Page 65 of Consequences

Gavin

Gavin walks into the hotel restaurant and looks around. Venom asked him to check in on Marnie to make sure she’s okay. He’s not really sure what to think about the dynamic between them, but he suspects his new girl has something to do with the reason he doesn’t come and check on Marnie himself. At the end of the day, he’s just happy to have something to focus on besides Hailey.

If this is where the asshole who beat up Beckett’s girl hangs around, the least he can do is make sure another woman of the club is safe. Hell, he hopes to find someone here to pick a fight with because Gavin is in the mood to hit something. Break things. Start a riot.

He sits at the bar and waits. If Marnie’s working tonight, she’ll be walking over to him at some point, and he wishes she’d hurry up. The longer he waits, the more time his mind has to wander to everything he doesn’t want to think about.

Waking up to find Hailey gone felt like a knife to the chest. He did everything he could to show her how he feels. How much he wants to make this thing between them work, even if she’s in Riverview. Hell, if she wanted to move across the country, he’d figure out how to make it work.

The club is his legacy, but he’s not sure he’s as devoted to it as she thinks he is. Hailey’s used to people leaving her, and it makes sense she wants to get a jump start on the leaving. It’s less painful being the one to leave than it is being the one being left.

Would I leave the club for her?

It’s a thought he’s had over and over again since she broke up with him when she left for school. The club is all he’s ever wanted… Until her.

Something about Hailey just won’t allow him to let go, and as much as he hates to admit it, he would give up the club for her. He’d move across the country and start a whole new life if she asked him to. His skill set is rather limited at the moment, but he’d learn. Whatever it takes to be with her, he would be willing to do anything. She won’t let him.

Why can’t she just let me love her, dammit?

“Are you okay?”

Gavin jumps and looks at a pretty blonde standing by the bar wearing a black apron with a white button-down shirt with one too many buttons undone. Not that he minds the peek at her cleavage.

“Uh, I’m fine.”

“Can I get something for you?”

She looks familiar, but he can’t quite place her. “I’m looking for Melanie. Is she working tonight?”

“Sorry, she has tonight off. Is there something I can help you with?”

So much for having something to occupy his mind for a while. He desperately needs something to help him forget he was thrown away like trash. That he wasn’t even worth saying goodbye to this time.

“No, I was just… Never mind.”

“You’re not into her, right?”

He laughs. “What?”

“Just making sure. I know you’re dating Hailey Lawrence, but Marnie’s hot and a little older. And she’s totally in love with this scary guy. Just wanted to warn you in case that was what was going on.”

This woman could have just stabbed him in the heart, and it wouldn’t have hurt any less to hear her say he’s dating Hailey. “I’m not into Marnie. And I’m not dating Hailey anymore. Just needed to check and make sure Marnie’s all good. It’s… kind of a long story, I guess.”

“Well, that’s nice of you.”

Not really my decision, but it’s not a bad feeling to be thought of as nice.

“I’m Gavin, by the way. My dad’s the VP of the club. I’m just a Prospect for a while still.”

She smiles, and one of her top teeth sticks out just a bit from the rest of them. Unlike Hailey’s teeth that are almost perfectly straight without ever having worn braces.

“You don’t remember me, do you?”

Shaking his head, he frowns and shrugs. “I’m sorry, I don’t. Have we met?”

“I graduated with you,” she says. “Mary Elizabeth Smith, but everyone calls me Emme.”

“Emme?”

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