Page 42 of Drax (Iron Thunder MC 3)
“Boss. Time to go!” It was Ghost. He came back to the room. I nodded at him and I felt he had a look of sympathy in his eyes, like he knew exactly what my predicament was. Nobody would want to be in my shoes right now.16Mary-BethSophie found me sitting on the bottom step of the stairs. The guys Drax had assigned to watch me had brought me back to the Clubhouse and I went running to Drax’s room. I wanted to stay locked in there all day until Drax returned. I felt anxious and upset and embarrassed. All those emotions at the same time lay pretty heavy on my soul. Alone in his room, I felt like I could barely breathe.
I had to leave, had to go out, had to do something.
But I managed to get to the bottom of the steps and then plonked myself down. I covered my face with my hands and the tears bubbled up. I couldn’t hold them back any longer. Everything was going to shit.
I didn’t know what was happening with Crash. As much as I disapproved of everything he did, I couldn’t help but wonder if I would ever see him again, if we would ever share the same relationship we did when we were growing up. Despite everything, I wanted him safe.
But I was even more worried for Drax. Did my actions today ruin our relationship? Now that I’d given it all some thought, I knew I had behaved rashly. I knew I shouldn’t have gone to the store’s opening. I should have followed instructions. Drax was right—I had put myself and everyone around me in danger by making a public appearance like that.
So, when Sophie found me at the bottom of the stairs, I was in the middle of crying. This wasn’t a great look on me.
It was the last thing I wanted her to see.
“Hey, Mary-Beth!” I heard her say as she came rushing to me.
I quickly tried wiping my cheeks and I sniffled, trying to get a hold of myself.
“I’m fine. It’s nothing. Everything’s fine,” I lied.
Sophie was standing over me but then she sat down on the floor. She placed her hands on my knees and I looked up at her and met her eyes. We used to be friends…friendly…and now it felt like everything had changed.
“I heard what happened today. At the reopening.”
I had to look away. The color was rising in my cheeks. How was I supposed to face everyone at the Clubhouse now? They’d all heard about or witnessed what had happened. What did they think of me now?
I sniffled again and shook my head.
“Yeah, that was a mistake. I made a bad decision…” I was being defensive. Sophie squeezed my knees.
“And we’re all entitled to them. Bad decisions.”
I snapped my face around to look at her again. She was smiling faintly, but it was an encouraging smile.
“I know you can’t help but think about it today, but in a few days, it’ll be forgotten. We’ve all done some pretty stupid things around here.”
“But I put people’s lives in danger,” I argued.
Sophie sighed and then shrugged.
“Look around, hon. Do you realize where you are? In the clubhouse of a Motorcycle Club that’s involved in things so-called honest folk don’t like to discuss, and shootouts and armed wars. Trust me, your contribution to the danger radar is like a drop in the ocean. Come on, hon, you know how things are around here.”
My shoulders relaxed a little. I couldn’t help but think that maybe Sophie was right.
“But Drax was so mad…I was so mad. We fought again. And I don’t…I really hoped things would be different this time.”
“They will be,” Sophie said with conviction. I wanted to fight her on it. What did she know? What made her think she could make a sweeping statement like that? Nobody could guarantee that Drax and I were going to make it through this in one piece…but there was something about the way that Sophie was looking at me.
There was a crooked but soft smile on her face.
“I don’t think you guys are giving each other credit for how tough this situation is. Your man is in an actual bloody war with your brother. You’ve had to pick sides. Your brother is a dangerous guy. He will never forgive you for choosing Drax over him. And Drax will never forgive him if he hurts a hair on your head. Do you realize how complicated that is?”
I gulped. She was right. This was complicated. This was complicated as hell! I breathed in deeply.
“And most of my man’s friends don’t trust me. You forgot to add that part.”
Sophie rolled her eyes and then smiled.
“I think you just need to give the rest of us some time to remember what Mary-Beth is like. Fiery, opinionated and lovable.”
