Chapter 12
1132 Words
Jaxon
My phone started ringing as soon as I got into the Uber. "Tasha?" I tried to make out the name on my broken phone screen as I slid the green button multiple times.
It finally moved, and I confirmed it was Tasha when I heard her voice. "Hey, how is it going? Is he fine?"
"W-what is wrong? The card is saying declined."
"What?" I perked up in the seat. "It is saying declined?"
"Yes. And they've admitted Jaden into the hospital. They had to because they said it's the flu and they have to monitor him. I didn't even know it was that serious."
I fisted my hands, immediately knowing why that might have happened. The fucker found out about the fund after all.
"Where are you now?"
"The hospital?"
"No, yes, I mean, I know. Which hospital?"
"Oh, Hudson Valley."
"Sit tight. I'm on my way."
****
After taking care of the situation with Tasha by settling the bills with cash, I found my way to the club almost immediately. I was still unsure what to do and would much rather pump myself with alcohol than think about the whole situation right now.
"Jaxon?" Liam, the bartender and a friend, called the moment he saw me.
"Hey!"
"What are you doing here? And by this time?"
I shrugged and sat at the counter. "Something happened at the shop. Tasha also had to stay with her son. He's not feeling too well."
"Oh. Are you sure you're good though? You look kinda gloomy..."
I chuckle in self-derision. "Just give me a glass of whisky."
"Okay."
He passes me the glass after a few minutes and goes back to whatever he was doing behind the counter.
The club was scanty right now because it was still early in the day, obviously, but by night, it should be full.
By then, I was pretty much blacked out.
****
I didn't regain consciousness again until the next morning. Or wait, it is morning, right?
I closed my eyes and winced the minute my eyes came into contact with sun rays shining through my floor-to-ceiling windows.
Who the f**k opened—
I froze the minute I adjusted my eyes to the light and saw the woman standing near the curtains. She was wearing a shirt and had her hair down just like... her. Iris.
For some reason, I felt my heart skip a beat at that thought. She was here? How? I thought she said she got a job and just disappeared on me for no reason.
"f**k!" I groaned as a sharp sting went through my head, my head bowing slightly.
"Oh, you're awake." I looked up to see her face, remembered the good times we’d had, and paused again when I saw an entirely different person now by the bed.
"The f**k?! Who are you?"
The lady smiles. "You've forgotten all about last night?"
I scooted back as she scooted forward on the bed. "What are you talking about?" I could already guess. I had probably had a one-night stand with her, and for some reason she was still here.
"The steamy kiss we had in the club, how hard you had f****d me with my hands tied to the headboard."
Okay. Wrap it up.
I used the other side of the bed to get away from her and up, and I grabbed my pants from the floor to protect myself from her ogling eyes.
"Can you please leave?"
"Huh. I thought we could have some fun this morning since you were so drunk last night."
"Uh, no."
"Come on. I know you want me."
"I'm pretty sure I don't." I said as I stepped back.
She stood up from the bed and approached me. "Are you going to take a shower? We can take one together."
"Leave."
She pouted and turned away from me with a scowl. "Ugh, whatever. You weren't even good anyways."
She picked her clothes from the floor as she moved past me, and I stopped her right before she could step out of the room.
"I hope that's not my shirt on you?"
She paused and turned to glare at me. "And what if it is? You want me to walk out naked?"
"You have your own clothes."
"That you ripped!"
She stormed out. Oh. Okay. Valid. I'll just consider it as collateral damage for this obviously stupid mistake.
Her though? Iris. I pursed my lips as I remembered how bright her smile had been. Would I call her one of my stupid mistakes?
Definitely not.
Weirdly, I would love to see her again, and that is weird because I naturally don't hope to see flings again.
****
TJ was just as surprised as I had expected when he picked up my call. "Jaxon?! Wow. To what do I owe this pleasure?"
"Are you at the shop?"
"Yes. Why?"
"I'd like to see you."
"Wow," I heard him gush again. "You would like to see me?"
"Stop acting like we're estranged lovers. It is not that deep."
"It is that deep. For the first time, you're actually cashing in your favours with me."
I immediately felt awkward. "And what makes you think I want to ask you a favour?"
"Well, for one, you never initiate a call, even when we were in college. Two, you want to see me."
I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. I'll be there in about an hour."
"Okay."
He cut the call after another annoying gush, and I rolled my eyes again.
It was time to start a new life; and in an entirely different place.
Fuck that stupid landlord, Mike, and my bastard of a dad. I was going to start over without him or his money.
I sighed when I remembered Tasha, though. I hope she would understand, even without a proper explanation. Leaving hadn't been easy for me either, but I couldn't, because of my ego, destroy her life and everything she had built.
I knew my dad, and he would go to crazy lengths just to prove that he had the upper hand over me.
I parked my bike when I got to the mechanic shop. Cars were parked in almost every corner. Some of the hoods, open, while some were clearly missing parts.
I recognised TJ in the dirty jumpsuit even before he sighted me.
"My man!" He said enthusiastically, and he totally ignored my grim look and pulled me in for a hug.
Ugh, being nice to some people wasn't just it sometimes.
"So as I asked on the phone, to what do I owe this pleasure?"
"I need your help." He hit me with an 'I-knew-so' smile, which I ignored.
"What can I help you with?"
"I need a private and unregistered flight to Tokyo.”
- Writer
