was horrified at what he’d done, Evie had finally had enough. She’d put up with his insecurities, affairs, and controlling behavior to give Ty a family and to fill the hole in her life that had consumed her after losing everyone she cared about. But the price had become too high.
“What’s that?” Zane gestured to the key fob.
“Viper gave me a vehicle—a Mazda MX5—and he took the keys to my car. He said it wasn’t safe. The Mazda is still in the parking lot at Riverside Bar. I didn’t want it, or I wouldn’t have taken the ride home with you.”
“Hate saying this, but he’s right. Your vehicle wasn’t safe.”
“Do you seriously think I would drive Ty around in an unsafe vehicle?” she snapped. “It might not look like much but I had it all checked out. Bill’s mechanics said it was running fine.”
Zane sipped his beer. “So … you and Viper?”
“I’ve been on a few dates with him, although he’s never acted like he did tonight. Obviously. Because if he’d twisted my arm and pulled my hair on our first date, I wouldn’t have gone out with him again. Although he said what he did was all for show.” She twisted her lips to the side, considering. “If I tried to slap Jagger in front of his men, what would he do?”
Zane choked on his beer, wiped his mouth. “Pretty much the same thing Viper did. A one percenter president can’t let any disrespect slide. Makes him look weak, and a weak president is a dead president.”
Did that excuse Viper’s behavior? If she’d understood biker culture, she wouldn’t have made that mistake. And except for that one incident, he had been nothing but charming and kind. Although his jealousy had frightened her. Was that the real Viper behind the mask? The man who had so crudely called her a piece of pussy and wanted to take her to bed just so Zane couldn’t have her?
“What about you?” She tucked the key fob away and opened the first aid kit she’d brought from the house. Although the cut on Zane’s arm wasn’t deep, there was still the risk of infection, and she suspected he wouldn’t be running to the hospital with a knife wound on his arm.
“I could never hurt you, Evie.” His hesitated, as if he had more to say. “In any way.”
She dabbed antiseptic on his wound, remembering how many times she’d treated his injuries over the years. From school fights to reckless stunts, she had always been there to pick up the pieces. And he had done the same for her. They’d missed so many years together because they were too afraid to destroy their friendship, and yet, in the end, they destroyed it anyway.
“Then why did you leave me?” Her voice tightened as nine years of heartache bubbled over. “What happened that night?”
Zane covered her hand with his, drawing it away from his arm, threading his fingers through hers. “Your dad warned me away from you down by the creek after he sent you home. He said I wasn’t good enough for you. Later that night, he came to the trailer. He … saw … all the drugs and cash. There was a fight. He shot my dad. I ran at him, knocked him down. He dropped the gun. My dad grabbed it and shot him. I didn’t think anyone would believe I wasn’t involved. Maybe shot them both. Everyone in the trailer park knew how my dad beat me; they heard us shouting at each other every night. And I figured your dad had told people I’d been with you and everyone would think I’d decided to get him out of the way. The town would need a scapegoat and I was an easy target.”
Evie’s skin prickled with awareness. He wasn’t telling her everything. Even after all these years, she knew he was holding back, whether it was the way he stumbled over his words or how he stared out into the darkness, or from the set of his jaw. There was more to the story than he was letting on.
“The police thought my dad went to arrest your dad for drug dealing,” Evie said. “They figured there was a fight, my dad shot yours in self-defense, and then you picked up the gun and shot my dad in revenge for killing your dad. Your prints were on the gun. Your footprints were all over the scene. Witnesses had placed you there…” She pressed her