Chapter 16
Hunter
“So you fucked it up,” Jared says matter-of-factly.
I grip the bar top and groan with frustration. I look at him seated on the barstool to my right, waiting for the punch line. But there is none.
I look at him straight faced as he brings the beer to his lips. “That’s not at all what I said.” He laughs into it and then takes a swig.
The college game is on the TVs on the front wall, and I can hear the cheers from them in the background. There are a few guys in here; Casey and Sean I know, but there are a a few older guys I don’t. The retirees are watching the game, while Casey and Sean are in the back playing pool with someone else.
I’ve spent a good forty minutes trying to explain to Jared what the hell’s going on with Vi, and all he keeps saying is that I fucked it up.
“How did I fuck up?” I wish he’d just tell me. I don’t care what I’ve gotta do to make it right.
“She didn’t forgive you,” he says, tilting his beer and taking another swig.
“Yeah, I know that, but how the fuck is that my fault?”
He looks at me with a straight face. “The first thing you should know is that it’s always your fault.”
Sean’s behind us and he lets out a small grunt of a laugh. I turn to look at him, and he’s leaning against the wall holding the pool stick and nodding his head as he watches Casey take another shot.
“Okay,” I say and try to contain my anger. I set my beer down. “So how do I make her forgive me?” 'Cause that’s what I really want. That’s my end game. They can joke about me fucking up all they want as long as they give me a game plan on how to win her back.
Jared shrugs.
“I don’t know, man.” He tosses his empty beer behind the bar and into an oversized trash can. He makes the shot, but the old bartender looks up and glares at him. Jared raises his hands in defeat, but the smirk on his face doesn’t dim.
“I think she just needs time,” he finally says.
“She’s had years to forgive me.” I run my hands through my hair in frustration. “How long can she possibly stay mad?”
“No,” he says with a hard edge. “You just came back.” He stares at me with his brows furrowed. “She’s only just finding out how you really feel.”
I groan in frustration and lay my head on the bar.
“I know. But I’m here now.”
I know I could make everything right, but she’s not giving me a chance. I sigh, feeling defeated. I want my Vi back. I don’t want her to stay mad at me forever. I want her to want me again.
“Give the girl some time,” the bartender says. I think I heard one of the other guys call him Ralph earlier. He’s old and has a wedding band on his ring finger. I make a point to take advice from people who have what I want. Maybe I do just need to give her time. Ralph opens another bottle and sets it down in front of me. I pass him my empty one and nod my head.
But damn, I don’t want to give her time. I want her now.
The cold beer feels good going down. I guess a little time won’t hurt anything. I can get my shit together, and be a man worth having. I can become the man who belongs next to her.
“How long?” I ask with impatience.
I lean back on the barstool so the front feet leave the ground, and I’m balancing with my boots pushing against the bar.
The guys behind me start laughing again, and then someone scores on the TV. The guy on the other end of the bar hollers out and salutes the bartender with his beer before taking a long drink. The bartender looks at the TV with disdain, shaking his head.
“I don’t know why I make bets with you, Earl,” Ralph mutters while keeping his eyes on the game.
“Uh, Hunter. Ain’t that your girl out there?” Casey asks, looking out the window with his pool stick in his hand.
I snap my weight forward, so I don’t fall, and I go over to the window.
I squint and spot Vi running. What the fuck is she doing?
She’s running down the empty sidewalk. It’s hard to make her out in between the lamp posts.
All the stores are closed except for the bar and a few restaurants down the street. But as soon as she passes under the bright light, I know it’s her. Her blouse is pulled out of her waist, and her hair looks disheveled. What the fuck?
My heart pounds in my chest.
Adrenaline pumps in my blood as I take off out of the bar. I push the door open so hard it smacks into the brick building with a loud crack. I don’t care though.
“Vi!” I call out for her as I take off in her direction.
She sees me, and it spurs her onward, toward me. Tears are streaming down her face.
She’s breathing heavy. She doesn’t stop for one second to come right into my open arms.
She takes in a ragged breath and buries her head in my chest. I wish I could enjoy the fact that she’s finding comfort in my embrace, that I happened to be here at the right time and place, but something’s wrong. Something upset her and made her afraid.
I hear Jared come up behind me. “Is she alright?” he asks.
A few other guys are behind him, wondering what the hell is going on. They’re all looking at her, and she’s just trying to hide in my arms.
“Vi, what’s wrong?” I ask her softly, my lips brushing against her hair.
She doesn’t answer me, but she looks up. She goes stiff in my arms as she sees the guys staring at her.
Jared comes a little closer and takes a look at her.
“You alright?” he asks.
A few other people have gathered across the street from the pizza shop. My anxiety spikes, seeing how everyone’s coming out to see what’s going on.
“Talk to me,” I tell her.
Vi seems more settled and she pulls away, realizing that I’m holding her. She takes a few steps back and hugs herself.
She looks around, and her face shows the pain she’s in. She doesn’t want people seeing her like this, and I get that. But she needs to tell me what the hell happened.
She looks a bit cold so I take my jacket off and try to give it to her, but she doesn’t take it. She shakes her head and sniffles a bit, wiping under her eyes.
“I’m fine,” she says weakly.
She’s not fine, she’s anything but fine. I open my mouth to tell her that, but then I see that fucker Slade jogging up the street.
He stops when he sees us, but I can make out enough. His disheveled appearance and pissed off expression tell me what I need to know.
I know he hurt her. And that’s all I need to know. I’m about to make this asshole pay for what he did.
I wrap my coat around Vi, ignoring her protests. I look back at Jared as I take a step around her and head to Slade.
“Watch her,” I tell him.
I take a final look at Violet as she turns and sees what’s about to happen.
“Hunter, no!” she yells out weakly and reaches for me, but that’s not gonna work.