AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Well, shit.
No wonder she’s exhausted when she comes home.
“I’ll talk to her. Tell her she’s going with me,” I grind out, knowing I’ll have to catch her in order to get her to take the time to listen.
I don’t know why, but it’s starting to make sense now that I think about it. She’s exhausting herself and she’s also avoiding me. The more I go over it in my head I know taking her with me is the right thing to do. It’ll give me a chance to work things out with her and see where her head’s at.
After the girls were first rescued, we did a lot to help them overcome what happened to them, even got them into therapy, but I don’t think any of them stuck to it. Sometimes a person has to find the right kind of therapy to be able to cope with the past. But whatever Nevaeh’s doing, it’s not helping her cope. All she’s doing is exhausting herself.
Hell, Nevaeh probably doesn’t even know when she sleeps, she talks. She also cries, begs, and screams out. Sometimes when it gets bad, I torture myself by going into her room and holding her until she calms.
Her pain is sometimes far greater than the strongest man can handle. Yet, she’s still standing, though I’ll admit, no matter how much she fakes it, she’s not living.
Taking her with me to the coast, I might be able to help with that. Then I’m going to find out what the hell is going on in her head. She might not be mine, but still, she’s mine.
CHAPTERTHREE
NEVAEH
What the hell am I doing here? How did I allow Ryann to drag me to the clubhouse? The flower shop is closed today, and I need to get to the gym, Jasper’s waiting for me. I told him I’d be in earlier today than normal.
Jasper’s not just my trainer but a friend of mine. When I first started at the gym, I did things on my own, but then, noticing I was doing things wrong, he took it upon himself to become my trainer. I was leery at first, he had to have sensed my apprehension because he made it clear he was gay and had a boyfriend who I also met.
While at the gym, Jasper wormed his way past my barriers. So when I’m there, I talk to him. He works out with me, teaches me what I’m doing wrong, and listens when I need him to. Jasper’s boyfriend, a boxing instructor named Milo, even started training me in the boxing ring. By the time I finish, I’m exhausted, and all I want to do is sleep. It’s the way I want it, and Jasper and Milo give it to me.
I’ve even opened up to them, and they know what happened to me and how the club rescued all of us a while back. Neither of them judged me or showed pity in their eyes. Jasper simply held my hand and said he’d help me in any way he could. If that meant working myself to exhaustion, he’d do it. He’d also listen to me when I just wanted to talk.
Other than the ol’ ladies at the clubhouse and Ryann, I didn’t have friends. I mean I used to a long time ago, but not since being saved by the club. Having someone not associated within the bowels of the MC, I can relax.
I check the time on my phone and look at Peyton.
“You okay?” she asks, eyeing me with curiosity.
“Yeah,” I answer and shove the phone back in my pocket. “I just told a friend I’d meet them at the gym.”
“Friend?” Fawn questions.
Sighing, I shake my head. “Yeah, a friend and I’m running late, so I’ll catch you guys later.”
“Okay.” Apricot nods. She’s the only one to know who Jasper and Milo are because they came into the flower shop, and she knows they’ve been working with me at the gym. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the shop.”
“You know it.” I grin and give them all hugs before heading out.
It takes everything in my willpower to keep from looking across the room in Maverick’s direction. But I can feel his eyes on me . . . watching . . . assessing my every move.
Why does it feel good having his eyes on me? Well not good good, but in a nervous good. I know he’s always looking out for me, and he’s a good roommate, never bringing anyone home. I try not to think of where he’d be hooking up with a woman. Probably here at the clubhouse. Ryann asked him once, and he said he didn’t bring them to the place we all share out of respect for the two of us. He didn’t want anyone at the clubhouse, making it sound like he wasn’t doing anything at all.
I leave the clubhouse, quickly get in my car, start her up, and head for the gym, where I park next to Jasper’s truck. I snag my bag off the back seat and get out of the car, eyes scanning my surroundings as I make my way to the doors of the building. The only place I don’t do this is at the clubhouse. Anywhere else, I’m on alert. No way will I allow myself to be caught off guard again. Not happening.
Inside, I spot Jasper right away standing with Milo. I bite my lip as both men twist to face me, scowling in my direction.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” I blurt out, heading toward them.
“You think we’re mad with you because you’re late?” Milo asks cocking a brow.
“Well. . .” Of course, I do.
“That’s not it,” Jasper remarks, hands planted on either side of his hips.
