Page 40 of Hot Mic, Cold Ice

My blood boils. Her ex? What the hell is she doing with him?

“Where are you?”

She rattles off the name of some bar downtown, but I am not listening. I'm seeing red, so I clench my jaw, a mix of concern and anger flooding me. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

My text alert dings and I look up the bar she is at. Luck is on both our sides tonight since I’m only a few blocks away. Hanging up, I throw some cash on the table and grab my jacket while the guys shoot me curious looks.

“Everything okay?” Ford asks.

“Yeah, just need to take care of something,” I reply, already heading for the door.

Walking feels like it takes forever, allowing my mind to race with anger. We didn't have those deep, meaningful conversations about ex-lovers or anything, but what little I did learn about hers was that he wasn’t worth the time. What was she doing out to dinner with him, of all people? Why would that asshat just leave a woman stranded? How could she be so reckless? It doesn’t take long before I am seething and I begin to run.

I spot Ziggy sitting on the curb alone, hugging her knees. What the fuck! My heart lurches, only making me feel more unstable. It's dangerous for her to be out here like this. I slow down, only slightly, and jog over to her, a little out of breath.

“Ziggy, what the hell are you doing out here?” I snap harshly.

She looks up with red rimmed eyes. “I didn’t want to deal with the people inside,” she says defensively.

“It’s not safe out here,” I tell her, running a hand through my hair, trying to come across as the least unhinged version of my current self. “Anything could have happened to you.”

“I’m fine, Elliot. I just needed some air,” she retorts, standing up and crossing her arms.

I clench my fists, trying to rein in my frustration. “Fine? Sitting on a curb in the middle of downtown at night, phone about to die? That’s not fucking fine, Ziggy.”

She sighs, exasperated. “I didn’t have many options, okay? I thought it was better than being inside being hit on by gross drunk guys.”

I take a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. “Let’s just get you out of here,” I say, taking her keys from her and guiding her back to her car. I open the door for her and look at her expectantly. “We can talk about this later.”

She hesitates, then gets in the car, avoiding my gaze. I slam the door shut and walk around to the driver’s side as my mind races with a mixture of anger and worry. This is not how I imagined the night going. Even after she bailed on me, I stilldidn’t expect to be picking her up from a shitty “date” with her ex.

As soon as I start driving, the tension in the car doubles exponentially. I can’t hold back any longer.

“Why were you out with your ex, Ziggy? Of all people?” I demand, gripping the steering wheel tightly.

She gives me a glare. “It’s none of your business.”

“It is when you end up stranded downtown because of him!” I snap back. “What were you thinking, going out with that shithead again, anyway?”

She crosses her arms, her jaw set. “I thought maybe he had changed. People can change, you know.”

I let out a bitter laugh. “Right. From what little you’ve said about him, even I know he didn’t suddenly become decent overnight. Be realistic, Ziggy.”

Her eyes flash with anger. “You don’t get to judge me, Elliot. You don’t know everything.”

“I know enough,” I clap back. “Enough to see that he hasn’t changed at all. He left you, didn’t he? Just like before.”

She turns to stare out the window, her voice low and strained. “I didn’t think he’d actually leave.”

“Exactly,” I say, my voice rising again. “Clearly, that didn’t work out how you'd hoped.”

She whirls around to face me. “Screw you! I didn’t seek him out. I ran into him, and it was awkward, but he conned me into saying yes to him somehow. And I hate myself for doing it inthe first place, so just save it. Save your shit, Elliot. I don’t need your judgment. You’re just as flawed as the rest of us!”

I grind my jaw, trying to keep my temper in check. “This isn’t about me, Ziggy. This is about you making dumb choices that put you in danger.”

She looks away again, her shoulders slumping. “I don’t need you to save me. I can take care of myself.”

“Really?” I challenge. “Because tonight sure didn’t look like it.”

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