Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 126580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
I shot her a look because . . . what? But also, I was hoping she’d talk more about that. It would save me from sharing the sadness and pathetic-ness that had taken my life’s place. Like being suspended, being fired, being interrogated, being tortured, having your best friend take a safety break from you, and the latest, having no money, so you needed to be an adult and read the writing on the wall. Meaning, I needed to do something about my living expenses, or I’d be in serious trouble in a few months from now.
I really was praying my mom wouldn’t kick me out. She’d banned me from the hospital, and then she went away to a clinic and was now at a rehab treatment place. I was told she was becoming a whole new person, but I’d have to just trust and pray for a somewhat not as bitter and abusive mother when she came home.
So, yeah. There was that. And I’d not even gotten into how Ashton’s last visit with me made an impact and I was fully avoiding Trace.
He called. I declined.
He texted. I deleted it.
He showed up at my apartment, and I moved. He was the other reason I was moving, and I was sure he had a guy following me. I noticed someone the other day, so I’d have to do something to that guy to scare the living shit out of him. Until then, I was hoping he wouldn’t show up here. I didn’t think he would. Leo still came over to check on the place.
Leo, who didn’t know I’d made an executive decision and was moving in. I figured I still had the right since she’d never changed the locks. Bear told me that I could work at his place if I needed extra cash, but considering half his customers were my friends, who I was sure knew all about who I’d been screwing, I wasn’t that desperate. Yet.
I was holding out some pride.
But Molly was the only friend I was in contact with. I wouldn’t let Val anywhere near me. Didn’t want anything coming back to her and causing her a hassle with her career, and sometimes that could happen. I also hadn’t reached out to Kelly. I’d agreed with her and Justin when she’d said they were going to stay away.
I figured when I got sorted, I would reach out. I was so far from being sorted, but Molly had offered me a temporary job. I was considering it. Who’d turn down a bartending job at a bowling alley?
We finished two hours later. My calves needed to be stretched, while Molly had done a great job of holding the door for me every time.
“Okay.” She pulled me in for a hug. “Let me know if you need anything. Let me know when I can hire you, or to be more honest, when I can fire Sebastian. Bad move on my part hoping I was secretly hiring the Snowy Soldier guy since he kinda looks like the guy, but yeah. Super lazy and I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll only hire friends or people who actually have bartending experience. I’ll see you later.” She gave me a two-finger salute, heading out.
“Thank you again!”
Another wave from her as she headed for the street and then to where she’d parked.
I had the rental truck for the night, but I looked around, going through the house.
It was empty, with a lot of shit inside. My mom’s shit, but shit nonetheless. There were piles of dust. The carpets needed to be cleaned. Mold was probably in the walls or on her food. I knew I’d probably be wading through empty liquor bottles for the next week, but why was I getting choked up?
Also, that step was never fixed. What had Bear and Leo been doing this whole time?
Not wanting to deal with these feelings, I went in search for booze. Ten minutes later, I was heading back out to the rental truck with a full wine bottle in hand.
I was going to do what I’d been doing for the entire last month: paint and drink.
Two days later Kelly called me.
CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE
TRACE
Jess: I want to meet.
I’d been to her studio.
I’d seen every painting she made. Saw every new one the next time I walked through.
I’d been to her apartment. Walked through when she wasn’t there.
It was really fucking obvious she wanted nothing to do with me.
Shit hit the fan.
My uncle was calling, demanding to know what was happening. Who was talking to the FBI, to NYPD, to whoever else because it was a whole joint task force by the time the raid happened. And Ashton, the shit he pulled.
“You did what?” I must’ve heard Ashton wrong, what he did, what he did to Jess.
A wall slammed down over his face, and he raised his chin up. “You heard me. I did what I had to do. We had to know if it was her—”