Page 72 of A Kingpin's Weakness
“You okay?”
“I’m safe. Seth got me here under lockdown. Security outside. Cameras everywhere. He even had Jo and Noah put up, too.”
“Damn… fuck me then, huh?”
“Shut up,” I laughed a little, even though it barely came out. “Ronnie not coming for you.”
We sat in silence. I picked up my phone again, checked for a reply.
Still nothing from Seth. I started drying off, worked some mousse through my curls so they could hang soft and wild today.
“What are you doing now?” R.J. asked.
“Getting dressed. About to head downstairs.”
“So… you and Seth a thing now?”
His question hit me harder than I expected. I paused, eyes going distant. I thought back to last night… the way Seth had me melting, shaking, falling apart under his hands, under his mouth. The way he looked at me like I was something he needed to survive.
“I don’t know,” I finally said. “I think so. Maybe. But I hate this lifestyle. Is this what it’s gonna be? Me waking up alone, hoping he ain’t laying in the street somewhere?”
“Stormi… get out your head. Shit like this don’t happen every day.”
“How you know?”
“I just do. And even if it did… you still gotta decide if he’s worth it.”
“I like him,” I admitted, “I’m just confused.”
“Then take your time. Get to know the man, not just the chaos.”
“How’s Ari?” I asked, needing to shift the energy.
“She’s on her way now. We got errands to run.”
“I’m glad you got her, bestie.”
“Hopefully, I’ll be sayin’ the same thing to you soon.”
“Maybe.”
“You sure you okay?”
“Yeah.”
“Alright. Call me if you need anything. I mean that.”
“Okay. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
We hung up.
The second I put my phone down, I picked it right back up and called Seth. It rang… then went to voicemail. I called again twice before I caught myself.
“No, Stormi. Don’t be that girlfriend.”
I dropped the phone on the bed like it burned. I was not about to call this man 3,100 times. I took a deep breath, got dressed, cleaned up behind myself, and made my way downstairs heart heavy, head spinning.
