Chapter 36: Preparing for the Difference


    Blythe’s POV.


    Cancer. Lung cancer. Only a few years to live.


    How many are a few? Can we stretch that out somehow<i>? </i>Is there anything we can do? A lung transnt?


    Would that take the cancer away?


    All these questions swirling my mind were making me spiral. By the time we walked up the porch steps of a


    little one–story house near the back of the property, I was a ball of nerves. I was wringing my hands, staring


    at the door. Karma was right beside me, watching me. I ignored him to my best ability.


    Suddenly, Karma reached out to pull me into his arms again, but I took a step back, throwing my arms out to


    stop him.


    “I have to pull myself together,” I rushed out, looking into his eyes. “On my own. For ze. I don’t want to


    make him feel like I pity him.”


    Karma gave me a single nod of understanding.


    I turned my attention back to the door, trying to gather all of my courage. I’ve been through a lot over the


    years. I’ve been through so much abuse, so much pain, so much heartbreak. I can handle this too. For ze.


    Because ze doesn’t deserve to see me look at him any differently than I ever have before. I can hold it


    together. I can do this.


    “I didn’t think you’d have this hard of a time,” Karma mumbled, seeming a bit ashamed. As he should be. For


    several reasons. “I wasn’t thinkin‘ about how we all kinda got eased into it. I’m sorry.”


    I shook my head.


    “It’s fine,” I replied without looking at him. I do wish Karma would have been more thoughtful, but I’m not


    surprised. Bikers aren’t usually that thoughtful when ites to emotional stuff. ze was the same way. He and I used to get into big, heated arguments. Always ending with ze apologizing to his woman, and I forgiving her man.


    Once, I asked I why they fought so much and why she was so quick to forgive him after he apologized. She told me that they loved each other deeply and that made them passionate. She told me that everything is more intense the more passionate you are, and the deeper you love somebody, the more passionate you be. She always said that none of their fights were ever about anything serious, just the two of them


    getting pent–up about small things and hashing them out.


    I told me that she always forgave ze when he apologized because she knew what it meant for a man like him to apologize. I didn’t really understand what she meant back then, but I sort of do now. I know that


    Karma isn’t a man to hand out apologies unless he truly means it.


    Or maybe he just likes fu.cking with me.


    I’m not sure if I’ll ever know, but I can’t deny the way his apologies make my insides warm. It feels like I’m being seen for the first time, since the night my mom married Tusk. I hated that. It made it harder to remind myself that this was all probably just a joke they were ying on me.


    s Chapter 36 Preparing for the Difference


    Whatever. This isn’t about me and Karma. This is about ze.


    Mustering up all of my courage, I hardened my face, determined to look normal when I walked through that


    door.


    “I’m ready,” I said. <fnfe9d> Fresh chapters posted on find(?)ovel</fnfe9d>


    Karma didn’t say anything, but reached for the doorknob. He opened the door and walked in first 1 followed him inside, looking around as I did so.


    Despite this being apletely different house from what they lived in when I was herest time, it’s decorated just the same. Family pictures and art from when Bonnie and Karma were kids lined the walls. They have family vacation pictures from Scond, postcards and random art from their family members over there, and even some memorabilia from back in the day when Prez ze was in his prime.


    The house wasn’t messy, but it was cluttered. Just like it used to be. Well, it’s actually a lot less cluttered


    now. They must have gotten rid of a lot of stuff, but still. It feels lived in. It feels like home.


    Tears threatened to fill my eyes, but I blinked them back as I followed Karma through the house.


    “Dad!” Karma shouted.


    “Aye!” I heard ze grunt back.


    We turned a corner and walked into the living room. ze was sitting in a recliner that was almost directly <b>in </b>front of the TV. He had an oxygen tank sitting next to him with tubes that led to his nose. He looked different, just like Karma warned me. He’s smaller than he was before. Still covered in tattoos though. Like his son now is. And he looks older. His hair is graying at the sides and gray streaks run through his dark beard.


    “Hope you’re back with good news, boy,” ze grumbled without looking up at us.


    Karma turned his head to give a smile that screamed ‘<i>told </i><i>you </i>so‘. I stuck my tongue out at him, and he just


    shook his head before looking at his dad again.


    “Brought ya someone,” he said.


    ze’s eyes snapped up, immediately meeting mine. I froze in my spot, suddenly feeling shy. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen ze. Again, another man I’ve always seen as an uncle, a father figure.


    “Fu.ckin‘ hell,” ze murmured, staring at me with wide eyes.


    “H–hi ze,” I stuttered, giving him an awkward wave.


    ze moved to stand up. My first instinct was to rush to him and tell him to sit down. Karma put his arm out to stop me though, letting his dad get to his feet. ze marched over to me, and pushed his son’s arm out of the way before wrapping me in his arms. Karma walked into another room that I could see was a kitchen. Probably to give us a few minutes.


    Now he wants to be thoughtful? Jacka.ss.


    “You’ve been through a lot, haven’t ya?” he whispered in my ear.


    My spine stiffened and ze pulled away to look me in the eyes as he cupped the side of my face.


    “I’ve been in this life long enough to see it in someone’s eyes, darlin‘,” he told me softly, smiling gently <b>at </b>me. “The youngin’s ain’t payin‘ enough attention to ya, but they will. And they’ll regret it, Bly.”


    I had no idea what to say to that. I <b>felt </b>like he just stripped me bare. Like he knows <b>my </b>secrets, but that


    Chapter 36 Preparing for the filterte


    confuses <b>me</b><b>. </b>I thought they all knew already? Or is this confirmation that terms, fuck, and be g


    what was happening to me a secret? Or is this about what my husband day test that there was much of e difference between Sean and Silent Divine


    <b>“</b>You gonna tell them what you runnin from? Or what happened to ya<i>?</i><b><i>” </i></b>He asked me dropping the hand giving me a stern look.


    I shook my head, looking down at my feet. His thick ent is just as deep andforting as i remember Karma sounds so much more like ze now too. I hate that I like it so much.


    “You don’t trust ‘em no more, huh, darlin‘?” He mumbled


    “Why should I?” I blurted, spitting the words out and instantly regretting it.


    ze grunted, but I couldn’t meet his eyes<b>. </b>


    “Well, I wanna give ya the answers ya deserve, sweetheart,” he said. “But that ain’t what ya need right now


    Uh, what?


    “Make them work for it,” he whispered to me.


    “I just wish they’d leave me alone,” I grumbled, crossing my arms.


    ze chuckled.


    “I know they’ve fu.cked up, Bly, but they’re good boys,” he said gently.


    “You have no idea how wrong you are,” I mumbled.


    “You’re keepin‘ somethin‘ from me,” he called me out. “What did those boys do that I don’t know about?”


    I looked up into ze’s green eyes that looked so much like Karma’s.


    “I don’t want to get into that, ze,” I said honestly. “I came here to see you. Now that your son has stopped


    trying to starve me to death.”


    ze stiffened.


    “Sorry, what did ya just say?” He asked dangerously.


    Man, ze might have lost some muscle and be attached to an oxygen tank, but he’s still he scary.


    My first thought was <i>‘</i><i>oh </i><i>fuck</i><i>, </i><i>I </i><i>fucked </i><i>up</i>‘. Just when I was about to try to smooth the situation over, thought… <i>‘</i><i>why</i>?”. I’m not the one in the wrong here. I did nothing to deserve what happened. It’s all Karma’s


    fault. And I will take the utmost joy out of telling on him.


    “Oh, you mean your son didn’t tell you?” I asked just as Karma walked back into the room, holding two battles of water and a can of soda. I smirked and turned my eyes back to ze. “He told everyone in the club to ignore me. Because of that, nobody brought me nkets, or towels, or anything. And Everly also refused to let me eat. I passed out after cleaning the entire clubhouse, because that’s what one of the club girls told me


    I had to do. Oh wait, I didn’t pass out until after Alex pped me. Twice.”


    The room went deadly silent. Tension surrounded us, and I was all too smug about it. Karma was giving me a hard look as his jaw ticked. ze looked royally pissed off as he turned around to face his son.


    “What the fu.ck is wrong with ya, boy!?” he shouted.


    “Dad, you don’t understand-”


    <b>Chapter </b>36 Preparing for the Difference


    “I understand <b>enough</b><b>!</b>” ze <b>shouted</b><b>, </b>cutting <b>him </b>off. <b>“</b><b>You </b><b>should </b>have done better! I warned yar


    <b>I’m </b>taking <b>care </b><b>of </b>it <b>now</b><b>!</b>” Karma shouted back.


    <b>I </b>scoffed, adding fuel to the fire inside ze.


    “You dipsh.it!” ze yelled, pointing at his son. “You need <i>to </i>stop fuckin‘ up! And Alex hit <b>her</b>!? What the


    fu.ck!?”


    Suddenly, before Karma could reply, another voice joined the mix.


    “What’s all this yellin‘ about?”


    We all went rigid as we turned to face her.


    I’s home.


    <b>3 </b>


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