Silence is the only response. I wait several minutes, hoping to hear a response or for the door to creak open. She has work in the morning, so on the hope she’s asleep and knowing we can talk tomorrow, I go to sleep alone—wishing I could do the last twenty-four hours over again.
Chapter 33
Jessie
“The doctor will be in to see you shortly,” I tell the elderly woman and her daughter before exiting her curtained room. She fell at home and broke her hip.
It’s been steadily busy in the ER all day, and I’m grateful for it. My fight with Trey about our relationship status and the fact that he spoke to my father without telling me has been eating at me. Daryl isn’t going away, and Trey just made it worse.
But Trey’s words from the other night haunt me. I understand where he’s coming from—I know we’re good together, I’m not blind. But how long would it really last? Getting into a relationship isn’t safe for him or my heart.
We never should’ve started spending our free time together, eating our meals together, and most of all, wenevershould’ve started sleeping in the same bed every single night. I slept like shit again without him last night, and I hate that. I’ve always been fine sleeping alone—even when I was dating someone, but now I’m ruined. Last night, I was so damn close to sneaking intohis room and under the covers with him. Hearing him on the other side of the door spilled fresh tears down my cheeks.
My shift is over in a few minutes, and my emotions are all over the place. I’ve spent the day going back and forth between fuming in anger that he confronted my father and contemplating Kacey’s advice. I still don’t know what to say to Trey when I get home. There isn’t much I can say—he broke my trust by talking to Darylandnot telling me.
Yet even after all that, I’m still worried if he pushes for a relationship again that I’ll fold like a house of cards, right into his arms. I’m scared things with Daryl will escalate, and I feel safe when I’m with Trey. That’s selfish, though, because it’s safer for him if he leaves and never comes back at all.
It’s better we end this now. I know I’ll miss him. I’ve grown to care for him more than I thought I was capable of. This was never the plan—he was supposed to be his fuckboy self andwantto leave when he could rodeo again.
I give the nightshift nurse an update on my patients before heading to the locker room and grabbing my bag. I can feel something is off the moment I walk out of the hospital. The sun has slipped behind the mountains, casting the parking lot in shadows. As I turn the corner of the building, I’m yanked—hard—and pushed up against the wall. A hand is over my mouth before I can scream.
“Don’t worry, it’s just your old man. We need to chat.” My father’s wolfish smile greets me. He pulls his hand away and releases me before I can bite him.
“Get the fuck away from me!” I try to push past him, but he grabs my arm, stopping me.
“Not so fast. Your little boyfriend paid me a visit yesterday, and I don’t fuckin’ appreciate you siccing him on me. You’ll pay for that. Next time, don’t be a little bitch. If you have something to say to me, tell me yourself.”
“I didn’t—”
“Shut up!” He shakes me. “Let’s discuss the cash you’ll be getting for me. Where is the $5,000? If you and him want safety in this town, from now on, you’ll have to pay for it.”
“Stay the fuck away from him,” I grit out.
His shoulders shake with a sinister laugh. “I knew you were fuckin’ him but don’t tell me you’ve gone and fallen for him, too. So, what? You feel protective now? Afraid your old man will run him off? Well, don’t worry, Jessie, you’ll do that all on your own. A man like him only keeps a cunt around for so long.”
I take a step back, attempting to free my arm. “Let go.”
“You think I’m wrong?You’re trash, and you come from a long line of trash. Just because you managed to get a degree to be a professional asswiper don’t make you anything special. He has money, fame, and a bitch like you isn’t capable of keeping a man like that. He only sees you as a piece of ass and nothing more.”
I finished the braid in my hair, just like Kacey showed me, grinning at my reflection. I can’t wait to show her. She said it suited me. Said it made me look strong. I want to feel strong.
I sling my backpack over my shoulder and bolt for the door.
But I don’t make it.
A hand grasps the braid firmly and yanks it like a leash, making me stumble backward.
“What’s this?” my father sneers. “Trying to play dress-up now? Look like that Hart girl?” He laughs, mean and loud. “You don’t belong with girls like her. You’ll never be one of them. Don’t forget where you come from.”
I push the memory out of my mind. “I didn’t tell him to talk to you, but I don’t have any more money—you’ve taken it. And I can’t get any from him. It doesn’t matter anyway. Like you just said, he’s leaving.”
“If you won’t get me the money, you better hope he’s leaving town soon. Or he might find himself too hurt to ride again. No one comes into my town and tells me what to do.” He releases his grip, and I take off for my car.
My hands shake as I get in and lock the door. Throwing it in drive, I speed out of the parking lot, away from him. Tears blur my vision as his words sink in.
He’s right. I won’t bring anything but trouble to Trey’s life. He’s better off without me.
I drove around until my hands stopped shaking and the tears stopped falling. I go numb, knowing what comes next.
