everyone knew I had a crush on him and laughed about it because I was little Faye, Uncle Walker's poor niece."
"No...they never thought that," said Tracy softly.
She couldn't stand still any longer and paced. That twelve hours she'd spent with Curley so long ago had gone by fast. Too fast for her young brain to understand the consequences.
"The things he was doing and saying to me were..." She hugged her middle. "He was like nothing I'd experienced before, and I liked it."
"You did?"
"Yes." She inhaled deeply. "Everything blew up afterward, though. He wasn't even aware I was the girl in bed with him until after he was done, and he's hated me ever since."
"He claimed you."
"I think Uncle Walker made him."
"Are you sure?"
She blew out her breath. "No."
"Aw, Faye." Tracy slipped off the edge of the counter and stood on the floor. "It's been six years, and you've hated him this whole time?"
She snapped her head up and met Tracy's gaze. "I don't hate him."
Tracy raised her brows. "You love him?"
"I miss him. He was always mine. I felt like he belonged to me." She groaned. "I'm frustrated—because he's an ass. I hate myself because I know if he had a choice, he never would've had sex with me."
One of the babies cried in the other room. Tracy held up her finger. "Hold that thought."
Left alone in the kitchen while Tracy soothed the baby, Faye hugged her middle. She'd never confessed that she had feelings for Curley to anyone else. As if saying the words brought out more feelings, her stomach fluttered.
She couldn't keep living like this.
Curley either needed to let her go or let her back into his life.
Chapter 6
Curley
Smoke filled the meeting room at the clubhouse. Curley, covered in road dust, and a week's worth of sweat, joined the others in celebrating a successful run into Northern California to oversee the transport of marijuana.
The recent buyout over the killer bud gave them all a little more money in their pocket every month. From here on out, they'd only send a small team every three months down south to keep an eye on the operation. That would allow them to take care of business in Missoula.
"Before you go off to celebrate, remember to get some sleep. There's a meeting at ten o'clock in the morning with the whole club." Priest hit the gavel against the table. "I'm going home."
Curley stood from the table, intending to follow Priest to his driveway and see him safely home.
"Stay back and take some stress off, brother. I'll take Rick with me." Priest clasped Curley's hand. "Good ride, brother. I'll see you in the morning."
"Sounds good." He walked out of the office, snagged Brandi from the hallway out of the line of women hoping to get lucky and hook up with a Tarkio member, and took her into the main room. "Get me a tall glass of whiskey, hon."
Brandi sashayed her ass away from him. He took that time alone to seek out Aaron. While he was gone, he'd talked to his MC brother and found out that Faye had spent the whole night with Tracy and left the next day at noon.
"Hey." He lifted his chin and motioned Aaron away from the others.
Near the door, he said, "Did you have someone ride over to Superior throughout the week and check on Faye?"
"Slick went and spent a few hours each day watching her place. Most of the time, she was out in the greenhouse. One day, she had a few girlfriends swing by the house, but stayed home." Aaron passed Curley a joint. "I know Tracy enjoyed having her over, too."
"I imagine she did." He exhaled the smoke, passing the stub back. "Thanks for keeping an eye on her for me."
As long as Faye stayed away, she could live her life how she wanted.
Brandi returned, handing him the drink. He looped his arm around her and took her to the couch. Kicking the boot of a prospect, moving him off the seat, he took the spot on the sofa and pulled Brandi down on his lap.
The long ride was hard on his body. Sleeping on the fucking ground killed his back. All he wanted was the alcohol to numb the pain and a woman's softness to cushion him.
Brandi trailed the palm of her hand down his chest. "Want me to make you feel good?"
"Just sit still and stop talking." He drank half the contents and let his head fall to the back of the