Page 39 of Start A War (Saint View Psychos)

“You could fit my entire apartment in this hallway.”

It made me think of the tiny trailer I’d spent my early years in. It was even smaller than the hallway. It could have fit in the closet I found Everett and Verity in a moment later.

I used the distraction to not comment on Rebel’s observation and chased the two kids out of the closet, grateful they’d actually listened and hid when I’d told them to. If the person at the door had been the guy with the mask…

I shuddered while we walked back to my rooms. That couldn’t happen. Not here, with Verity and Everett around.

It was a wakeup call. And a realization that I needed to stay somewhere else until this was all taken care of.

Rebel peered over at me. “You cold? You’re gonna have to get over that, because the outfits I brought with me do not have a lot of coverage. But it gets warm inside the club anyway.”

“Nash was sweet to send you over, but I’m really not in the mood to go out. I’ve decided to sell Psychos, but the real estate people will handle everything. There’s no need for me to get involved.”

Rebel stared at me like I’d grown another head. “You’re selling it? Have you lost your mind? You’d make so much more money running it.” Then a look of dawning realization spread across her face. “I suppose the money doesn’t really mean anything when you already have enough to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool.”

If only she knew that the amount of money we truly had probably wouldn’t overflow in a kiddie pool. “I don’t think stale beer and the odd darts tournament really brings in much money. But hopefully the sale will be enough to pay out the debts.”

She stared at me. “Okay, Nash was right. You really do need to come tonight. ‘Cause you have clearly no idea what you’re talking about.”

“I saw the books. Nash sent them over for the real estate agent. Psychos makes money but nothing to get excited about.”

She blew out a long breath as she retrieved her clothes, makeup case, and hair curler from the floor. The rush of air lifted her short bangs. “There’s a lot more to Psychos than what’s on those books, Dis.” She opened the door to my suite, and I followed her inside. She gazed around and shook her head. “Jesus fuck. I’ve never seen anything like this. Where’s your bathroom? You’ve probably got multiple, am I right?”

“Just one in my rooms, but really, Rebel. Some stuff went down tonight, and I’m not very good company…”

“What happened? Can’t be so bad that a drink won’t shake it off.”

The horrible words sat on the tip of my tongue, scalding and hot. I’d said nothing about what I’d seen because when I thought about it, I had no one to tell. My father was out of the question. Nichelle was nice but uninterested. My friends, Sandra in particular, might have listened, but there would have been judgments behind it. Perhaps discussion on what I could do to keep him more interested, at least until we signed our marriage certificate.

This was just what men of Caleb’s status did. I’d heard it over and over again from Sandra when she talked about her husband and his friends, who seemed like serial manwhores. I thought I was prepared for it. But watching Caleb screw that woman, him knowing full well I stood there watching and hurting, had been too much.

“I caught my fiancé having sex with his business partner earlier tonight.”

Rebel flopped down on the couch. “Well, he’s a fucking dickwad, isn’t he? I bet she’s a shrimp, right? Bangin’ body. But got hit in the face with an ugly stick?”

For some reason, that was exactly what I needed to hear. No questions about what I’d been doing to keep him happy. No sympathetic pats on the arm or condescending, “That’s just what men do, sweetie.”

“Something like that. But does it matter what she looks like? He still cheated. My friends will all tell me to turn a blind eye. Not sure how I’m supposed to do that when he saw me and just kept going.”

“He what? Oh hell no. Why would you look the other way? I’d chop his dick off and shove his balls so far up his ass he couldn’t shit for a month.”

I burst into laughter, and a moment later, Rebel joined me.

“Seriously, girl. Come out tonight. We’ll get drunk and we’ll show you what Psychos is really all about. If you still want to sell the place or forgive your asshole fiancé at the end of the night, then fine. But give us a shot. Nash wants you there…and I don’t know if you noticed, but that man is fine as fuck. If he wanted me there, I would be there in nothing but my goddamn birthday suit and a bow. Best way to get over someone is to get under someone else.”

Embarrassment flushed through me, remembering the way I’d checked out Nash’s ass and how I’d noticed the way his shoulders filled out his T-shirt perfectly. “Nash is like my brother. Or my father. He’s almost old enough to be.”

Rebel shoved her hands on her hips and stared at me like I’d lost my mind. “Nash has eyes that pierce my soul, abs I could do my washing on, and a ten-inch cock.”

I choked. “He does?”

There was no way Caleb’s was ten inches. It probably wasn’t even half that.

“Hearsay, of course. I haven’t seen it. But Axel always gave him shit about it.”

The mention of Axel’s name had my heart clenching.

Rebel seemed to notice and put her hand on my leg. “Sorry, Dis. I shouldn’t have brought his name up. It hurts, I know.”

---