"No, I don't expect that anything I've said could erase what I've done or make it OK," I told Effie calmly, even though I felt anything but. I was debating whether or not it would make any difference if I threw myself on the ground at her feet, but her face was inscrutable.
"But I knew I needed to explain things to you. I knew if I wanted to have any chance with you, I'd have to tell you everything, no matter how badly it reflected on me." I pulled in a deep breath. "No matter if it made things worse."
"It just might have."
Euphemia didn't pull any punches nowadays, nor should she.
"I had a lot of time to think this last year without you, lady. Knowing that my actions and inactions led to you leaving without a trace, knowing that I might never see you again and be able to apologize to you, doubting it would make a difference if I got the chance. I had to let you know how much I hated hurting you like I did. The guilt ate at me, and I deserved every day of pain. But the worst part was being without you."
"I'm surprised you had any time to think about anything other than the all-important trial."
"About four months after you left, the prosecutor had to drop the case. It never went to trial."
"How did that happen?" she asked.
I shook my head. "I proved there'd been two breaks in the evidence chain of custody; two unauthorized people handled the evidence, and key evidence went missing for a month before it was found."
"So your brother and president aren't going to jail?"
"No."
"I guess it's back to business as usual at the MC?"
"I have no idea."
Euphemia looked confused at that, so I explained. "Turned in my cut months ago, not long after the charges were dropped. I'm no longer a member. I've cut all ties with everyone associated with the club."
Her mouth opened then closed, her face confused.
"I turned in my cut," I repeated carefully so there'd be no mistaking what I was saying. "Covered my club tattoo."
It didn't get much more official than that.
"The MC was everything to you."
"No, Euphemia, it wasn't."
I didn't give her any time to decipher that.
"When I got all charges dropped against them, when Prez and my brother were released, I pulled them into a meeting right away. Told them I wanted Gel gone from the club. Told them how she'd treated you, how she'd lied about Winnie being mine, how she was making a play for me since she thought Brew would be spending the rest of his life in jail. I even told him about the one twin's as good as another line of bullshit she'd given me."
"They didn't believe you? What'd your brother say?"
"He stood by Gel. She was in the meeting, and denied doing that; her brother backed her, too. So then I played the recording I'd had Dayton send me from her phone to prove some of it. Explained to them if they wanted to side with her, I was out."
"Brother, come on. Gel's my wife, mother of my child. We've all been close since we were little kids. Don't make this an ultimatum over some piece of ass who left you high and dry."
"She's my sister," Prez said. "No way is Gel leaving."
"Then I will." I'd slipped out of the leather cut I'd worn since I was eighteen and beginning college and tossed it on the table. "Here's my cut. I'll get a brother to witness the tattoo cover up this afternoon and pack up my office before I leave."
YOU ARE READING
The Body #3: Rogue and Euphemia
RomanceI watched as my boyfriend saved another woman when a rival club shot up the clubhouse. He never even checked on me as he took her to the hospital -- and I almost died. So I disappeared for a year, and when I came back, he was waiting for me. He want...
