bull for loving Sadie, but it’s his kids that he has with her that grew like poison. That’s the worst kind of betrayal for a man who would give anything to have them, a family.

18

Angie

Jazzy has a small in-law quarters in her backyard. After we moved my stuff from Cowboy’s apartment, we brought it all out here. We started setting up a nursery in my room. I don’t expect Cowboy to come back for me. At night, it sure is hard not to think about his hands as they ran over my skin. How he spent his time memorizing every part of me, and I did him. For one whole week, we loved like there was no holding back. That was only because we both knew there were no expectations, that we would go our own ways. One of us would run.

I’m not mad at him.

I miss him.

How can you be mad at someone who never gave themselves to you completely?

“How about we put the bassinet here?” Vegas asks while she looks around the room, checking where she picked is perfect.

I exhale to push out the memories. Pulling on a smile, I turn around. “I love it. I can’t thank you enough for loaning me this stuff.”

“Loaning? Oh, no, girl. Blade and I are done. Lina and the twins? They are enough. I’m more than happy to get it out of my house and, more importantly, to you. As soon as you know if it’s a boy or girl, we’ll get you the kids’ clothes out of the garage. It will save you millions of dollars.” She says millions like an old heiress would.

“I suppose it would with them growing so fast in the first year.”

“Are you sure we can’t throw you a baby shower?” Vegas asks and holds her hands up, praying and pleading.

“I can’t do that to you all. No. This is more than enough.” Asking them to do more would make me so uncomfortable. Already, they all have helped in their own ways. I already feel