“Ah shit,” Spike grunts. “Don’t start cryin’.”

“Can you just leave?” I snap through my tears. “Just go and leave me the hell alone.”

“Hey,” he growls. “Look at me.”

I keep my eyes directed at my lap.

“Now, Tom Cat.”

Hearing him call me Tom Cat has shudders wracking my body. It’s been so long, and the swell of emotion in my chest is nearly too much, but I lift my face, meeting his gaze.

“I might not be a great person, but I’m not enough of a fuckin’ prick to leave a girl who is hurt because of me. I also won’t let her take the fucked up end of the stick because of my actions. You tell me how much you need to cover you for a few days off, and I’ll give it to you.”

“I’m not going to do that, Spike.”

“You don’t get a choice. Give me a number, or I’ll make one up.”

“No.”

“Fine,” he says, pulling his wallet from his back pocket. He grips a wad of cash out and thrusts it at me. “That should cover it.”

I stare at the cash in my hands, and gape. “I wouldn’t make this much in a week.”

“Fuckin’ need to speak with Joe about how much he pays his girls,” he says under his breath, and then he meets my eyes again. “I fucked that bar, ‘cause I took the first swing. It ain’t on you and you shouldn’t have to miss out ‘cause of me. Take it, don’t argue, and we’ll both go our separate ways.”

“Are we ever going to be friends again, Spike?”

He narrows his eyes, and his expression becomes hard. “Don’t mistake this kindness for us being friends. I’m doing it because I fucked up. There ain’t nothin’ more to it. You ain’t ever gonna be more than an acquaintance, Ciara.”

Ouch. That burns. It burns me right down to my core. His words affect me in a way I wasn’t prepared for, and I do the only thing I can to cover the hurt. I get angry.

“Get out, Spike,” I hiss. “I don’t need your fucking pity. I’ve lived this long without your ‘kindness’, and I don’t need it now. If you can’t even be my friend, then do me a favor, and get the fuck out of my life. I should have never trusted you, and I should have never wasted so many years of my life wanting something that was clearly never worth fighting for. I’m done, Spike. I’m done trying to fix you. You’re right, there’s nothing good left in you. Nothing at all.”

I get to my feet and I thrust the cash at him. Then I turn and walk off down towards the hall. Just as I reach it, I turn and growl, “You know where the door is.”

Then I disappear into the darkness. I stand there for long moments, just listening. I hear him go - the door slams, his bike starts up, and he speeds off down the street.

My chest hurts. It aches so much that I struggle to get a steady breath. I hobble back into the lounge and my eyes fall on the coffee table. And I stop breathing. My vision blurs as tears well in my eyes. A strangled gasp escapes my throat and I grip my chest, as if that will take the pain away. There on the table is the cash, but that’s not what tears my heart to pieces. It’s the bracelet sitting on top of it. A bracelet made of leather, with silver beads representing friendship.

A bracelet I gave Spike a long time ago.

A bracelet that promised lifelong friendship.

A bracelet that swore my loyalty to him.

A loyalty I just broke.

God, what am I fucking doing?

CHAPTER 6

PAST - SPIKE

“Come on Tom Cat, you’re takin’ your sweet time!” I yell out from the bottom of Ciara’s stairs.

We’re meant to be headed out to the fair, but bloody Ciara is takin’ her sweet fuckin’ time getting ready. As always. I lean against the railing and I run my fingers through my thick, blonde hair. I really need to get rid of this, it’s startin’ to piss me off. I just don’t have it in me to look after hair this long.

I peer up the stairs again. Fuck, women can take their sweet ass time when they want to.

“I’m coming!” she yells.

I grin. I can’t help it. Ciara has that thing about her, she’s like sunshine and rain, all mixed in one sweet ass package.

“So, you’re the Motorcycle Man she’s been babbling about.”

I hear the sweet, silky voice behind me, and turn, letting my eyes fall on a very attractive girl that has to be Ciara’s sister, Cheyenne. She’s told me a lot about her, but I’ve not had the chance to meet her. Grinning, I take her in. She’s different to Ciara, she’s missing those wild cat eyes, but she’s equally as beautiful. She leans her hip against a nearby cabinet, and lets her eyes travel down my body. Is this girl seriously checking me out right now?

“And you must be the Sister.”

She gives me a devilish smile, and steps forward, extending her hand. “Cheyenne, and you are?”

“Spike.”

She raises her brows. “Spike? I thought your name was Danny?”

“I’m Danny to Ciara, but to everyone else, I’m Spike.”

“I didn’t know you were so...hot,” she says, letting those eyes travel over me again.

I laugh huskily. “Yeah, well, good genes.”

“I’ll say,” she giggles. “So, tell me what your intentions are with my Sister?”

I snort. “Ain’t no intentions there, darlin’. She’s my best friend.”