Chapter Twenty-Nine #2
Henley groaned. “She still has you, man. You’re who she needs, but, I mean, she’s probably picking up on your sorrow. Dogs are empathic. So when you’re happy, they’re happy. See?”
Happy. I briefly felt that way, and I liked it. Maybe it wasn’t on the cards for me, but many people aren’t happy, right?
“I should go.”
“No!” Henley was quick to blurt out, and that made me suddenly suspicious. Was he trying to keep me on the phone? I mean, sure, maybe he missed his pal, but I suddenly felt like I was in one of those movies where they’re tracking calls and stuff.
“Why?”
“I miss you, you dumb fuck. You were one of the first people I met from the club. I felt like we just fucking clicked, like we’re meant to be brothers.
It isn’t the same without you. There’s a fucking gaping hole where my brother used to sit, with a beer in hand, jabbering on about whatever.
It felt like home, and you’re not the only one who lost it. ”
He huffed a sigh and cursed under his breath, but I was still kinda reeling from his words. I guess I hadn’t considered the impact my leaving would have on him. He was right. We were similar in enough ways that we’d naturally bonded really fast. I’d already been missing him so it made sense.
“I’m sorry,” I finally said, because what the hell else was there?
“Don’t be. Just… can you keep in touch? Reach out to me here? If you need more money, I’ve got you, man. I can even arrange to put you up somewhere. Just… don’t disappear completely.”
He cleared his throat.
“You could give me whatever number you’re using now. You know I won’t give it to them… or her.”
Somehow I trusted that, but I needed time to think on it. This was literally the only way they’d be able to track me, if they even cared enough to try. It had always been part of my secret bailout kit. That’s why it was a few years old, and a piss poor replacement for my old phone.
“Can I… give me a few days, man. I’ll reach out on this number again, and maybe…
maybe I can do that. I’m just uh…” I watched Nixie stretch in my lap, her tongue curling as she yawned wide and rolled onto her side.
“I want to trust you, because I feel like I can, but I’ve just had my world implode on me, and I need time. ”
“You can. You will always be able to trust me, brother. Stay safe, yeah? Hug Nixie for me.”
V
Aweek went by without Rocket, so eventually I had to leave his room, and do things like work, and collect things from Auntie Pam’s place, but mostly I just kept retreating back into Rocket’s room, which was slowly becoming my room.
I had clothes here now, and that meant I’d dragged in a small drawer unit to keep them in.
I was making use of the mini fridge that had been a more recent addition by him, and I was even getting used to showering here.
It was pretty gross, but the men who stayed here kept away from me, mostly because they probably blamed me for Rocket leaving.
Someone tapped on our door, and I got up to open it. One of the prospects was standing there, that look of distaste on his face. I think his name was Joey, but there was one called Joe too, I think, so I guess I didn’t care enough to be sure.
“What?”
His lip curled at me. “Pres wants to see you.”
“And?”
His glare intensified. “And you’re supposed to go to his fucking office. You shouldn’t even fucking be here.”
I pulled the door closed, and locked it, with him backing away like he feared he’d catch something if we touched.
“I’m Rocket’s so I’m here until he returns. You want to fuck off now?”
He flipped me off. “Bitch. You don’t give me orders. Wish you’d fucking take a hint though.”
“Chris, get back on the gate!” Someone yelled at him. Oh. Chris. That wasn't even close to Joey.
I walked to the lounge building, ignoring the random stares or glares I received from the few men loitering around, and stepped inside. Nobody was using the lounge, and I eyed the small fridge, considering grabbing a beer to take with me.
“V, in here.” I turned at Micro’s voice, and he was holding his door open.
Okay, I can take a hint. I had a feeling they wanted me out, but I just couldn’t go.
I’d had to change the sheets, which hurt, because I removed the ones Rocket had slept on, but I’d kept his pillow in the same pillowcase, because I just couldn’t lose that part of him too.
I stepped into the office, and watched Micro close the door.
“I don’t report to you, you know. You have no right to summon me to your office.”
He gestured to the seat, and I dropped into it as he mirrored my action behind his desk.
“This is a club. I’m the President. And you appear to be living here. At my club.” He shrugged. “So do the math.”
I could feel my inner teenager emerging, as I folded my arms and glared at him.
“Whatever you want, hell no.”
He groaned, getting up and pouring two coffees, sliding one over to me. They all knew by now that I like my coffee black. That’s what happens when you spend a week wallowing in misery around a bunch of men who really don’t want you here. They notice stuff.
“V, I’m not trying to be an asshole here, but… we need the room empty.”
I slammed the mug down and flipped both middle fingers at him.
“You can get fucked! That’s his room. You’re not giving it to someone else!
” I was pretty much moved in there. Didn’t I get squatter’s rights or something at this point?
I decided I’d ask Grease to check with his woman, the former cop.
I’d met her a few times, but he was still pretty hostile to me, so he’d probably tell me to get fucked.
For a club that Rocket thought didn’t care about him, they sure were protective of him.
Micro circled his hands around his mug, his expression grim as he stared back at me.
“The last thing we’re even considering is replacing him, V. We want him back, but you can’t stay in his room indefinitely. We need it empty. You’re the last person staying here.”
What?
“I don’t get it.”
He nodded. “That much is evident.” Asshole. “We need the last room empty, so we can get on with the demolition. You’re holding us up.”
My eyes dropped as I absorbed his words. I thought the other guys staying here were avoiding me, but maybe the reason I wasn’t bumping into them was because what Micro was saying is true. What if they’d all moved out, and only I was staying here? My god. That’s terrifying for a number of reasons.
“You’re demolishing the place now?”
He opened up his tablet and tapped the screen, showing me some snazzy building that I guess was the plan for once they’d knocked it down, and then he flipped to a spreadsheet filled with dates.
There was a list of numbers and names, and all were marked in green except mine. It didn’t even say Rocket. It said V.
“Wait. You’re going to knock the place down and rebuild it without him?”
Micro closed the tablet again. “We have to proceed now. We have everything booked in. We’ve been working on this for months, scheduling equipment and temporary housing, moving guys into places while we do the demo, supplies, workers, everything.
The last fucking thing blocking this from proceeding is you. ”
I felt tears burning my eyes, but I refused to let him fucking see them.
“Why didn’t you just say earlier?”
He rested a palm on top of his tablet, staring at his fingers instead of me.
“Because you were in pain, and you needed time. You deserved time to process, V, but if we don’t start this project on time, we’re losing time and money. We’ll lose contractors. We’ll lose timeslots. We can’t afford to delay it.”
“You worked around me until now? Uh… I appreciate that, but I can’t get past the fact that.
.. it’s Rocket’s room, Micro. His stuff is there, with mine.
It’s… it’s his.” It was the last link I had to him.
The last place that he’d slept, or left his scent.
The place where his clothes still remained, at least those he hadn’t taken with him.
The place where his last beer bottle still sat by the bed, because I couldn’t bring myself to toss it in the recycling.
If they demolished it, then he was really gone.
“He reached out to Henley the other day. He said to trash all his stuff that’s left. He thinks he’s not coming back.”
My heart stuttered in my chest, and I pressed a hand over it, trying to soothe the sudden stab of a knife in it.
“What?” I need him back. I want him back. Fuck me, I love him and I want him here.
“V, I know. I get it. We’ll get him back, but things need to keep moving in his absence. I’ll send a couple of the prospects in there to help you move your stuff, and they can ditch what’s left. It’s what Rocket wants.”
I swallowed the burn of tears, the hollowness of my fucking soul, as I stood up.
“They better not touch a fucking thing of his. I’ll kill them first.”
“V, be reasonable.”
“I am. I’ll kill them before they suffer.”
Micro’s lips twitched a touch, but the man looked exhausted. Not just tired, but that heaviness that comes from nights of lost sleep, tons of pressure, and the weariness of needing just a little peace. I realised I was adding to it. An extra burden he didn’t need.
I picked up the coffee and gulped the last of it.
“I’ll go pack my things. And his. I’m taking all of it, and if you try to stop me, I’ll make sure you never have another child.”
Micro’s eyes widened, and he moved back behind his desk, having just stepped around it to follow me.
“Whoa. Gotcha. V, don’t give up hope, yeah? We’ll get him back. We’re working on it.”
I held the door open, refusing the little hope he was trying to gift to me.
“First you have to find him.”
Micro chuckled. “Please. Like we don’t know exactly where he is. We’ve always known.”
What?