Page 22 of Knuckles

“Go,” I demand, and the man sighs but does as he’s told as he rounds us, glaring at the Chief on his way past before walking out the door.

“You'd better have a warrant for being in here, Chief, because seriously, all these drive-bys, showing up without warrants, it’s beginning to look like a harassment case,” I spit as I cross my arms over my chest.

“I’m not here as the Chief,” he spits back, anger radiating from him, “I’m here as a pissed-off father warning you to stay the fuck away from my daughter!”

Ah, so he’s had one of his deputies keeping tabs on his daughter. Now why doesn’t that surprise me?

“You’ve got some nerve,” I say coldly, and he curls his lip at me.

“Coming from the one who is using my daughter to piss me off,” he growls, “Now I’ll only tell you this once, stay the fuck away from my daughter or I’ll lock your ass up before you can even say boo!”

I smirk, I can’t help it and I take a step forward, eyeing his hand twitching near his piece and I raise a brow at the fucker and I state, “Then go ahead and try it because I’m not giving Kodi up,” I eye him, “And last time I checked, I’ve done fuck all for you to arrest me and be very careful with what you say Chiefbecause this place is bugged up to your ears so already you’re going to be under suspicion on threatening to falsely arrest a brother who’s MC does everything for this town, who has the town’s love. You’d lose your badge within days for going after an innocent man, all because he’s dating your daughter.”

Okay, so innocent is a little bit of a stretch, but this fucker doesn’t know that, and yeah, Kodi and I are dating. We do more than fucking sex, though the sex is really good.

If only I could get my head outta my ass and my past to actually claim her.

“I’d leave if I were you,” I say lowly as the gym door opens and Crash walks in whistling.

Guess the fucker was in the area when Tray called him.

Chief Marshalls glares hard at me and snaps, “Stay the fuck away from my daughter,” before he turns and walks away, shoulder checking Crash as he does who chuckles, “Not very chiefly of you,” as the man storms out the door, slamming it for good measure and Crash looks my way with a raised brow but I shake my head and walk over to the desk, taking my cut off as I do.

“Shouldn’t you be with Belle?” I grunt as I place my phone on my cut, a picture of Kodi sitting astride my bike, looking so fucking beautiful, hits my eyes as I accidentally press the button and my stomach tightens.

I want to be the man for her, I really fucking do.

“She’s apparently working. Not sure how I’m supposed to get a hold of her when Trick marries Clark again, though, because the girl barely ever answers her fucking phone,” Crash grunts, but more with frustration that his girlfriend is going to miss Clark's special moment than the fact that they’ve barely spoken since Belle made a dig at Trick about not wanting Clark. Though to be fair, even before then their communication was shit.

Belle and Clark have been friends for years, and apparently, Kodi used to be a part of their friend group but distanced herself when Belle got jealous if Kodi spoke to Crash, even though it was platonic.

Belle wanted Crash and even at sixteen knew he was going to be hers, so she made her move, and Crash never pushed her away. They are each other’s firsts like Kodi and I, but the difference is that Belle is aloof half the time, and Crash seems to be distancing himself from her as well.

After he confessed about their relationship a few months ago, though his mom still doesn’t know, he said he was going to marry her, give her his cut, and tattoo her name on his body, but he seems to be waiting for something and I don’t know what.

It’s like he just feels obligated to stay with her and doesn’t know how to commit to her if he isn’tinlove with her, but I could be wrong.

“And she’ll definitely tell Clark of the surprise if you don’t call her tonight?” I confirm, and he grunts, “Yes,” and I sigh.

Trick and Clark married because she fell pregnant after Lavender, who we all know, spiked his drink. Clark missed out on her dream wedding and that is something Trick hates. He also swapped her birth control pills and now she’s pregnant, which she is pissed about because he took another decision away from her, but the only regret he has is the whole wedding shit. So, with the help of Cage’s old lady Drew and Kodi, tomorrow Clark will be picked up by Kodi at work and brought back to the clubhouse for her surprise wedding. It will have all the things Clark had dreamed about growing up. Kodi knew exactly what Clark would have wanted and everyone knows Belle would as well but unfortunately Belle can’t keep a secret to save her life. It’s why she doesn’t know Trick got shot a few weeks ago, and fuck, can’t forget that she was the one who told Crash Clark was planning on running off when she had found out she waspregnant. That was before she told Clark Trick was going to marry her.

Keeping her in the dark is probably for the best, even if she takes her anger out on Crash. Clark deserves the surprise, the happiness.

Should we start taking bets that I’ll probably envision Kodi walking to me?

I sigh as I shake my head, and Crash opens his mouth, most likely to question about the Chief, but before he can, I ask, “Spar?” and he groans, seeing my tension, before he takes off his cut, then switches off his phone, where his home screen isn’t of his girlfriend but our niece Willow.

Fuck, hopefully he and Belle can work shit out.

Walking to the ring, I roll out my shoulders, ready to get rid of this tension and maybe clear my head where Kodi is concerned because fuck, I want to fight for her, for us, and that thought makes me want to fucking run.

Chapter 8

Kodi

A tear leaks as I hear the door to the motel room shut, and another quickly follows as I open my eyes, but I don’t move. I stay still as I hear his bike start up.

I want to run to the door, to beg him not to go, to plead with him to want me, but I don’t. I stay stock-still and let my tears fall until I hear his bike roaring down the road, and a sob leaves me.