Oh, shit.

I hold Monika and look into her eyes. I want to be close to her again, to tell her that I’ll be there for her no matter what. But it would complicate everything if I were honest with her. “I’ve got to go rescue my sister from Bonk,” I tell her. “But I’m not leavin’ you like this.”

“I changed my mind. Just go. Leave. I don’t need you or your stupid kisses.” She pushes my hands off her. “You’re good at leaving when people need you, Vic. That’s your specialty.”

“You don’t understand. Trey and I were best friends.” I’m feeling more than defeated at this point. “I can’t… I can’t do this.”

“You don’t know anything about me and Trey!” Monika calls out.

“I know he loved you,” I tell her.

“You don’t know shit, Vic. You think you do, but you got duped just like me. You thought you knew Trey, but he was a stranger to both of us.” She glances at the front of the club where Bree and Ashtyn are standing, waving her over. But then Ashtyn must recognize me, because she comes running over.

“Oh my God! Vic!” Ash cries out. I haven’t seen her since the accident, but this isn’t the time to talk. Not now.

“Take her, Ash,” I say as I put Monika in Ashtyn’s arms.

“Wait, are you leaving?”

“After I take care of business.” I head to the bar.

Because Bonk has a date with my sister—and with my fist.

Chapter Forty-four

MONIKA

“Have you ever fallen in love with someone you hate?” I ask Isa on Monday as we work on a car together.

“Oh, chica, I’ve fallen in love with many men who I’ve hated.”

“Who was your first boyfriend?”

She puts down the wrench in her hand and sighs. “His name was Paco. We weren’t official or anythin’, but I was seventeen and totally in love with him. I imagined us gettin’ married and havin’ kids one day.”

“What happened?”

“He was murdered.” She sniffs a few times, then picks the wrench back up and starts working on the car again. “I got out of the gang after that, but it didn’t bring him back.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Me too.” She looks at me sideways. “So what’s the deal with you and my cousin?”

I can feel blood rushing to my cheeks. “Nothing.”

“Don’t give me that ‘nothin’ crap. I see the way you look at him.”

“We’re just friends, I guess.” Although that’s not exactly true. “Actually, right now I hate him. We’re not really friends anymore.”

She nods in acknowledgment. “Alex, come here!”

Alex, who came to help out again today, walks over from the car he’s been working on. “Tell Monika how it was love at first sight with you and Brit.”

“I hated her,” he says. “And she hated me. We came from opposite sides of town, and I thought we were so different.” He laughs. “Who knew she was my soul mate.”

“I did,” Isa tells him.

He laughs. “True.”

“As a guy, do you got any advice for Monika?”

“Yeah,” Alex says. “My wife never stopped challengin’ me. Made me want to be a better man.”

I tried to challenge Vic, but instead of making him want to be a better man he’s given up.

Suddenly the door to the garage opens. Bernie appears in a tailored suit, and he’s holding a huge bouquet of roses in his hand.

“Did you just come from a funeral?” Isa jokes.

“No,” Bernie says, completely serious. “I came to take you on a date.”

Isa backs up. “I told you I don’t date.” She narrows her eyes at Alex. “Don’t you dare say a word, Alex.”

Alex holds his hands up. “I’m not sayin’ anything, Isa.”

Bernie hands Isa the flowers. “Go on a date with me.”

“I can’t,” she says.

“Why not?”

“Because…” Isa tosses the flowers in the trash. She starts walking away, but then rushes back to the garbage can and pulls them out. “Fuck you for doin’ this to me, Bernie.”

“I’m just trying to love you,” he says.

“Yeah, well all the guys I’ve loved die. You want to die?”

“I will eventually,” he says. “I’m not afraid of dying. And I’m not afraid of you. Go out with me.”