He swallowed audibly. “Y-yeah, okay. I’ll cooperate.”
I was a little disappointed when he didn’t put up a fight. Instead, he let me walk him around to the driver’s side and stood perfectly still while I secured his hands behind his back. He didn’t even try to kick me when I tossed him into the back seat.
I pulled up to the apartment I shared with Coal and called his cell. “I need you to come down to my truck.”
“Be right there.”
Coal blinked in surprise when he got in and looked in the back seat. “Nice catch. Where’d you pick him up?”
“Gas station. Didn’t even put up a fight.”
I didn’t have much of a chance to think about Grace with the sad eyes over the next few days while we were dealing with club business. But once all was said and done, I ended up at Precious Metals. Grace was there, but she left as soon as she saw me. I shrugged it off and sat down to throw back a few drinks, because, fuck, it had been a long few days. And the more I drank, the more my resistance crumbled.
5
Avery
I’d been crying since he left me laying ass up over the arm of my sofa. What had I done? It felt like I’d betrayed the memory of my husband, the man who was once the love of my life and my soulmate, even though I knew that wasn’t the case. It’d just been so long since I’d experienced anything physical with a man that I was desperate for it. And as soon as I got it, I regretted it.
I ran upstairs to my bathroom and showered immediately, scrubbing my skin until it hurt. Then, I screamed in frustration and started to hyperventilate. The pain in my chest made it hard to catch my breath, but I knew what was happening, and I let the panic attack have its way with me until the water ran cold. Then, I dried myself off and climbed into bed. I may have gotten a few hours of sleep over the course of the night, but it didn’t feel like it when I woke the next morning.
And then I did the stupidest thing I could’ve possibly done. I went back to Precious Metals, took a seat at the bar, and started drinking. I told myself I was there to drink my troubles away and not to see him, but even I didn’t know if that was true.
“We’ve been seeing a lot of you recently,” the bartender observed.
“I’m sorta new in town,” I mumbled.
“I’m Sam,” he said and extended his hand. “I’m here most nights.”
I shook his hand. “Hi, Sam. I’m Avery.”
“So, Avery, how are you sorta new in town?” he asked as he made my drink.
“I moved here about ten months ago. My kids are spending the summer with their grandparents, so this is the first time I’ve been able to check things out.”
“Ah, I see. Well, let me tell you something. Obviously, this is a bar, and we’ve got nothing against people drinking, but the Blackwings want people to be safe while they’re partaking at their establishment. So, when you’re ready to leave, let me have one of the guys walk you home.”
“The Blackwings?”
“The Blackwings MC. You’ve not heard of them?”
“No.”
“Local motorcycle club. They own the bar and a few other businesses around town—nice bunch of fellas. Most of them are ex-military. You keep coming in here every night, then you’re bound to run into a few of them. Actually, you’ve already met the two that just walked in.”
It was just like when someone tells you not to look and you automatically look. My head turned toward the door on its own volition and my eyes connected with a familiar pair of angry, gray ones. I quickly turned back to my drink and cursed under my breath.
“That’s Savior and Coal. They’re good guys,” Sam said and patted my hand.
I forced a smile and nodded. “I’m sure they are.”
I felt sick. I don’t know what I was thinking earlier, but I suddenly knew I no longer wanted to see him. Quickly draining my glass, I kept my eyes on Sam so I could pay my tab and get out of there.
After what seemed like an eternity, Sam turned and brought me my tab. “Thank you,” I said quietly and placed some cash on top of the receipt.
“Leaving so soon?” a deep voice rumbled from my side causing shivers to run up my spine.
“Yeah,” I said with a nod. I couldn’t bring myself to look at him, to see those eyes of his judging me.
