“He hasn’t reached out to me,” Flora said, the tear in her heart beating and pulsing faster. “No calls, no texts, nothing. He must not want to see me.”
“Have you, oh I don’t know, called him, texted him, went and seen him?”
“He kicked me to the curb, remember?”
“Okay, okay. Unfortunately, I have to go on stage now, we’ll finish this later. Enjoy my set.”
“Good luck,” Flora said, stepping out to the main floor. Taking a seat in a random chair, the dark room hid her perfectly. She could completely let go, and at that time, she needed it.
Staying with her parents was a blessing, truly, but this wasn’t a permanent solution, and they agreed with Emery that she should go fight for Dylan. But they weren’t there. They weren’t there when he…broke up with her. She couldn’t beg a man to take her back. Isn’t that the opposite of being a girl boss?
“Hey.” A voice startled her, causing her to jump. Ryder Enchanted grabbed a chair next to her and whipped it around before taking a seat.
“The stage is the other way, and I don’t do lap dances,” Flora said, her dry humor shining through her sadness. A deep chuckle poured from his lips as he smiled.
“Dylan would chop me into pieces, honeypot,” Ryder said, staring off into the distance.
“Honeypot?”
“Is Dylan your mate?” he asked, aiming right for her torn heart.
“You know I can’t answer that.” The welcoming energy changed as immediately as his questioning did. She could see why he was the business personnel of the Pack.
“You can’t?”
“The rejection would set in and kill me.”
Everyone knew that. Rejection from your soulmate would cause the Shifter body to slowly self-destruct, starting with months of immense pain before the body decided the pain was enough. Once a Shifter's mind, body, and soul accepted another as a mate, no one else could compare.
“You’re right. You shouldn’t tell me. You should tell him.”
“After he already asked me to leave?”
“Did he ask you to leave forever? Did the words ‘You're not my mate’ come out of his mouth?”
“Why would I go back if he’s the one that told me — not asked —toldme to leave? If he wanted me back, he would come get me.” Flora was heated; how dare Ryder come in there and tell her what to do?
“What would you do for your mate?”
“Anything,” Flora spat out without hesitation.
"Then act like it." With those final words, Ryder left with a goodbye nod and left a hefty tip on the stage for Emery as he walked out the door.
Ryder was like the annoying smartass older brother she never had, and that was something she seemingly wasn’t missing out on. The problem was that he was right. Dylan wasn’t the type to fight for himself. To do things for himself. He needed someone to put him first and to fight for him, and Flora wanted to be that person. She could admit this area of dating wasn’t one she was an expert in but if she wanted Dylan back, she’d have to learn.
With two lectures back-to-back, she needed a damn drink.
“Flora, come with me,” a familiar voice spoke.
“What are you doing here, Willow?”
“Come home with me,” Willow said, taking Flora’s hand in hers. “Come spend some time with me. Outside of work.”
Without another pointed glare, Flora took Willow’s hand, grateful to be comforted instead of hounded.
36
DYLAN
