Page 5 of Needing to Fall
“You wanted me.” He would think I wanted that considering he went home with any woman who would spread her legs for him. Sure, I had an abundance of tits and ass along with long, dark hair, which were great for tips, but I kept everything sexual about myself locked up tight. That part of me was totally shut down.
The bar wasn’t busy, as it was still early in the day. Luckily, no one was within earshot. I needed to get this over with before I lost my nerve. It was all or nothing.
I pulled a small slip of paper from my back jeans pocket, along with one of only three pictures I had of Drew, and slid them across the bar.
“Presents?” Trey said, not looking at the papers.
I swallowed deep. “I need a favor.” I knew it was going to cost me. What it was going to cost, I didn’t know. I didn’t have much to give.
“And what would that be?” His brow lifted, urging me to go on, but I didn’t want to. I wanted to just forget the whole damn thing and go home. I wanted to yet didn’t.
“I need you to find where someone is buried.”
Bringing his arms to the top of the bar, Trey crossed them, leaning in. “Where someone is buried?” he questioned. “Normally, I find people who are alive, darlin’.”
I let out a gush of breath. If I wanted him to help me, I had to tell him everything, which was not something I wanted to do.
I inhaled deeply and rattled off my time with Drew so quickly one would have thought I was an auctioneer, like on that TV show Andi made me watch all the time. Trey’s face didn’t change, but from his attention, I could tell he took in everything I said. No emotion played anywhere on his face, though.
When he didn’t say anything, I prompted, “So?” I fought myself to keep the emotions at bay. In the last few minutes, I had shared more with Trey than I had shared with anyone except Andi.
He leaned back and whistled low. “Fuck, woman. I had no idea.” His eyes filled with the start of pity that I didn’t want or need.
I balled my fists. “Don’t. Don’t feel sorry for me,” I demanded.
He just shook his head then picked up the picture and paper, not letting whatever he was thinking come out of his mouth. “You’ve always been a hot, little thing.”
I didn’t know what to do with that, so I stayed quiet while he looked at the picture. It was one with both Drew and I standing in front of Mr. and Mrs. Petersons’ house. The foster liaison took it and gave us each a copy. She never explained why she took it, but neither of us asked. It was covered in fakeness, though. Smiles: fake. Happiness: fake. Everything: fake.
We stayed that way for a long time—way too long—until he finally broke it.
“I’ll do it.”
I wanted to feel relief yet didn’t. If anything, it only amped up my anxiety.
“But it’ll cost ya,” he finished.
This wasn’t a surprise.
“What?”
A devilish grin came across his lips. “I’m keeping that in reserve.”
Reserve? Who does that? I guessed the shady guy I was asking to help me.
“Fine,” I agreed.
He stood from the seat, tapped the bar top twice, and was gone.
I was a nervous mess.
***
Three days went by, and each time the door opened to the diner or the bar, my eyes shot to it, expecting Trey to come in at any moment. Nothing.
What I didn’t expect was the knock on my door at ten-thirty at night on my day off from the bar.
I checked and double-checked the peephole, seeing Trey standing there. I shouldn’t let him in. I didn’t know him enough to actually trust him. Hell, there was only one person on this planet I trusted. What if he hurt me?You went to him, Reign. Pull your shit together.
