Diesel pushed to sit straight, indignant. Spencer always had a way of getting a rise out of him, but this was ludicrous. He had been the one who was played in his marriage, not the other way around. And all he had done with Kim was allow her to have a choice that no one seemed to be giving her. “You’re the jackass, Spence! You’re making accusations that aren’t true because you’re jealous. You wanted Kim, and she didn’t want you, and now, you’re ready to do anything to make her turn to you for comfort.”
“Oh, please!” Spencer rolled his eyes, and Diesel saw his fists tighten. “I don’t need to convince her of what a lying, cheating jerk you are! She already knows you have Sophia here! Why do you think she hasn’t been around this whole time? She doesn’t want to see for herself what’s going on between you and your wife!”
“Ex-wife,” Diesel corrected, furious. He got to his feet, not caring that he nearly overturned the IV stand at the side of his bed. “Stay the hell out of my face and out of my business, especially when you can’t even get the facts straight!”
“The fact is, you have some nerve running off and pretending to rescue Kim, just to come back with her and turn to your wife again like some dog coming home with his tail tucked between his legs!” He shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest, looking down at Diesel derisively. “I’d tell you to pick one, but you don’t deserve either of them.” Spencer was shaking his head fervently like a disapproving parent. Diesel had always known Spencer wasn’t all he claimed to be; wasn’t the best of guys. But he never suspected a confrontation quite like the one that was occurring.
“Stand down, Spencer,” Diesel warned, his voice low and his rage high. The monitors on him were beeping loudly as his vitals shot through the roof, and he honestly hoped the nurses and orderlies came before someone threw a punch. And before the police got word of the ensuing violence. “She. Is. Not. My. Wife.”
“Those papers aren’t official yet,” Spencer countered venomously.
“It’s a technicality!” Diesel shouted, finally losing his cool. He wasn’t going to take this shit, no matter who threw it in his face. Kim shouldn’t have known that Sophia was here. Sophia shouldn’t have even been here. That was the arrangement. But Diesel had a good idea who might have engineered all that now that Spencer was in his face about it. And if it wasn’t his stepbrother, it was Sophia herself who’d leaked the information to Kim. Either way, none of this was alright.
“Then why is she here with you?” Spencer demanded. As if on cue, Sophia burst back into the room and held up her hands to stop the argument, standing between the two of them with a flattened palm an inch from each man’s chest like some mediator in the ring. Diesel would have throttled her, if he believed in hitting women. Sophia barely qualified as one in his book, but she still didn’t have parts dangling between her legs, so he held his ground, eyeing Spencer with laser beams.
“That’s enough!” Sophia hissed at both of them. “Spencer, you should go. Diesel is in no position to be this riled up. You can discuss your issues with him later. Why don’t you go check on Kim? She’s your friend, after all.” Spencer looked like he might take her head off for a split second, but after a scathing look up and down at Diesel, he finally rounded and stormed away, slamming his fist into the door as he left. Diesel didn’t know if he left a mark, since he couldn’t see it, but it was hard enough to throw the open door back into the wall.
Sophia jumped at the sound but recovered quickly and turned with a smile to face him. “There. That’s better.”
Diesel gaped at her. “I told you to leave.”
She shrugged. “I knew Spencer was going to cause a problem, and when I got downstairs, I thought twice about it. Come on, sweetheart, you’re supposed to be resting. Let’s get you back in the bed and calm, okay? You had a rough day. You took a bullet in the shoulder, sweetheart.” Concern was written all over her face, but Diesel knew that expression. She was nothing if not a good actress. It was how she took care of business for the club.
Diesel was too stunned at her attempt to care for him to stop her as she helped him back under the covers and adjusted the way the bag hung on the IV stand. She’d settled him in before the nurse ever made it to check on him and record the elevated vitals. “Don’t be overly concerned,” Diesel muttered at the nurse. “It’s not like a heart rate that high could cause a coronary or anything.” She gave him a dirty look for his sarcasm and left.
“And that’s why I’m here.” Sophia draped herself across the side of the bed, making sure her cleavage was inches beneath his nose. Diesel recognized the perfume that used to draw him in but now only served to make him nauseous. “Come on, baby. We were always so good together. I know we had our problems, but we’re powerful together. And I have the connections to make sure you can do whatever you want and never have to worry about the consequences. It’s the perfect arrangement.”
She traced a fingernail along his jaw, moved her leg over his until her knee made contact with his crotch. Even the slight brush against him was enough to spark his body. But Diesel grit his teeth against his body’s treacherous reaction and used his good arm to push her away. “Sophia, get off the bed.”
She made a purring sound and, rather than do what he told her, crawled further on the bed, until she was straddling him. She leaned in so his nose was literally pressed to her breasts, and then she arched her back so her lips brushed his. She breathed across his cheek and spoke with her mouth on his as she wriggled over him, her hot center teasing at his crotch. “Don’t resist the inevitable, Diesel. You know we were meant to be together. We’ve got great chemistry. I can get rid of those silly divorce papers with a snap of my fingers.”
Her tongue flicked out, over his lips, and Diesel grunted. It didn’t matter how sexy she was. Sophia was trash of the worst kind. She had quickly made herself an asset to the club, or she’d be out on her ass, turned out and sent to some desert in Mexico. And that wouldn’t have even been his doing. But, no matter who she was, he wasn’t going to have her taunting him like this and thinking she would get anywhere. All he could think about was how hurt and furious Kim must be with him.
Grabbing her by the shoulders a moment before she went in for the kiss, Diesel lifted her and moved her bodily back so she sat across his knees. He grinded his teeth to combat the pain it caused him. “You’re making a fool of yourself, Sophia. Get off the bed, and give it up.”
Chapter 3
Sophia’s entire countenance changed, and she gave Diesel a hard look. “Are you fucking kidding me right now? Do you even hear yourself? You could at least show some damn gratitude for how much I’ve done to make sure you don’t get locked up for another fifteen years or so!”
Diesel snorted. “Right. I’m supposed to get down on my hands and knees and thank you for screwing those cops later. Oh, wait. I’m wrong. I’m supposed to let you get down on your hands and knees to show my gratitude.” He shook his head in disgust. “You can get laid anytime you want. I don’t intend to play party to that. That’s why those damn divorce papers exist.”
She reared back an arm and slapped him, the sting not as bad as the pain that shot through his shoulder as his neck twisted with the force. “Do you know how hard I’ve worked to get back here? Do you know what I’ve gone through, just to be at your side right now, where I can take care of you and show you how much I care about you? How much I love you?”
“Love? Come on, Sophia, love is not what we had. I loved you, but I was a fool. You can’t commit to something when you take it upon yourself to sleep around and earn favors for the club.” He sighed as she finally stood and backed away with a horrified look, as if he’d been the one doing the slapping. “Look, Sophia, I didn’t ask you to show up here, and I certainly didn’t ask you to take on the responsibility of ridding me of the damn police. I can take care of myself. I’ve been doing it for a while. I don’t want to reconcile. I don’t need your help. And I don’t want you coming around to check on me or for any other reason.�
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He watched her anger grow, her face screwing up into an ugly mask that reminded him of other reasons he didn’t want Sophia back in his life. The only thing about her that was still genuine was her temper. “You always were an ungrateful son of a bitch,” she spat as she became a flurry of movement. She slung her purse off her shoulder and started digging. “That’s fine, Diesel. You know what? I’ll leave. I’ll let you see what it’s like to be alone. Because no one else cares about you like I do that has enough experience and big enough balls to stick around through the shady business and the danger.”
She pulled her phone out and hit a single button before placing it to her ear. That intrigued Diesel, making him wonder who she had on speed dial these days. But her sidelong glance at him told him he wasn’t going to like the answer. And then, she faced him head on with a sickly smile that told him every bit of this was calculated to piss him off and spoke into the receiver. “Spencer, have you left yet?” Her voice was flirty and put on, and Diesel held his tongue. There were plenty of things he wanted to say to her, but he refused to give her the satisfaction. “Oh, wonderful. Can you come pick me up, babe? I’d really appreciate it. Thanks, babe.”
She hung up with a smug expression. “How’s that for self-sufficient?” she asked brightly.
Diesel was fuming, but he refused to give into it. “Whatever floats your boat, Sophia. I’m sure you’re as interchangeable to all your men as they are to you.” She winced at the comment, and he knew he’d gotten her where it hurt, right in the heart of her pride.
The curtain rattled, and the nurse came in, looking even less happy than she had before. She carried a clipboard and several papers. “You’re being discharged. You’ve got a couple of scripts in here and instructions on self-care for the wound. Sign this.” She shoved the papers at him, and Diesel sucked in a harsh breath as he moved his shoulder to sign the form. She yanked it back and gave Sophia a skeptical onceover. “You can’t drive out of here. You’ll need a ride. Is that taken care of?” She appeared to be having trouble reconciling that Sophia was capable of driving him home, and Diesel found that amusing.
“Trust me, babe, I’m far better at dealing with injured men than you are,” Sophia quipped.
“Fine. I’ll be back to take the IV out in a few minutes, and you’ll be free to go,” the nurse said, leaving him alone again with his surly ex. Certainly she didn’t expect him to leave with her and Spencer, did she?
But he didn’t ask as she started scrolling through her phone with a scowl and finally hit a button. She waited for an answer and then glared at him with supreme hatred. “Kim? This is Sophia….I got it from Spencer. Listen, toots, I thought I’d let you know the big guy is being discharged and needs a ride home…Yeah, he’s all sunshine and roses,” she said sarcastically. “Listen, I didn’t call to chit-chat with you, babe. I called to tell you to come get his ass and take him home. Congratulations, baby girl. He’s all yours.”
With that, she hung up and clicked out of the room and down the hall. Finally, Diesel was surrounded by blessed silence. It was all he’d wanted since the fight, time to think without raving lunatics fussing over him and determined suits trying to bust him.
For the first time since he’d laid eyes on Kim, he finally felt a modicum of freedom. The fact that Sophia had walked out on him actually gave him a sense of relief. It didn’t matter that she’d purposely called Spencer in an attempt to play him against his stepbrother. She was gone, and she was angry enough that she would stay out of his way, at least for a while. And even though he didn’t like that she had direct contact with Kim, at least the woman he really cared about was on her way here now.
He had a lot of explaining to do when she finally arrived, and he had a feeling Kim wasn’t going to like any of it. He was going to have to be gentle and use his words carefully because, like it or not, Sophia had a point. Regardless of the fact that certain members of her family had spent a little time around the club, Kim wasn’t cut from the same cloth and didn’t have the experience with running drugs and guns. She wasn’t used to flying under the radar and skating through by the skin of her teeth. She hadn’t ever been in a gun fight, had never shot anyone, and had certainly never taken a bullet.
It was a lot to take in for someone who had been mostly sheltered. But Diesel was going to do everything he could to make her comfortable with the idea of staying here and being with him. He could keep her safe, he was certain of it. Well, moderately sure…
He scowled to himself, thinking about his luck. Of all the places his bullets could have landed, it had to be in the chest of a man associated with characters even more dangerous than the rival gang. The Skeletons were only a problem because they were new. The gang was young, and that meant they didn’t have a lot of experience. It made them power hungry, which made them ruthless. And in that vein, they were careless. They didn’t think ahead about their losses, and that made them easy targets.
But the connections he’d unintentionally tampered with could serve as a much bigger problem to solve. Blood ran thick, especially in those circles, and there was no guarantee Diesel – even if his brothers stood with him – could settle the score. He’d called down what amounted to the wrath of god, as soon as the news spread, and now, he had to find a means of correcting the mistake or penitence that would satisfy the need for justice and revenge.
Neither particularly thrilled him, and both stood in the way of his proficiency at keeping the woman he loved safe. And that was without all the other issues that stood between him and Kim. What a mess. What a fucking disaster.
He just wanted to be happy, wanted to greet her with a smile when she came into the hospital room. But with his shoulder aching as the damn nurse took him off the IV drip, his mind swirling with all the danger he and his club– and their families and loved ones by extension – faced, and the fact that he was still irritated by Sophia and Spencer shoving their noses in his business, he couldn’t seem to find the pleasantness he needed.
Thankfully, the nurse finished quickly, and he was alone again. She told him not to try to get dressed until his ride came, but if she’d meant it, she shouldn’t have given him his bag of clothes. He yanked the sling off his arm and worked his way through the pain as he tugged on his jeans and pulled his t-shirt over his head. He donned his boots and wrapped a bandana around his head. Only then did he sit still with all his paperwork in his lap and wait. He would let Kim help him get the heavy leather jacket back over his shoulders.
Chapter 4
Kim didn’t say much as she walked down the corridor of the hospital, wheeling Diesel out ahead of her. Too many people turned to look at her, seeming judgmental of her decisions. She didn’t like feeling like she was on display unless she was playing a gig, and she kept her eyes forward, trying to ignore everything and everyone around her.
She also had a lot to think about. Sure, Diesel had chased her and brought her back. And she could see in his eyes that he was honest about his feelings for her. That wasn’t an act, no matter how hard she tried to convince herself of it to make things make more sense. And no matter what Spencer said about him or Sophia. She knew Spencer, but he’d called to mind some questions lately. He was clearly jealous.
There were just so many questions that didn’t change her mind but kept her cautious and suspicious. After all, there was a lot going on that she didn’t understand, and Diesel wasn’t exactly being talkative right now. She understood he was in a lot of pain, very sore and lucky to have dodged a bullet that had probably been aimed at his head, so she gave him the benefit of the doubt. But despite his being a man of few words, he’d never hesitated to talk to her, and he’d never seemed anxious about it, like he did now. What did that mean?
She got him into the car and to the pharmacy, where she took in his prescriptions to have them filled. He ignored her insistence that he stay in the car, bringing in his own credit card to pay like the stubborn but adorable ass he was. “Are you going to be defiant the whole time I
try to take care of you while you’re injured?” she asked, feeling frustrated.
He shrugged with a crooked grin, probably because he was also wincing from the movement of his shoulder. “I’m not trying to be defiant. Just trying to do what I can to take care of myself.” He winked, and Kim couldn’t help but snort and shake her head. He had a way of easing the tension in the air, and she felt a little less cautious, even against her better judgment. Then again, her better judgement had never had anything to do with her involvement with Diesel before.
But it didn’t last. When they got to his house, Diesel remained silent, telling her nothing of what might have gone on at the hospital or what was running through his head currently. Kim didn’t make demands. She wasn’t sure how much of his club business she wanted to know. She’d gotten a short rundown of the catastrophic shootout from Spencer, but he’d been brief not seeming to now much himself, saying she didn’t need the details. But she felt she deserved some sort of explanation.
At the same time, she wanted to throw herself at Diesel, ease her mind with kisses and touches and beg him to share what he’d been through. She held back, though, knowing he wasn’t in very good shape physically. Instead, she settled him into the couch with pillows to elevate his arm. She turned on the television for him and gave him the remotes so he could flip around. And then she disappeared into the kitchen. Was this what it was like to be a mother? It felt a little bit like it.
While she’d waited for Sophia to step out of the picture – anxious and confused by her sudden interest – Kim had gone shopping, and now, she used the ingredients she’d bought to precook a few meals for him. That way, Diesel could easily heat anything up in the microwave without going through the motions of actually cooking and putting more strain on his shoulder.
BAD BOY ROMANCE: DIESEL: Contemporary Bad Boy Biker MC Romance (Box Set) (New Adult Sports Romance Short Stories Boxset) Page 10
