Chapter 16 Braedyn
brAEDYN
A buzz lit my ears, but beneath the hum and vibration, Dex’s words played on a loop. “My father…was a serial killer.” Over and over again.
To most, the words would’ve sounded almost flat. But I knew the tone. Knew because I’d used it many times when talking about where Owen’s father was, why my parents hadn’t helped when I had him, and where I’d been when Nova disappeared.
Sometimes, it felt like shame was carved into the very fabric of my being. All those secret brands—the ones I’d carry forever. The pain that never truly ended.
But I hid all of that with emotionless tones and masks of nothingness when I had to talk about them for one reason or another.
Waiting for a reaction. To know if I would be greeted with pity or disgust. Occasionally, there was true understanding, and that was a gift. One I wanted to give Dex right now.
Because I understood the weight of what he was giving me. Just like I now understood all those short interplays I’d overheard during my time in Starlight Grove. The way Wylder reacted to being called evil. Holly’s comment about who Dex’s father was.
“That’s a hell of a thing for Miller to use against you. But since he’s a prick, it doesn’t surprise me. Maybe he has chronic diarrhea. That would make anyone cranky.”
One corner of Dex’s mouth kicked up, that lopsided smile just starting to show at the edges.
“Do you think if I gave him Ex-Lax, he could recover? I bet the town would make a statue of me in thanks. Maybe I could even get a parade.”
That hint of a grin grew. “Hellion.”
I shrugged. “It’s worth a try.”
Dex studied me for a long moment as the humor faded from his expression, but a little glow of warmth remained. “You don’t want to know about my father?”
I thought about how to answer that for a handful of seconds and what I truly wanted in that moment. “I want to know what you want to share. But I know it costs to tell those truths. And I don’t want to cause you any more pain.”
He was quiet; the only sounds were Cora and Aidan’s soft bickering across the bar. “You really mean that, don’t you?”
I scuffed my shoe against the floor. “It’s not going to change what I think about you, Buttercup. You’re still my hot, unhinged neighbor who has perfected a scowl and glower that could freeze water in the Sahara.”
That tilted smile came back. “All I heard is that I’m hot.”
I made a pppffft sound. “You know you’re too damn good-looking. If anything’s freaky about you, it’s that. Maybe it’s the glasses.”
Dex barked out a laugh. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
I met that dark-hazel gaze, not looking away. “The only thing you sharing with me will change is how much I understand you. How much I respect what you’ve overcome.”
Dex’s gaze shifted to the side. The moment the connection broke, I missed it. He rocked back on his heels slightly, his eyes tracing the grain of the wood floor. “You might run away. Never want to be alone with me. Or even if you don’t, some part of you might end up waiting for me to turn on you.”
“Dex?”
His gaze lifted as if he didn’t have control over it returning to me.
“I mean this in the nicest way possible. What the fuck?”
He jolted slightly, my response clearly unexpected. “You wouldn’t be the first.”
“Do you think I’m stupid?”
Dex’s jaw went slack this time. “Excuse me?”
“Do you think I’m stupid? Because I’d have to be to think any of those things just because of who your father was. And that’s just rude.”
A hint of that familiar scowl was back, but I sensed it wasn’t directed at me. “His DNA is half of mine. He raised me until I was twelve years old.”
“And my parents kicked me out when I refused to hide my pregnancy and give my son up for adoption. Does that mean I’m gonna abandon my son when he does something I don’t like?” I shot back.
That scowl only deepened, but again, I sensed it wasn’t a glower for me. “Of course it doesn’t.”
“Good,” I clipped. “Then you aren’t stupid either. But you should apologize for thinking I was.”
Dex gaped at me. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”
“You don’t have to bake me apology cookies, but I wouldn’t mind if you hacked into my cell phone plan and gave me some extra minutes or something.”
Dex just stared at me.
“What? Cell plans are expensive.”
That half smile was back, and I wanted to memorize every twist and curve. He shook his head. “You really are the worst, you know that, right?”
I beamed back at him. “If I’m the worst, you’re the worstest.”
And then Dex did something that knocked me sideways. He reached out and took my hand. The move was so quick that part of me wondered if it had even happened. It was the briefest squeeze of fingers, his large, callused ones sending a riot of sensations rocketing through me. And then they were gone.
“Always so damn unexpected, Hellion. Thank you.”
I was so stunned I couldn’t find words, but it didn’t matter because a throat cleared. I jolted like someone in a creepy clown mask had jumped out at me in a haunted house.
“Sorry,” Wylder said, his gaze flicking back and forth between his brother and me. “I thought you heard me walk up.”
Heat flooded my cheeks as I realized my new boss had witnessed the moment. Not exactly something I needed.
“Guess I’m just oblivious. I, um, better get back to work. Those chairs aren’t going to wipe themselves down.” I booked it to the farthest possible table and didn’t look back.
But I could still feel Dex’s fingers curved around mine. The pressure. The heat. And I wondered when someone—other than Owen—had taken my hand last.
I couldn’t remember. And that just drove the ache in my chest deeper. Because for the first time in forever, I realized I wanted that. But I also knew I’d never risk what it took to get it.