Page 52 of Stay Toxic

The man’s ass in those shorts were divine.

And I wondered if he knew that he’d just taken off with my heart in his pocket.

“Who was that?”

Of course, I would run into Jolessa.

I ignored her and got out, grabbing my stuff from the back without opening the hatch, which then caused the tire to rub against my jeans.

I looked down and, sure enough, I had a black mark from the tire on my jeans.

Luckily, I was wearing dark wash, and you couldn’t tell all that much.

“Brecken, please.”

I turned to her, studied her face, and said, “Do you know what it feels like to get your heart ripped out of your chest, stomped on, and then kicked over the side of a cliff?”

Jolessa stopped, her mouth partially open.

“Because I do,” I explained. “I want you to leave me alone, Jolessa. Stop talking to me. Don’t look at me if you can help it. I have to heal this gaping wound inside of my chest where you used to be. And I can’t do that if I have to worry if you’ll talk to me that day or not.”

“Brecken…”

“No,” I imparted finally. “Not anymore, Jolessa. Not anymore. You don’t get that.”

I left, leaving her shocked face in my wake.

My smile was forced when I sat at my desk for my first class of students.

By the time eighth period rolled around, that smile wasn’t as forced.

Jolessa and Rupert had stayed away.

But I could see Rupert was only doing it because he wanted to act like he was giving me the space I needed.

It wouldn’t last.

I can’t see red flags because I sat too close to the TV as a kid.

—Brecken to Shasha

SHASHA

“Boss.”

I looked up from my paperwork to find Alexi standing in the door.

“I’m back,” he said.

“What did you find?” I asked.

“A whole bunch of nothing,” he admitted. “Did Ivan tell you about the Jeep parked at the house being constructed down the road?”

“Yes,” I said, warmth filling me at the thought of her so close. “Don’t worry about it.”

He frowned. “You’re not worried that there’s a woman sitting in a Jeep, staring at your house, for multiple nights in a row?”

“No,” I said, grinning inwardly at her persistence. “Because I know who she is.”

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