Page 36 of Dark As Coal

“Come on, darling.” Sutton grabbed my hand and then led me from the main room, down the hallway, to the right, and then down to the end of the hall where my room was.

And with their help, we got all my things packed up.

None of us paid mind to the crashing and breaking of things that were going on in the clubhouse.

I was so over it.

So. Fucking. Done.

Once we were finished, Sutton opened my door and then looked at the prospects that were standing there. “We’ve got her stuff. Piney’s ready.”

And with that, they grabbed my things and then circled me so no matter what Coal couldn’t get to me.

I walked with them, my eyes forward, my chin jetted out. I wouldn’t show him how much he broke me.

He got those tears earlier.

He wasn’t going to get any more of them.

***

Once Piney set the last bag of my things on my couch, he walked over to me, and chucked me on my chin, “You gonna be alright?”

I smiled up at him and nodded, “You know me, Piney. I’m always alright. No matter what.”

“Alright. Dinner next Friday?” he asked with a mischievous grin.

I nodded, “You know it.”

Then I stood on my front porch as I watched Piney’s taillights disappear down my drive.

Then I ignored the man on the bike at the end of my drive, turned on my heel, walked into the house, and flipped the locks, making a mental note that tomorrow, I was going to the hardware store and getting new locks. Ones that Coal couldn’t break into.

I didn’t cry as I took a shower that night.

I didn’t cry as I combed my long black hair.

I didn’t even shed a tear as I braided it.

I wasn’t going to cry over him.

Fuck. That.

Well…. Someone should have told that to my dreaming state.

***

Two weeks. Three days. Fourteen hours. Seventeen minutes.

That’s how long it’s been since I’ve seen or talked to Coal.

Two weeks. Three days. Fourteen hours. Eighteen minutes.

That’s how long it’s been since I haven’t cried myself to sleep at night.

And my girls were tired of seeing me being this upset.

The words were simple. “Fuck him and the bike he rode in on.”

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