Thirty-Four

Jasper

Normally, when I cross paths with Trey, I’m either jealous or afraid he’ll pull a gun and end my life. He’s scary as hell when he wants to be, yet Winnie looks at him like he’s this gentle giant who can do no wrong.

I don’t totally understand their bond, and I don’t pretend to. She knows how I feel about their situation and that I want her for myself. Still, I can’t deny the insane attraction they have to one another. For whatever reason, it’s stronger that anything I can give her.

When she looks at me, I think we have something worth fighting for. Until I see her look at him and discover all the missing pieces that we don’t have. They shine in her eyes and practically rip out of her chest. Maybe, with time, we could have that, too, but for now, seeing it just stings too damn bad and rips me right down the middle.

My head tells me they’ll never work. If Trey didn’t exist, I really think she’d be with me. We could be the perfect couple. It’s just never been the right time. But two souls don’t get as close as we’ve gotten in such a short amount of time for no reason. I met her because she needs me. She let me in because I’m good for her, and that’s why I can’t give up on us.

I knew he’d show up at The Whip when I texted, and I followed them the whole way to the trailer. He can get as mad as he wants for me being on his property. After the last time he found me here, he made it pretty clear I wasn’t ever welcome back. As long as Winnie’s inside though, I won’t be far away. She’s not safe here, and now that Jax is living across the street again, it’s even worse.

Tess is still locked up, but they gave Jax bail because he wasn’t the one who shot the gun. The thing wasn’t even in his name. So, they couldn’t tie the weapon to him in order to keep him behind bars. He’s free, and I’m scared he’ll get to Winnie if she’s here, hiding out.

I’m about two houses down when Trey storms down the steps and across the street to Jax’s trailer. I stand back for a minute until he’s banging on the door, and then I sprint as fast as I can into his trailer. It’s a stupid move. He could have anyone inside, watching over Winnie, but I take my chances because nobody but those two ever come in and out of here.

She’s lying on the couch, alone, and I press my hand against her chest to make sure she’s breathing. Her face is still covered in a ton of makeup, and she looks ten years older than she did the last time I saw her. I’m looking at Winnie, yet all I see is her alter ego, Ariel. I don’t know who put that awful wig on her head or thought she needed one in the first place. She’s perfect the way she is.

“Winnie,” I say as I shake her shoulder a little, “wake up. I don’t have much time.”

If I’m still here when Trey gets back, he’ll give me a matching set of black eyes. That doesn’t stop me from pressing my lips to Winnie’s forehead. She’s on fire and trembling at the same time.

There’s no telling what they gave her. She’s not the kind of girl to dress in a disguise and get onstage without a lot of help. Knowing her, she did whatever they said, and now, she’s passed out. Ace had security on me, and there was nothing I could do to get to her. He was too afraid I’d call the cops and ruin his big payday.

I shut him down the only way I knew how—by calling Trey. Winnie’s clothes stayed on, and maybe she did get onstage, but nothing happened that would make her hate herself in the morning. Because I know her. Once the high wears off, she’ll take one look in the mirror and see the damage instead of the good person beneath all the makeup.

I’m afraid she’ll cut or do worse, so I pull the boots off her feet and cover her with a blanket. She groans a little. Then, her neck jerks, and she’s throwing up. I sit her up, so she doesn’t choke herself to death, and that’s when I hear the yelling.

A glance over my shoulder, and Trey has Jax in a headlock. He’s punching him over and over, and then there’s a second guy on Trey’s back, trying to pull him off. Trey takes some shots in the back of his head and stumbles forward, losing his grip on Jax. It’s two against one, and I don’t know what to do. I can’t leave Winnie, and I’m not about to get myself killed either.

I do the only thing I can think of, and I dial 911. The dispatcher keeps me on the phone until sirens are wailing down the street. They’re annoying enough that Winnie’s eyelids flicker open, and then she heaves again all over the couch. The little bit of life she showed disappears, and then she’s out cold again.

An ambulance pulls in behind the cruisers and then a second into Trey’s driveway, and I can’t see across the street anymore.

“Trey,” Winnie mumbles.

“It’s me, Jasper,” I tell her. “Help’s here. You’re going to be okay.”

“Trey.”

I bite my lip to keep the anger inside.

Then, one of the medics pulls me off the couch and into the kitchen. He asks me all kinds of questions I don’t have answers to. I wasn’t in the dressing room. I can’t tell him what she took or how much. All I can say is that this isn’t my house or hers and that I love her.

I love her enough to get into the back of the ambulance and drive away with her while Trey’s on the ground with his arms behind his back and a bloodstain on his shirt. He cusses at the ambulance and fights as hard as he can to get out of the hold they have on him.

Trey’s getting cuffed.

Winnie’s on her way to the hospital—again.

And history repeats itself as I sit nervously on the seat next to Winnie with another prayer on repeat in my head. She’ll make it through this. She always does. I just don’t know what she’ll be like once she wakes up, especially if Trey’s not there.