4. Xed
Chapter four
“ I f I’m not slapping dollar bills on a stripper’s ass in the next ten minutes, I’m gonna lose it.”
I glare over my shoulder at Christian leaning against the doorway of our hotel suite like he’s already three shots in.
“We literally just got here, man. Chill.”
Jesus. Barely in Vegas for five seconds, and he’s ready to unleash chaos. I haven’t even put my suitcase down yet.
“Oh my gawd-uh ! Check out this room!“ His girlfriend Arya squeals as she crosses to the window with Salem. Together, they admire the view from the thirty-sixth floor.
The penthouse suite is massive—bigger than the entire apartment Salem and I just moved into. Two king-sized beds, a separate sitting area, and a Roman tub in the bathroom. Marble floors, opulent furniture, even a chandelier above the dining table. It’s like stepping into a dream, the kind only someone like Matty could afford.
Must be nice.
My mood sours as I imagine the fortune it must’ve cost to rent this place for two nights. Matty, of course, booked two suites—one for us guys and an adjoining one for the girls. Being a linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals apparently means money is no object.
Meanwhile, Salem and I are just scraping by back home. The thought digs deeper when my phone buzzes in my pocket, but I ignore it.
I’m so fucking sick of Pearl calling me.
“Cheer up, homie,” Christian says, smacking me on the arm. “Your best friend’s getting married in a week. We’re in Sin City for his bachelor party. Why you sulking?”
Best friend . Right.
“Just tired,” I mutter, rolling my suitcase into one of the large bedrooms to claim a bed. Six hours from Utah isn’t the longest road trip, but it felt twice as long with Arya talking nonstop. Girl gets under my skin.
Salem steps up beside me, resting her chin on my shoulder as her eyes drift to the flat screen mounted on the wall. “Gotta hand it to Matty. This place is really nice. Our room looks exactly the same.”
“Yeah.”
She’s quiet for a beat. “You okay?”
I glance at her, then pull away, heading back to the main area. “Peachy. Let’s go get drunk. ”
Christian pumps a fist in the air, the tattoos on his forearm flexing. “Now that’s what I’m talking about! Strip club, here we come!”
“Did someone say strip club?”
We all turn to see Devon leaning against the doorway, arms crossed and a devilish smirk playing on his pierced lips.
Christian jolts like he’s seen a ghost, pointing an accusatory finger. “You’re not supposed to be here, cabrón .”
“I invited him,” I say, brushing dark strands from my face. My mohawk flops back into place, limp and sad.
Like me.
Christian’s brows shoot up. “Why? No offense, Dev, but Matty doesn’t even know you.”
Why, indeed? Maybe because I can’t face this shit alone and Devon’s a good buffer.
“Oh, I also brought a friend.” Devon reaches out of view and tugs someone into the room. “Well, my nephew. You all remember Logan?”
Shit. Son of a bitch.
Salem stiffens beside me as Logan, her ex-boyfriend, steps into the room, lifting his hand in an awkward wave. He looks as dorky as ever, standing in his khaki shorts and polo shirt. Next to Devon’s tattoos and piercings, it’s hard to believe they come from the same family tree.
What Salem ever saw in him, I’ll never understand.
“What the fuck , Dev?“ Salem hisses, turning to glare at me. “Did you two plan this?!”
I raise my palms in surrender. “Don’t look at me. I had no idea.”
Logan flushes bright red, rubbing the back of his neck while his uncle chuckles.
“It was Huckslee’s idea,” Devon grins, thoroughly enjoying the mayhem. “He said it’d be good to get Logan out of his apartment for a while.”
Salem’s eyes narrow, venom flashing in their depths. “ I’m gonna kill him! “ She storms out of the room, shouldering Logan hard on her way past. “I’ll murder Huck and toss his body into Lake Mead like the mob! ”
“Shit, you’ve done it now,” Christian mutters, hurrying after her with Arya close behind, leaving me alone with the Peterson boys.
Devon inspects his nails, looking as unbothered as ever by the shitstorm he just caused. “So, what happened between you two anyway?”
“We broke up amicably,” Logan sighs.
I scoff, biting back a comment. Amicably , my ass. He proposed to her on Valentine’s Day because his dad threatened to cut him off if he didn’t. But hey, it’s not my business. And I really don’t give a shit.
“Anyway,” Logan continues, hoisting his bag into the room, “Huck says everyone’s waiting in the lobby. We should probably head down.”
“Yeah,” I mutter, already heading for the elevator. “Before your ex-girlfriend makes good on her threat.”
As the elevator doors slide shut, Devon pulls a joint from his pocket and presses it to my lips.
“You’re not supposed to smoke in here,” Logan points out, eyeing the joint like it’s radioactive.
“You think we give a shit?” I mumble, taking a puff before handing it back to Dev.
Logan frowns. “What the hell is your problem?”
My problem presents itself when the elevator doors open, revealing the ornate lobby.
Salem catches my vision first, being physically held back by Taylor, who stands between her and his stepbrother-turned-boyfriend, Huckslee, while Christian plays mediator. Typical because Salem and Huck can’t be in the same room without drama.
But watching it all with an amused grin is… Matty.
Big as ever, his t-shirt clings to his broad chest, and he’s sporting a freshly trimmed beard. It sets me on edge. He never liked hair on his face.
Those baby blues lock onto me for a split second, and his smile widens into something crooked and familiar, just like it used to.
Then it fades. Reality crashes between us like a goddamn anvil.
Thirteen months. That’s how long it’s been since Matty stood before me, tears in his eyes, trying to explain why he had to return to her . Why he was choosing the life he thought Hannah needed over the one we’d built together.
“She’s her mother, Xed. I can’t take that from her.”
As if he hadn’t already taken everything from me.
We’ve texted here and there, mostly about his daughter, Hannah. I video call her regularly because cutting her out of my life was never an option. She’s my heart and soul, that girl. I held her the day she came home from the NICU—not Valerie .
I can’t even think her name without wanting to puke.
She’s standing next to him in Louboutin heels, smacking her big fake lips like we’re all wasting her time. Until last year, she never wanted anything to do with him or Hannah, spending all her time high out of her mind.
She’d been so strung out on meth the day her daughter came into this world that Hannah had been born prematurely. And who had been there for Matty through it all, holding him while he sobbed at his newborn’s bedside?
Me.
Not that it matters. Not that I matter. He made that clear the day he decided that Hannah needed a mother and father who hate each other instead of two dads in love.
What a fucking joke .
“Salem, it’s not a big deal,” Taylor grumbles, a white streak running through his shaggy black hair that honestly reminds me of a skunk. “You won’t even be staying in the same room. Stop being dramatic.”
“I’ll show you dramatic!”
Ignoring them, I slap Huck on the shoulder with an up nod. “Good to see you, man. How’s Baltimore?”
Huck went to high school with us and got drafted by the Ravens last year.
“Not bad,” he says, blowing a golden curl out of his face. “What’s Dev doing here?”
“Emotional support,” Devon answers breezily, extending a hand to Matty. “Hi, I’m Devon. Logan’s uncle.”
Matty shakes his hand, glancing at me briefly. “Matthew. This is my fiancée, Val, and her friends. And my teammate, Tyson.”
He gestures to the guy beside him, lean and chiseled with dark, glistening skin.
“Ah, the quarterback.” Devon looks him over, a spark of interest lighting his eyes. “You wouldn’t happen to like men, would you?”
Matty coughs while Tyson, the quarterback, visibly cringes. “Fuck, no,” he says, then adds, “no offense, Davis.”
“Offense taken,” Huck mutters.
Devon sighs dramatically, draping an arm over my shoulder. “At least I have Xed to keep me warm at night.”
Matty’s eyes widen, but he gives nothing away other than a tightening of his smile. Stepping away, he nods at me as he passes, close enough to touch but too far to reach. “Hi, Xed. Good to see you. I’ll let the front desk know we’re adding two more people. ”
Then he’s walking away, a hop in his step like seeing me hasn’t fazed him in the slightest. Like I’m nothing. Like we never shared over a decade of stolen kisses and so much more.
Reaching under the sleeves of my leather jacket, I itch at my scars, craving something stronger than the weed I just smoked.
“What the fuck was that?” Taylor asks, his blue-green eyes blazing as he flings his inked arms in the air.
“What the fuck was what ?”
“Matthew,” he states, “brushing you off like that. Asshole didn’t even hug you or anything.”
And, of course, he noticed because Taylor’s a nosy bitch.
“Not everyone hugs.” I shrug out from under Dev’s arm, moving to stand with the girls while Taylor squints after me.
He’s been trying to pry all year, constantly digging into how I’m feeling, and I’m ready to kick his ass. Not that I really would—he’s had enough of that shit from his dad growing up—but it doesn’t mean I don’t want to.
“This place is, like, really nice,” Arya coos, twisting a bleach-blonde strand around her finger.
Val rolls her eyes. “It’s not what I wanted for my party. I specifically told Matthew I wanted to stay at a resort, and he picked this place instead. It’s kind of a dump.”
My mouth drops open, and I gape at her. “Valerie, this is a resort. It’s the motherfucking Bellagio—high-profile stars stay here. Are you serious right now?”
She tucks her short, dark waves behind her ear and ignores me, turning back to the group of women she brought with her to complain .
Salem shoots me an irritated glance before leaning close to whisper in my ear, “This is going to be a long week.”
She’s right.
I wish I could be anywhere but here.