Page 17

Gwen

I wake with the morning light, alone. Silence fills the room. The bed is empty. Dominic left me here asleep. I’ve texted his phone a few times, but he hasn’t responded. Since he gave me this phone, he’s always replied immediately. A gnawing worry settles in my chest. I don’t know exactly what he does, but I know it must be dangerous.

My mind drifts back to the night he found me in his gun room the night I broke down in front of him. The memory replays in my head, tangled with everything that’s changed between us. My emotions for Dominic have shifted so much in the last few weeks. He still scares the shit out of me, but the way he’s treated me like no one ever has before has softened something inside me.

Lying here, lost in the memories of the time we’ve spent together, I jolt upright at the sound of the front door unlocking. The moment it swings open, I jump out of bed, grab my shirt, and yank it over my head as I rush down the hall. I freeze in my tracks. Bash stands in the doorway. Not Dominic. “Where is Dominic?” I ask, my arms crossing over my oversized shirt, trying to cover myself.

“He’s busy. Get your things. I’m taking you home,” Bash says, his tone cold and detached. “He has business to handle for a while.” “Oh. Alright.” My voice is smaller than I want it to be. “Does he have his phone? I’ve tried texting, but he isn’t answering.” Bash doesn’t answer me. He just gives me a look one that says he doesn’t want to tell me.

Frustrated, I spin around and head back to his bedroom, gathering my things. I stuff all the new clothes from the day before into one big bag, slipping on my jeans as I try to remember everything, I brought with me. When I walk out to the front door, Bash is leaning against the wall, typing away on his phone. He doesn’t acknowledge me, doesn’t even glance up. “I’m ready,” I say.

He doesn’t respond, just pushes off the wall and follows me out, locking the door behind us. His Corvette is already running in the driveway. I open the door and slide into the seat, my thoughts spiraling. Is Dominic in trouble? Is he hurt? Maybe he’s fine, and I did something wrong. Maybe I said something he didn’t like. But I don’t think I did.

The ride is silent, thick with unspoken words. By the time we pull up to the walkway leading to my house, I clutch my bags tightly, trying to summon the courage to speak. I glance at Bash, really seeing him for the first time. His green eyes are striking, his features softer than I ever noticed before.

Taking a deep breath, I meet his gaze. “Is Dominic, okay?” I ask, my voice uncertain. He holds my stare for what feels like an eternity before answering. “Look, I’m sure he’ll come get you soon. But physically, he’s fine.” I nod, accepting that’s all he’s going to give me. Swallowing my disappointment, I open the door and step out, holding my bags close to my chest.

Bash’s car rumbles beside me. A moment later, the Corvette roars to life, and I watch as he speeds away, leaving me standing there, alone. The door to my mother’s house opens, and she stands there with her arms crossed. Dressed in a skirt suit with a button-up silk top, makeup flawless, hair perfectly styled, she waits for me to step inside. My breathing hitches as I feel myself unraveling, the weight of the unknown pressing down on me.

I turn abruptly, rushing past her and up the stairs to my room. "Gwen," my mother calls after me, but I ignore her. Flopping onto my bed, I fight to keep the tears at bay. It’s a losing battle. The moment my head hits the pillow, the floodgates open, and I sob, tears soaking into the fabric. A soft knock sounds at my door before it creaks open slightly. My mother peeks in.

"Gwen, what’s wrong?" I don’t answer. She’ll only say I should have listened to her in the first place, that Dominic isn’t the man I need. But how would she know? She doesn’t have the slightest idea who I am.

"I am fine, Mother," I say, my voice rougher than I intended. She exhales, shaking her head. "You’re a Riviera woman. We don’t stay down. Do what you have to do. Get a good cry out and get up. It isn’t the end of the world." With that, she shuts the door behind her. Of course, she would say that.

She doesn’t understand that I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. Even the terrifying parts of being with Dominic made me feel alive again. We haven’t known each other long, but I already crave the way he holds me, the sound of his breathing as I rest my head on his chest. He’s embedded himself into my soul.

I never intended to find someone. I never intended to be wrapped up in him. But time doesn’t dictate connection. You could know someone for years and realize they’re wrong for you, or you could meet someone in days and know your soul needs them. Still, my mother is right about one thing lying here feeling sorry for myself won’t change anything.

I push myself up, heading to the bathroom. Turning on the sink, I splash cold water onto my face, watching as the droplets slide down my reddened cheeks. My bloodshot eyes stare back at me, the blue even more striking against the exhaustion. I hate crying. It does nothing but give me a headache and make me look like hell.

Brushing my hair out, I take one last look in the mirror and whisper to myself, "He will come back. You’re a bad bitch. Act like it." With that, I grab my phone and call an Uber. Two minutes until my ride arrives, I sit on the curb right outside the gates to Riviera Estates. Watching down the road for the car to come into view, I stand and dust off my jeans. The car pulls up directly in front of me, and I get in. The driver glances at me through the rearview mirror. I barely make eye contact. He has stringy hair, a ball cap, and smells like the inside of a fish bucket. “I need to go to Lori’s restaurant,” I say.

He nods and puts the car in drive. I sit in the back seat, checking my phone every two seconds or at least it feels like that. Still nothing from Dominic. Annoyed, I send another text.

TEXT: GWEN “The least you could do is answer me.

"I press send, watching as "Delivered" pops up beneath the message. I let out a frustrated huff. The Uber driver looks at me through the mirror. “Everything alright?” he asks. Something about him gives me a strange feeling. “Everything is fine, thanks for asking,” I reply, checking the time on my phone.

He smirks. “Gwen, is it?” I look back up, meeting his eyes in the mirror. “It is. How do you know my name?” As we pull into Lori’s parking lot, he shrugs. “Word gets around when someone new comes to town. Especially one as pretty as you.”

Scrambling to get the money out of my pocket, I step out of the car and hand him the cash. “Thanks for the ride,” I say, turning to leave. “I’ll be seeing you around,” he calls after me. Ignoring the unsettling feeling creeping up my spine, I push through the doors of Lori’s. Taking a deep breath, I head to the back, grab my apron and notepad. I need to focus. Keep my mind preoccupied.

The rest of the day is a blur. I try to stay busy but find myself checking my phone constantly. Still nothing. What the fuck? The more I think about it, the angrier I get. It’s midday, and the diner has slowed. Lori and I have busted our asses taking orders and cleaning. Now, we stand at the counter, taking a breather.

Lori watches as I check my phone again. This is mental torture. Maybe Dominic is testing me. If he is, I’m damn sure I failed. Endless texts, all with question marks. This is why I was hesitant to get involved. Why couldn’t I just leave it at a one-night stand? Why couldn’t he just let me go after the first date? Why be so persistent?

I look up to find Lori still staring at me. “What’s wrong, Gwen?” “Boy problems,” I mutter, staring out the restaurant window. “Boy problems, or a 6’3” tattooed asshole with jet-black hair?” She chuckles. “Yeah. Big asshole problem.” I shake my head. She grabs a slice of chocolate cake from the glass display, two forks in hand, and sets it in front of me. Handing me a fork, she takes a bite, nudging for me to do the same.

I stab my fork into the spongy goodness. She’s silently trying to make me feel better. “A good relationship isn’t always rainbows and sunshine,” she says, winking as she takes another bite. “Sometimes, you have to go through arguments to strengthen the bond.”

“What if there never really was a bond? What if it was never real?” Her face softens, an empathetic look settling in her eyes. “Only time will tell, babe.” Then she walks off, heading toward a booth where an old couple sits, hands entwined, love evident in their gaze. A future like that just isn’t in the cards for me. I don’t know who I’m trying to fool everyone around me or myself. I’ve ruined myself with the trash I let into my life.

I can slap on a pretty face, pretend I’m not that girl anymore, but deep down, I know the truth. She’s still there. She always will be. I check my phone again. Nothing. No new notifications. Fuck Dominic for making me see myself differently. Fuck him for giving me the best sex of my life. Fuck him for not answering me. And fuck him for being so damn good-looking. Hours pass, and the diner slows down. “Lori, mind if I take a break?” I ask as she makes her way back to the counter. “Go for it, doll,” she says.

I pull off my apron, grab my cigarettes, and head to the back exit. The sun is out, bright and warm. It’s a beautiful day, and I’m ruining it with my bad attitude. I can’t wait for my shift to end. I’m going to go home, crawl into bed, and rot because my so-called boyfriend, who isn’t even really my boyfriend, decided I wasn’t worth a damn response. Not even the decency of telling me to leave his house himself.

Lighting a cigarette, I sit on the ground, taking drag after drag, trying to calm my mind. My phone pings. My heart jumps. Maybe Dominic finally got over himself and messaged me back. I unlock my screen, and my stomach drops.

TEXT: Mother “I won’t be home tonight. I left Levi money for pizza. Make sure he gets some assuming you’ll be home.”

I exhale sharply and type back a quick thumbs-up emoji. Maybe a pizza night with my little brother is exactly what I need. Closing the app, I stand and make my way back inside Lori’s. The dinner crowd fades, and by five, there are barely any customers left. Lori starts closing the register early. She glances at me, smiling. “How about we shut down a little early, huh?”

That actually sounds perfect. The sooner I get home, the better. There’s a boy at home waiting for me one person I know will never let me down. “Sounds good to me,” I say, finishing up the last few tasks. Lori locks up and turns to me. “Need a ride?”

I hesitate. I really don’t want to call an Uber again that guy last time gave me the creeps. But I’ll probably have to for the rest of the week.

We walk to her truck, an old white Ford pickup with bench seats and a dial radio. I slide in, shutting the heavy door. “She’s old, but she gets the job done,” Lori says, rubbing the steering wheel with a fond smile. I chuckle as we pull onto the road.

There’s something comforting about her truck the way you can feel every bump, every turn. After riding in Dominic’s luxurious cars, this is different. Real. This old truck has seen life, taken its fair share of hits, and it’s still going. Arriving outside my gate, I step into the evening air, saying my goodbyes to Lori before heading inside. "Levi!" I call out, making my way through the house.

I hear the sound of his feet thudding down the steps before he comes into view. "Gwen!" His face lights up with a smile, and I can’t help but smile back. "What do you say to pizza and a movie?" I ask as he bounces up and down excitedly. "Yes! Can I pick the movie?" he asks, eyes wide with anticipation. "Sure. Go get it ready while I order."

As I walk into the kitchen, I place the order and sit at the table. Pulling out my phone, I check again. A wave of disappointment washes over me. Still nothing. Levi comes into the kitchen, clutching the remote, his grin unwavering. "I found the perfect one! Is Dom coming to watch with us?" He looks at me with hope shining in his eyes. "Not tonight, buddy. Just me and you, kid," I tell him.

His smile falters. "Oh… maybe next time." I nod, but deep down, I know there won’t be a next time. He got what he wanted from me and left. I should have seen it coming a man like him. I was just something to pass the time.

The pizza arrives, and we eat, laugh, and scream at the scary movie Levi picked. I don’t really like horror, but he does, so I let him choose. I want him to feel seen. I want him to know I’m here for him. I never want him to feel the way I do right now.

The night drags on, the movies playing in the background as Levi eventually falls asleep on the couch. I lie there, silent tears streaming down my face, praying for sleep to take me. Finally, exhaustion wins. I cry myself to sleep, tossing and turning through a night filled with bad dreams.