Twisted MC-Devin & Nicole

Chapter Thirty Five-Devin

Me cellphone alerts me to a text message. Every single time I get a text notification, my heart speeds up; I hold my breath until I see who it is. It's Prez. Fuck. This emotional rollercoaster is making me crazy. I swear if she doesn't call me soon, I will camp out on her doorstep until she talks to me.

Damn it, I sound like a thirteen-year-old girl. Camping out on a girl's doorstep! Who does that shit?

Thirteen-year-olds, that's who.

And me.

*Viper...meet me at the club in 30*

I grab my helmet and keys and head to the clubhouse.

The only bike parked outside belongs to Prez. It's eerily quiet as I walk inside, except for some music playing out back by the pool. I reach in the fridge behind the bar, grab a soda, and head out there. He's at the grill flipping burgers with one hand, a beer in the other.

"What's up, Prez...you expecting people?" I sit at a nearby table.

Turning over his shoulder, he looks at me with a grin and says, "Nah man, it's just you and me...though I have a little honey dropping by later on, it's just us right now. I wanted to talk to you, you know, see where your head is with all you have going on. Ethan, Nicole, Lauren." He closes the lid on the grill and comes to sit across from me. Prez eyes me as he gulps some beer, waiting for me to say something.

"Man, this shit has me fucked up."

Nodding his head in agreement. "As I expect it would. Talk to me."

My hands rub my face. I inhale deeply, exhale and close my eyes before I speak. "I don't know what to do. I can't sleep; I'm barely eating. Hell, I barely even function most days. My life consists of working, coming here handling club business, and going home."

Prez watches me closely, swigging more beer and waiting for me to continue.

"When I'm home, I don't do anything. What the hell is wrong with me, man? See, this is exactly why I don't do relationships! This entanglement shit...look at me...look what it's done to me. Look at what I've done to Nicole!"

Sighing, I look up at the sky and bring my gaze back to him. "I'm a mess, man, and I don't know how to fix it. I have never needed anyone like I need her. Everyone always depends on me for stuff, my mom, my sisters, Lauren, and I'm not used to needing anyone but man I ---"

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I take another deep breath. I watch him from across the table, I just sit there...waiting for him to hand me my ass...again. Prez hasn't said anything yet. He goes over to the grill to take the burgers off. Puts them on a plate and brings them to the table. They smell delicious, but my stomach can't handle anything right now.

"You need to eat, Viper." He grabs a couple of buns and begins putting his burgers together.

"So what are you planning to do about Ethan and Lauren?"

"Honestly, if he's mine, I'll be filing for joint custody. If it turns out he's not...well...I still want to be in his life. That is until she figures out who his biological father is. And for real, even then, I'll be there for him. He only knows me...as his daddy." My voice shakes a bit, and I can't speak any further. I love that boy so much.

Prez takes a bite of his burger, swallows some beer, and rubs his hands, looking at me. "So listen, you have some crazy talk show shit going on right now, but you can handle this. You are strong enough to deal with Lauren's shit, and you are strong enough to work shit out with Nicole. She's having a hard time because she thinks you're having a hard time."

What? Tilting my head in question, "Please explain."

"Sydney has been with Nic almost every day since you...well...since you ghosted her."

My voice goes hard as I roll my eyes at him, "I did not ghost her."

He smirks at me, "Whatever, man. Anyway, Sydney explained to Nic what Lauren wants to, you know, be a family, work shit out. She thinks that's what you were out there doing, and she also feels like you're torn between her and your family. She doesn't want to be the reason you don't give Ethan that."

Shit. "Why didn't Syd tell her about the real reasons behind me being out there so long? Why didn't she correct that?"

Prez looks at me like I'm crazy. "Because that's not for Syd to do, asshole. You need to handle your mess."

I know he's right, but if Sydney had explained everything to Nic, maybe she'd be talking to me now.

"Man, I finally sent her a couple of text messages last night, but I haven't heard back. How can I talk to her when she doesn't talk to me?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Prez says, "You have to make it happen, Viper. It's obvious to everyone that you love each other, so figure that shit out."

He's right again. Since when did Prez become a relationship expert?

Before jumping on the bike for home, I decide to text Nicole again...crossing my fingers that I'm not being too pushy.

*Hey Nic... I just wanted u to know I'm thinking about u...hope to see u soon*