Page 54 of Slow Ride

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Van decided he’d had enough.It was his job to look out for Kason and he was going to do what was necessary to make sure his friend didn’t go off the deep end…again.He’d spent the past week staggering through life like a zombie.Most of the time he wasn’t performing, he spent sleeping or pretending to, shut in the opulent bedroom of the tour bus.

This wasn’t a sustainable life for Kason—or anyone, really.

Van looked at Kyra, who was scrolling through social media on her phone next to him, and figured he had more in common with Kason than he wanted to admit.The woman had friend-zoned him since that one time they’d kissed and she’d called it a “mistake”.It had been the best damn mistake of his life, and living each day so close to her and yet emotionally distant was killing him.

He’d figure out what to do about that right after he took care of Kason.

“Hey, Kyra.Do you still have Ollie’s number?That guy from Hot Rides?”Van asked, trying not to clench his jaw so hard he’d bust a tooth.

“Yeah.He’s sweet.We’ve been texting sometimes.He sends me pictures of Mr.Prickles.”She laughed.

“I bet he does.”Van forced himself to concentrate on the task at hand and not be sidetracked by his jealousy.

“Want to see?”Kyra flipped her phone around and showed him some shots in between some regular, if a little flirty, texts.

Okay, fine.The hedgehog was kind of cute.“Nice.So, would you mind talking to him about Kason?”

“You want me to be nosey and get the dirt on Jordan and Wren and what’s up?”Kyra perked up.“Because I’m totally in if you do.”

“Maybe.”Van scrubbed his hand over his face, hoping they were doing the right thing.“At the very least see if Gavyn might be willing to talk to him.Or that other guy, what was his name?Roman?Someone who knows about the stuff Kason is struggling with better than us.”

“Yeah, Roman is Quinn’s brother.He’s married to a man.Ollie told me that he’s a recovering addict.He actually met Gavyn when they were both in a treatment facility.”

“We need help.Kasonneeds help,” Van told her.“Without any outlets, he’s going to lose it sooner or later.”

Kyra nodded.“I’m scared for him too.I’ll do it.”

Her fingers flew over her phone as she typed out a message to Ollie, then clicked send.She looked up at Van and flashed him a wobbly smile.“You’re a good guy, you know that?”

“But not good enough for you?”Shit!Why had he said that out loud?

All of Kyra’s warmth and openness vanished in an instant.At the same time, her phone binged.“It’s Ollie.I’m going to go outside to call him.”

Great, just Van’s luck.She would end up falling for the quirky, free-spirited salvage man, who was pretty much the complete opposite of Van’s tight-assed, military background, head of security, play-by-the-book self.

Whatever.At least Kason would be safe.Ensuring that was both his job and his duty as the guy’s friend.Van leaned over the back of the bus’s couch and spread the blinds apart a bit so he could watch over Kyra while she was outside alone.

Sure enough, she was wearing a smile that was very unlike the glare she’d shot him as she stomped out of the bus a minute ago.

Fuck my life.

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