Page 28 of Sunflower Persona
She drops her arm once I’m back in, safely surrounded by the others. No one says anything for a moment, and a bubble of awkward energy grows in the air.
I take a large sip of my now-warm drink, finishing it off, and ask, “So who won?”
“Jamie,” Evelyn says without the cheer I’ve come to expect.
“Cool,” I mumble and let the silence overtake the group again.
Eventually, they fall back into casual conversation, but the vibe is wrong. Everyone is too still and the banter forced. Nathanstays at the bar with Gage. Both men watch over us with stormy expressions. It’s not surprising from Gage, but the rage is wrong on Nathan’s face. He’s too pretty for that.
Fuck.
I did this.
That awkward bubble grows, heating my body with every expansion. Sweat trickles down my back, but it does nothing to stop the burning. Nausea rages in my stomach, drowning all the seagulls and butterflies—and whatever else lives there—in the pools of boiling lava. I ignore the feeling for as long as I can manage, but it overwhelms me completely.
“I’m gonna go to the bathroom,” I tell Evelyn.
“Do you want me to go with you?”
“No, it’s okay. I’ll only be gone a moment.”
“Are you sure? You don’t look so good.”
I wave off her concerns, even as she disappears down the tunnel.
The world spins with each step I take. I’m not sure if it’s seconds or hours that pass, but eventually, I make it to my destination. I stumble over the threshold and beeline to the sink. Water is good. Water will cool me down. The first splash of cold liquid on my face is euphoric. The second is orgasmic. I would weep from the sweet relief that simple action provided. But it’s not enough. I’m still burning alive.
Darkness creeps into the edges of my spiraling vision, and it’s only then that I realize something is very, very wrong with me. I need to find Gage. My danger-man can fix anything.
With that singular thought, I try to stumble to the bar, but the darkness creeps closer and closer the more I fight to move. The world is a million miles away as I push through the door, into the secluded hallway. Just a few more steps, and I’ll be okay. Once I get back into the bar, Gage will save me.
I only make it one more step before the world slips away completely. As I float in the dark, the burning finally stops.
“Hello, sweetheart.” The cruel rasp cuts through my moment of peace.
Ice floods my veins as panic fills me, and then there’s nothing.
Chapter 10
Gage
Rage.
A storming, thunderous feeling more intense than I’ve ever felt billows and builds within me, growing stronger and more violent with every minute that passes.
Someone had the nerve to touch Kori in my bar. The motherfucker had his hands on her, scaring her, and I was fifty feet away completely oblivious to it all.Nathan, of all people, had to step in to rescue her from the creep. Not to say I’m not grateful, because I am. He saved my girl while I was too busy serving fucking drinks to realize she was in trouble.
It should have been me. Just like it should be me comforting her and making sure she’s okay, but once again, my friends are cleaning up my messes. Karis and Evelyn have her sandwiched between them like a pair of overprotective mother hens.
The dark cloud around me is a tangible entity. Not one customer has approached me since Nathan came over and told me what happened, choosing to wait as long as needed to buy from the other bartender on duty. My friend acting as a sentry at my side definitely isn’t making me seem any more approachable.Tips are going to be fucked tonight, but money is the last thing on my mind.
Yellow breaks away from the group and staggers toward the bathroom in the back. Her unsteady gait sets my spine on edge. It’s closer to what I would expect from someone after several drinks, not one, and I know for a fact she’s only had the drink I gave her. The creep didn’t get the opportunity to get more booze in her system.
I track her until she disappears down the secluded hallway, then let out a curse. Have they always been so isolated? Goddamnit, that’s a recipe for trouble. How the fuck has no one complained about it before?
A few seconds after she leaves, Evelyn looks at me and beelines for the counter.
“Something’s wrong with Kori.”
