Page 7 of Deceiver

I am starting to think he won’t answer when suddenly, his gruff and gravelly voice comes across the line.

I freeze, everything inside me just stops. Pain slams into my chest and tears burn under my eyelids. I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. I can’t speak, my entire body is betraying me.

“Anyone there?” Western demands.

Luna takes the phone quickly, and then, without thought, she says, “Western, it’s Luna, from the club.”

A long silence.

“Why are you callin’ me?”

Luna glances at me, and I press a hand over my chest.

“I know you probably don’t want to hear it, but please don’t hang up. Bonnie is in danger, she has no one. Please, I just need you to talk to her.”

Another extended silence.

“No.”

“Western ...”

“Did I fuckin’ stutter? I said no.”

I reach for the phone, taking it into my hand.

“Western,” I say softly, my voice crackly. “Please hear me out.”

He doesn’t even respond.

He hangs up the phone.

Once again, it feels as though my soul is being crushed that much more.

With a shaky hand, I pass the phone back to Luna who gives me a look of pity. I know she probably doesn’t mean it to come across like that, but it’s a look I don’t want to see.

“You know what,” she says, her voice determined, “I’m going to find a way for you to see him. I get he’s hurt, but he can’t just cut you off and never speak to you again. Surely he cared more than that.”

I thought so, too, but it’s seeming like I might have been wrong. Western and I, we shared a lot, but now I’m wondering if it’s even at all possible for a man like him to hand over his heart. Then I remember him giving me that necklace in the hospital, and I know for certain that meant something.

“I don’t know how we’re going to do that. I can’t even get into the club.”

“No, but I can. Don’t they have parties all the time?”

I give her a side eye, pursing my lips. “What are you plotting?”

“Well, if they do, it’s simple. You hide in the car, I drive in. They’ll let me in if it’s a party. They won’t even blink.”

She’s right, they wouldn’t. They’ll only stop me because they know who I am. If I can get in there, then at least Western will be forced to physically remove me himself if he wants me to leave.

“How crazy are you willing to go to get him to listen?” Luna asks.

“I’m about ready to do anything,” I tell her, tightening my mouth.

“Good, then I have a plan. I’ll find out when the next party is, and you just be ready to go.”

“Why would you want to help me after what I did?”

She steps forward, pulling me in for a hug. “Because I know you’re a good person. And I need friends.”