Page 28 of Valley

“I’ll remember that. Might need it soon,” Casimir said, raising an eyebrow at me. “We’ll talk later, Madeline.” They said their goodbyes, and I spent the rest of the time with Dad and Ellie until my next class filtered in. Dad didn’t push about what he’d heard, but his eyes said he wanted to. It would wait until we were home.

Jarrod, why did you have to turn out like all the rest?

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Chapter Eighteen

“WHAT’S UP WITHyou, Valley?” Patch barked,smacking me on the side of the head and jolting me awake from my slumped position at a table in the common room. The sudden impact sent my heart racing. “You ain’t taking any weird shit, are you? Because I’ll boot your ass out.”

I rubbed my eyes, the room spinning as I tried to focus. The common room was buzzing with life, laughter. “Shit, what time is it?” I muttered, fumbling for my phone. For the second night in a row, I’d avoided my room, preferring the company of noise over the silence that tormented me. All the spare rooms were still occupied by visiting charters.

“Time for you to fucking answer me!” Patch snapped, pulling up a chair across from me with a thud. “What the hell is your problem?”

Relief washed over me as I saw it was only two, meaning I wasn’t late for work. But that relief quickly turned to unease under Patch’s intense gaze. “I just fell asleep. I’m not into any weird shit,” I replied defensively.

“Don’t try to bullshit me, kid. What’s your problem that you can’t even make it to bed? This isn’t like you.”

“I got a lot on my mind, and being alone makes it fucking worse,” I offered a half-truth. “I promise you I’m clean.”

Patch leaned back, never breaking eye contact, a smirk forming. “This about a woman? The blonde you had on your arm the other day, right?” My expression gave him the answer he needed. “You fuck up?” Again, my face betrayed me. Patch misses nothing. He slapped the table. “If she means something, then fix it. If not, get your head out of your ass.”

With that, he stood and walked away without a backward glance. Once Patch had spoken his mind, he was done. I leaned back with a heavy sigh, staring at the ceiling, and muttered, “If only it was that simple.”

With a groan, I pushed myself up and headed to my room. I needed a shower, a change of clothes, and something to eat before work. For a fleeting moment, I considered asking Patch to move me, but I knew he’d tell me to suck it up. It wasn’t his problem. Plus, a part of me wanted to be near her, conflicted with the part that insisted I needed to keep pushing her away.

Two hours later, I walked into Twisted Heat, the pulsing music and flashing lights doing little to lift my spirits. My eyes immediately sought out the bar where I knew she’d be tonight. My jaw clenched as I saw her laughing at something Sean said, his arm casually draped over the bar. Jealousy twisted my gut, not just because of Sean, but because that smile on her faceshouldn’t be there if she was hurting like I was. And, as twisted as it was, I wanted her to be suffering too, even though none of this was her fault.

In this shitty mood, when Val came toward me with a big smile on her face, touching her tassel covered nipples, I didn’t move. I waited with a smile of my own. “Hey there, gorgeous,” she purred, wrapping her arms around me and leaning in close, rubbing herself on me. “You look delicious, baby.” With all the willpower I could muster, I stopped myself from recoiling as she licked my cheek, her breath hot against my skin.

My gaze locked onto Madeline’s as I whispered in Val’s ear, a promise for later. Finally, I saw the hurt where it should be before she turned away, giving me her back. With her no longer looking, I pushed Val away and started to walk off, but she stopped me with a touch on my arm.

“So, later out back?” she asked, hope gleaming in her eyes.

“Yeah,” I replied, trying to convince myself I could go through with it because that would be the final nail in the coffin with Madeline. No going back. My heart sank at the thought of her moving on, writing me off.

I felt my pockets for my phone and cursed, realizing I left it in my saddlebag. I hurried out front to my bike. My steps halted at the sight of the bracelet wrapped around the handlebar, the beads glinting under the dying sun. With shaky fingers, I unwound it and rolled it in my palm, scanning the parking lot and seeing no one. It had been years since Kezia left me beads; her reminder not to forget her and what she was capable of. I tightened my fist around the bracelet and closed my eyes in frustration.

When would it end?

“OH GOD,OHGod, this is not happening,” I whisperedto myself, fighting back tears as I plastered a smile on my face.

He did not just proposition Val.

He wouldn’t be that cruel, but there it was, right in front of my eyes. Was I in some weird alternate universe? I just don’t understand why this is happening. Did I do something wrong? We were great together. There was no faking what we had in and out of the bedroom.

“I can do this,” I mumbled, turning around to wait on customers.

“Of course you can, honey, I’m here now and I got your back,” Casimir called over the music from a stool he had taken when I wasn’t looking.

I smiled in relief. Cas being here would help me get through the evening. He had a way of making everything seem more manageable, and I was privileged to call him a friend. “I really need it tonight, thank you,” I replied, not bothering to lie.

Val gave a little squeal, leaning on the bar and handing me a drink order to fill. “He wants to meet me after work,” she said with a sly smile. “Looks like both of us get to take that train.”

“And what train would you be hopping?” Casimir asked, giving her a long, scrutinizing look that clearly showed his disapproval.

“Not that it’s your business, since I don’t know you, but I’m so happy I don’t give a shit,” she gushed. “That perfect piece of meat over there.” She pointed Valley out as he walked in from outside.

Casimir gave Jarrod a look of disbelief and a sniff before saying, “I’ve seen better meat on roadkill. But I suppose it’s good enough for crows and vultures.”

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