Page 57 of Bones

“I was going to!” I snap, my chest tightening.

Who told her?

Fuck, why didn’t I tell her? I kept putting it off because things have been so good between us.

And now I might have ruined everything.

Skull turns to Haze and hands him a baby monitor. “Can you look after Natalia?”

Haze takes the monitor and nods. “Yeah, you two go handle your shit.”

We both get on our bikes and ride to Strike, but by the time we arrive, she’s already gone. Pulling up my view of her house on my phone, I watch the footage of Ghost taking her home. The bastard looks right up at the camera and smirks.

“She’s gone home,” I tell Skull, who is now comforting a crying Isla in his arms. “I’ll head there now, you get all the women home.”

“You sure?” Skull asks, kissing the top of Isla’s hair. “You might need the more charming twin to win her over.”

Isla makes a scoffing sound, then turns to face me. “I don’t think he needs a witness to see him groveling on his knees, asking her to forgive him.”

Okay, I guess more than one woman is pissed off at me tonight.

“I’m sorry, Isla. I should have told her. I was going to,” I say to her, but she puts up her hand, stopping me.

“You didn’t see her face, Bones. She was hurt. Everyone at the table knew something about you, and she didn’t. I stayed out of it because it wasn’t my business, but really it was. And now she might hate me! I tried to tell her it was just one time, and that you don’t see me like that, but she didn’t want to hear it.”

“It’s not your fault, and she won’t hate you,” I assure her. At least I hope she won’t. “And yes, I’m going to go and grovel.”

Skull smirks and shakes his head at me. “Call if you need me.”

Ghost pulls in just as I’m leaving the parking lot, but I’m going to deal with his ass later.

The lights are all off at Doc’s house, but I know she has to have heard my motorcycle pull up.

I knock on the door.

I call her phone

I send her a message.

Nothing.

Eventually, I walk around the house and gently tap on her window. “Doc, let me in, please. Let me explain.”

Suddenly, the curtain is pulled back, and I stare into moonlit, swollen hazel eyes. “Go away, Bones. I don’t want to talk to you right now.”

Bones.

Not Nate.

What the fuck have I done?

“Baby, please,” I beg, resting my hand on the window. “Just let me hold you, please. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you.”

She visibly bristles. “Leave, Bones. I’ll contact you when I’m ready to talk,” is all she says, closing the curtains.

“Fuck,” I mutter, my hands clenching at my sides. I know I should respect her wishes, but the thought of leaving her right now, while she’s so hurt because of me, makes me feel physically ill. I can’t even remember the last time we slept apart. Heading back to the front door, I sit down against it, my head in my hands.

How did I fuck this up so badly?