Page 9 of Vallaverse: Twist
There's no way it was him.
Not even fate is that cruel.
“You okay, man?” Shane asks, his tone soft and attentive.
I blink a few times and turn away from the window. “Yes. Apologies. I thought I saw an old acquaintance.”
“Must have been some acquaintance,” Grady muses.
I nod. “Indeed. Would you hold it against me if I end my evening early?”
“Of course not,” Grady assures.
“I will be back for your first fight, Shane. You are making tremendous progress.”
I leave money on the table for the bill and rush from the diner. It's out of my control. I'm strong enough to admit my weakness. If that was Laz, there's a slight chance that I will still be able to catch a trace of his scent. I want the chance to have his scent again, even if it ruins me.
There's nothing waiting across the street for me but frustration. I allow myself to linger on the sidewalk in front of the club for exactly two minutes before I turn on my heel abruptly and stalk down the street before I'm tempted to go intothe club to see if his scent is inside. I may be able to admit my weakness, but I can't let it rule me. Not anymore. I can't allow myself to fall into that level of destruction again.
My flight home isn't until tomorrow morning. I have two choices for the remainder of my evening. One of them involves a bar and taking part in potentially terrible choices; the other involves a lot more alcohol and hopefully ten solid hours of sleep.
I buy a bottle of my favorite whiskey on the way to the hotel.
I order a large pizza covered in everything but ham as soon as I walk through the door, then head to the bathroom to take the hottest shower the hotel's water system will allow. I can't wash away his memory. I've tried. But I can try to scald the stress of it from my muscles.
I'm wearing a towel around my waist when the pizza is delivered. I yank open the door and the poor kid almost falls over, nearly dropping the pizza.
“Sorry,” I say, offering him my hand to help him regain his balance.
He doesn't take it and refuses to meet my eyes. “That's okay. You already paid with a card. Here you go.”
“Hang on.” I turn around to grab some cash from my wallet on the bedside dresser. “Here.” I hand him the bills when I take the food from him.
He scurries off down the hall, muttering a quick thanks.
That's not the first time I've startled a young Beta. It hasn't been intentional for a long time, but it happens nonetheless.
I drop the pizza on the foot of the bed and sit down next to it. I don't know why I ordered it. I had a light meal at the diner just a little while ago. Habit, I guess. Every time I go on a trip, I always have pizza delivered. I'll need it tonight to cushion the whiskey.
The alcohol and greasy carbs do their job, and I fall into a heavy sleep before midnight. I dream about Laz. The old Laz. The Laz who loved me.
I'm still smiling when my phone rings and pulls me from sleep.
I answer the call with my eyes closed. “Brooks here.”
There's a long silence on the other end of the call. Every few seconds I can hear a faint breath but no words.
“Hello?” I say, reaching to turn on the light on the nightstand.
“Hey... I...”
The call ends abruptly, leaving me trembling with a breath stuck in my chest.
Chapter Six
Laz
“Were you talking to someone?”
