Page 69 of Desert Heat

“I’m going to work on my OnlyFans account.”

“I can’t believe you. Tank would flip if he ever found out.”

“I need to take care of myself. My grades are okay but academics was never really my thing.”

“How did you get in to Bradbury then?”

“I paid someone to tale my Sat’s with a fake ID. I cheated on most guy high school tests…. I’m not proud of this okay so never tell…,” tears leaked from her eyes…. “I gave my senior Calc teacher handjobs for grades.”

‘We all do what we have to… to survive. There’s no shame in that. Make your money selling hot pics. You do you, okay? I’ll never judge.”

“Love ya’, girlie.”

“Back atcha!” I blew her a kiss as I got out of the tub. “You should get out too. I don’t want you out here all al0ne.”

“I’m coming,” she giggled.

“Ah, those were the days…”

“You should give me that burner.”

“I would but I don’t trust you not to text Tank or River.”

“Have you spoken to him?”

“No, I tricked him. Betrayed him when we escaped. He’s a proud man. He won’t let that slide. It probably sliced him like a knife. He trusted me and I used that against him. Besides, I can’t be with him. I want a different life. One that doesn’t involve illegal shit. I just want peace; a good man holding job a good job, a nice car and a four bedroom house with a. Roof that doesn’t leak. Why does that seem so fucking impossible?”

“It’s not. Just keep focusing on school and saving your own money. I’m going do the same. My life is interlaced with MC life. There is no out for me. I’ma target or a prize depending on where your loyalty lies. But I swear Brandi… I will be my own woman. I’m not going back. Not yet. I’m staying at Bradbury and getting a fucking degree in something. In what, I’m just not sure yet.”

“Same. We’ve got this.”

“Fuck, yeah, we do.”

CHAPTER 18

I stoodthere for a long time after he left. I wanted to burn the sight and taste of him into my soul.

I should hate him.

I did for all of forty-eight hours. Mostly out of self-preservation.

A man like that you never get over.

I knew that.

I also know that I owed it to myself to try to be something different. If and when I saw River again, I’d be stronger.

Smarter.

Ready for whatever would come at me at us if we ever found our way back.

Finally when the cold wind cut through me like a thousand knives, I turned around with frozen tears on my cheeks.

I was numb for the rest of the day. My classes were a complete waste. I was so out of it I took one of the campus buses as far out as it went, deciding to walk the rest of the way home.

Dumbest move ever.

It was cold and icy. I slipped, falling on my ass more than a few times.

---