Bad For You - Sherilee Gray Page 0,72

before it fucking dropped dead.

Her eyes flared, then she spun away and yanked the door open. I strode away, not able to watch her leave.

Then I listened to her drive away.

Lila was gone.

It was over.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Lila

A full week had passed since I’d walked out of Jesse’s house, and the pain hadn’t lessened. No, it got worse every single day. I’d finally realized that I would never get my parents’ approval. That it didn’t matter what anyone thought, that being with Jesse made me happier than I’d ever been. Then I’d had to give him up.

But I knew I’d done the right thing when I’d looked out my window after Trixie dropped me home. I’d heard the deep rumble of Harley pipes and convinced myself it was Jesse, but it wasn’t. It was his father. He’d sat on his bike across from my place, staring into my yard, unflinching. Terrifying. A final warning to stay away from his son.

So I had. And it was killing me.

Everly had tried to make me talk about it, but I couldn’t tell her the real reason I’d ended it. I couldn’t tell anyone. That would be risking Jesse’s life. Risking her life.

I’d lain in bed every night, going over every possible scenario, and all of them ended with someone I loved getting hurt. I had no proof, so the police were out. If I told Jesse, he’d go straight to his father and his father would do what he’d promised. He’d…hurt Jesse, then go after my friends. I didn’t doubt his threat was real. Not for one second.

Even if Jesse got the better of his father, didn’t give him the chance to attack first, his father had people who were willing to do awful things for him. He’d made that much clear.

Any way I looked at it left Jesse hurt in some way. That wasn’t a risk I was willing to take.

“Can we go visit Quinn at The Mule?” Madison asked and tugged on my hand.

I’d been spending my nights at Kate and Eric’s. I hadn’t wanted to be alone, not after Jesse’s dad had come to my house, and it also made it easier to avoid my friends.

Kate had been great, she’d met Jesse when I’d taken her in to get her matching tattoo, and she’d liked him instantly. Kate took people at face value, which was one of the many reasons I loved her. I could see she wanted to grill me for information. Thankfully, my sister also knew when to leave me be. Another reason she was so awesome. Though I knew it wouldn’t last forever. She was still my sister and seeing me in pain hurt her.

After closing the library earlier, I’d gone back to her place, but my brain wouldn’t shut up. I’d walked in the door and immediately wanted to head back out. So I’d dressed Madison in her jacket and snow boots so we could go for a walk.

I smiled at my niece, but there was no way I was risking it. Jesse could be there. “Not today.”

She scowled.

“How about we get cake from Addie on the way home instead?”

She did a little shimmy dance of joy. “Yes! Can we get some for Mom and Dad as well?”

“Sure thing.”

It was late afternoon and everything glistened as the air cooled. The sun was low in the sky, the pines dusted with snow. It was the first time I’d been out besides going to work since everything happened.

As we neared Rocktown Ink, I crossed the road. It was a cowardly thing to do, but I wasn’t ready to see Jesse yet, though I didn’t know if he was even still here. Had he come back after what happened? I’d been desperate to ask Everly, but I’d stopped myself.

If I knew for sure he was here, I’d weaken. I’d want to go to him, and I couldn’t do that no matter how desperate I was to see him.

We walked by The Mule, and although it was hard, I kept my eyes trained ahead and not up at his apartment across the street. If I laid eyes on him now, I wasn’t sure what I’d do. I didn’t trust myself. I missed him so much it was a constant physical ache. My heart literally felt broken. My workdays went by in a blur of trying to remember to breathe, to eat, to not collapse in a heap and never get up. My nights I spent drowning in tears.

I tightened my hand on