Page 40 of Merciless

“No. For finally facing your demons, going head to head with them and surviving.” He ruffled my hair as if I were a young boy, yet I didn’t pull away. “You deserve to find peace, Colton. Whatever that looks like.”

I tilted my chin as I exited his car, his words leaving a lasting impression long after he had driven away.

Find peace? Where do I begin?

I walked into the hotel and made for the elevator when an overzealous voice called from the opposite direction, “Colt, look who I found!”

From the tone alone, I knew which version of Avery I was going to encounter. What I hadn’t anticipated was Noah, sitting next to my drunken best friend at the hotel bar, both of them nursing a beer.

As I advanced, Noah and I locked gazes, and that was when I knew karma had come. Ready to receive my own justice, I opened my arms wide and gave him a free shot. Noah didn’t hold back. As I stepped into his vicinity, he launched a solid punch into my gut.

“Umph!” I croaked, collapsing in half. “Fuck me, that hurt.”

“It was meant to, asshole. That’s for sleeping with my girlfriend.”

“Hear, hear,” Avery unhelpfully piped from the side, banging his beer against the counter.

“Traitor,” I croaked, before I slowly straightened. “Noah,” I said placatingly. It was time for me to make amends. “Jennifer was a shit lay. I couldn’t get past twenty seconds with her because of how disgusted I was—”

Punch. He hit me again.

“Shit! What the fuck?” I shrieked, my hands gripping my knees as I tried to reestablish how to fucking breathe.

Avery tsked like an asshole. “You have a way with words, my friend. Hit him again, Noah.”

“No,” I said, immediately raising my hands to ward off another attack. Then I levelled him with a genuine apology. “I’m sorry, Noah. Jennifer is a fucking snake, but I’m still a dick for being a part of her cheating towards you.”

Noah remained sceptical, but at least he didn’t hit me again. “Although I can’t fucking stand you… I’m also a little grateful.” My brows flew sky high, surprised beyond belief. “You’re the only one to reveal Jennifer for who she really is. So, despite being angry and upset, I know you saved me from a future that would have been far worse.”

“Fuck bro,” I said. “Next round is on me.”

“You mean every round is on you.”

Now that was a sacrifice I was willing to make. “Done.”

I don’t know how many drinks we ended up getting through, but the bar eventually cut us off.

Avery was the most wasted, but that tracked for him, ever since the nasty break-up with his long-term girlfriend.

We were a depressing trio, to say the least, but we surprisingly bonded over our fucked-up lives and cheered to a better future, which hopefully wasn’t too far away for all of us.

We staggered out of the bar, Avery a heavy weight leaning on my shoulders.

“You’ll be alright getting him up?” Noah asked.

“Yeah, I’ll get him settled. You got a ride?”

He nodded, flashing me his phone screen, which showed a cab on the way. We did a quick bro handshake, then he turned for the exit.

Before he could pass the threshold, I called out. “If you’re ever in my city, look me up!”

He didn’t bother glancing back at me. Instead, he raised a middle finger high and said, “Fuck you.”

I chuckled when Avery managed to slur, “He’s cool.”

Yeah, I guess he is.

Chapter 25