Page 34 of Ruined

“Fucking hell,” I swore. If Vin had been working with Charles, then that only meant that the entire time Joey had been trying to protect her, Vin had been one step ahead, and he might still be depending on where Charles was.

Joey nodded. “It’s why my sister looks like she does. Charles and Vin have been selling her out.”

With that, he walked down the hallway to go check on Adelaide.

I stared after Joey for a moment, trying to make sense of what might be going through his head, but I knew it was useless. Joey was unpredictable and dangerous.

I looked over at Jesup. “Come on,” I told him, pushing open the chapel doors. I knew this was going to be a tense conversation. Jesup had loved—hell, still did even if he wanted to deny it—Zyla with every fiber of his being. She had cut him deep when she took off with Rodney.

“Why is she back here?” Jesup demanded to know as soon as the doors were closed back behind us.

“She came to me last night. Showed up during the party. She’s lost everything, Jesup. She just needs a place to stay until she can get back on her feet,” I told him.

Jesup shook his head. “Not here, Grim,” Jesup snarled. “She fuckingleft. She demanded the divorce. She can figure her shit out on her own.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “Jesup, it’s just for a little while, alright?” I told him. Zyla hadn’t told me what happened, but the look in her eyes as she begged me for help? She was looking for safety, too. Something had happened, and I wouldn’t turn her away if she needed help. “You don’t even have to converse with her.”

Jesup clenched his jaw. “I don’t even want to see her fucking face, Grim.” When it was clear I was standing my ground, he growled. “She’s got one fucking month. That’s it. If she isn’t on her feet in a month, I want her gone,” he snapped.

With that, he strode out of the room, not giving me a chance to respond.

Chapter Eighteen

Adelaide

Islowly opened my eyes, locking them on Joey’s darker ones. He was kneeling beside the bed in front of me, his eyes running over my face. “Hey, pretty girl,” he quietly greeted me as he reached up to run the tips of his fingers over my face.

“Hi,” I whispered. I swallowed thickly, tears burning in my eyes. “I missed you,” I croaked. “It hurt so fucking much to think that you were gone?—”

“Easy,” he soothed as he cupped my cheek, brushing his thumb over my cheekbone. “You know I’ll never leave you. That has always been my one promise to you. Always remember that promise, pretty girl.”

I sniffled as a tear ran down my cheek. “You’re my rock, Joey. I can’t ever lose you. It’ll fucking kill me.”

He gave me a tender smile, one that warmed my heart and melted my soul. “I’ll be your rock for as long as you need me to be,” he promised. I smiled at him—a broken smile. He was the only man I’d ever let see just how shattered I was inside. “Alwaysso fucking pretty,” he breathed. Leaning forward, he smoothed his lips over mine. I softly sighed into the kiss, reaching up to clutch his shirt in my fist, holding him with me.

“We may fight, and we may clash heads, but you fucking hold me with you for as long as you need me, pretty girl.” A tear ran down my cheek, and my chin wobbled. “Tristan tries, baby, but he doesn’t seeyou. So, you hold me with you for as long as you need.”

I audibly swallowed as I nodded. “Lay with me?” I quietly asked him.

I slid over on the bed, allowing him to slide beneath the covers with me. He instantly wrapped his arms around me, holding me close to him. I snuggled further against him, desperately needing every part of him wrapped around me at that moment. “I know things are different, Adelaide.” My throat closed up with an impending breakdown. I wasn’t ready to hear this. “It’s not just me anymore. I know that. But something in my gut tells me that it’s not going to be just Tristan, either. It doesn’t end with him either, pretty girl.”

“It may,” I whispered, my voice breaking. All I knew at that moment was that I wanted Joey though. To hell with everyone else.

Joey shook his head. “The vibe between you two… it doesn’t sit right with me. You’ve changed. Quite frankly, you’ve changed too much for you two to ever fit together again.” He drew in a deep breath. “Adelaide, when that man comes along that warms your soul, that sets you on fucking fire, youneedto let this go between us.”

I clutched his shirt in my fist, shaking my head. “Never,” I croaked.

Joey sighed as he brushed his lips to the top of my head. “You will. I know you will.” He tightened his arms around me. “Just go to sleep, pretty girl.”

I shut my eyes, not wanting Joey to know how much he was ripping my heart apart. I knew things were coming to an end between us.

But I would hold him with me for as long as I could.

Chapter Nineteen

Adelaide

Zyla blew out a harsh breath as she stepped up behind the bar where I was currently mixing a drink for one of the new girls. “I knew he was going to be upset about me being back, but I didn’t know it was going to be like this,” she grumbled as she grabbed a glass and filled it with Jack before she tossed it back, her face screwing up at the burn.

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