Page 84 of Tainted Tempos

“Hello?”

“Kenny? This a bad time?” Aiden asks.

I clear my throat, shaking off the strange feelings coursing through me. “No, it’s fine.”

Aiden sighs.

“How’s he doing?” I screw my eyes closed the second I ask. My heart races, nervous.

Aiden’s quiet for a moment, weighing his words. “He’s hurting,” he admits. I curl my fingers into a fist, hating that for Mav. Hating this for both of us. “He’s got another week in detox left. Derek’s finishing his song lyrics for him.”

Shit. I know how important songwriting is to Mav. I know how badly he wanted to finish writing the song he started. But… “He’s getting better?”

“I hope so,” Aiden says. “That bender was intense.”

“Yeah.”

“He was starting to veer into destructive habits. Starting to use you as his new drug of choice, wasn’t he?”

That statement pulls me up short because... “I never thought of it like that before.” But now that Aiden said it...yes, I can see how Mav was obsessing and fixating on Branson and my history with him.

“He’s surrounded by the band and his team. He has good friends, Kenny,” Aiden reassures me as if to assuage me of guilt.

“I know,” I murmur. “He won’t see me.”

Aiden’s quiet for a moment. “I’m sorry.”

“So am I. What did you want to talk about?”

“I know this isn’t a great time, but we never talked about my email. Do you have any reservations about the contract?”

My eyebrows furrow. “What?”

“Are you okay with the time limit and the funds involved?” Aiden asks. “Do you want to make any changes?”

“No, no, it’s fine. I don’t want, I don’t care about the money. I just want Mav to be okay.”

“I know,” Aiden says.

“Is this, why are you calling about this now?” I press.

Aiden’s quiet for a moment. “Just dotting I’s and crossing T’s,” he says finally. “I hope you get the closure you’re looking for, Mckenna.” His voice holds a note of sadness.

“Yeah. Take care, Aiden,” I say before hanging up.

I frown at the phone, hating how awkward our exchange was. On some level, I always felt like Aiden and I were friends but at the end of the day, he’s Mav’s lawyer.

My appetite gone, I leave the dishes on the island and climb back up the stairs. Then, I lay on Mav’s side of the bed, stare at the ceiling, and ignore the tears that rush from my eyes into my hairline. Closing my eyes, I curl into a ball and roll onto my side. I feel small. Weak. Guilty. And alone.

Bran’s gone from my life, and part of me is relieved. I won’t see him on campus. I won’t have to dodge his advances or listen to his cold, snide remarks.

But the burst of satisfaction I anticipated didn’t come.

Instead, a part of me remains disappointed. And sad.

No, there’s no closure. Not where Bran is concerned.

Not for Maverick.

---