AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Grabbing the to-go bag with the tray ofsopes, Byron closed the car door and headed back. His phoned buzzed in his pocket more than once but he hesitated to pull it out. If Vannah had the nerve to respond with something snarky about his weekend plans or worse, assure him she too would find another friend to spend hers with, he’d be too tempted to hit the call button. Ali and the girls were already onto his broody ass mood. His cussing loudly on the phone just outside the house would only confirm what they already suspected. That something was, not just going on with him, but tearing him up.
Once in the house, he gave into the temptation to check the texts. He knew no matter what, he wouldn’t consider calling her in the presence of his Littles. Even Beast who was notorious for his short temper rarely even raised his voice in front of his girls. Byron would be beyond needing to raise his voice if Vannah decided to go toe to toe with him about what they’d each be up to this weekend. As riled up as he was feeling, he started reading the first text and it confused him.
You know me, I would’ve called but I’m at work. Don’t be a party poop again. We’ll be down at TheChuperiaagain tonight.
Stopping before he was done reading, to look at who it was actually from, Byron frowned when he saw it was from Irma. A girl he got together with from time to time. Even this was an infuriating reminder of what Vannah had done to him all week. Irma had reached out more than once in the past week and it only irritated him when his phone screen confirmed it wasn’t a call or text from Vannah. He didn’t bother reading the rest before clicking on the next text.
Tell Gus Christine will be here.
Again, he didn’t bother reading the rest—something aboutwhyher friend Christine wasn’t texting Gus herself. Like Byron gave a shit. But this only pissed him off even further. Normally he would’ve taken her up on her invite to Taco Tuesdays at TheChuperiathis pastweek. Instead, it’d been an easy pass. Even though he hadn’t been able to see Vannah that night, he’d been quick to choose video chatting with her in between her classes instead.
It burned him now when he remembered how quick andokay, Vannah had been today about not being able to see him for lunch after all. She probably had the other guy on standby. Getting past Ali’s protest about his leaving her his food, he said his goodbyes to the girls quickly and got out of there before he started roaring about all the infuriating thoughts still bombarding him.
Byron managed to keep the impending meltdown, to growls and a few bangs against his steering wheel all the way home. He felt like afuckingidiot for having interpreted everything he thought this girl had begun to feel for him in such a short time. What was he, thirteen? A few kisses, an amazing make out session and weeklong of nonstop texts, video chats that neither ever wanted to end despite how late into the night they’d drawn out. He’d practically heard harp music and wedding bells after their very first kiss. All for what? For someone that turned out to beexactlyhow Nine described hot freaky college girls and what Byron should’ve anticipated especially after his experience with Barbara. What’s worse, Vannah had never denied it’s what she did.
So why was hesoincensed?
Byron wasn’t even sure who he was madder at. Her, for swooping into his life so unannounced and unexpectedly and having this kind of effect on him? Or himself for being such a chump and allowing anyone to have this kind of hold on him so quickly.
Once back at the shop, Byron did his best to try and snap out of hishorrendousmood. He threw his phone in a drawer refusing to obsess over every ding it made. Trying to concentrate on his work, he failed miserably at not being obvious as fuck that one wrong word could lead to blows, he was so tensed up.
“What the hell’s wrong with you?” Gus half smirked; half frowned after Byron snapped at him for like the third time. “I was just messing with you. Something up your ass today? Everything okay with Beast and his girls?”
Stopping for a moment as he cleaned his grimy hands off with a rag, Byron took a deep breath, feeling like an ass but shook his head. “They’re fine.” Then he had a thought. He needed a shot—or two. “When’s the last time you saw Christine?”
Gus’s brows furrowed in question and he shook his head. “Christine? It’s been weeks at least. Why?”
Byron glanced down at his watch. “I need a drink. Irma text me earlier. She and Christine are down at theChuperiaright about now.” He threw the rag at Gus who quickly caught it. “Go home and shower up. I’ll do the same then meet me back here. Uber’s on me.”
Gus smiled big with a nod. “Haven’t had me some Christine in a while. Will do, sir. See you back here in a bit.”
Even that last comment grated Byron to no end. Gus always said Christine wasn’t the boyfriend type of girl and always up for agoodtime, as long as no demands were made. Byron didnotneed a reminder of the kind of girl he’d now confirmed Vannah was.
