Trashy Read Free Page A

it.
    “That thing has rung three times since I’ve been home,” Harlow said.
    “Sorry.” I grabbed it, hit IGNORE, and switched it to vibrate.
    “Is he bothering you again, Roxie?” she asked, propping her hip against the counter and turning her full gaze on me.
    “He’s been trying.” I admitted.
    I hated talking about Craig. It made me feel like such an idiot, an idiot for letting someone like him dupe me. An idiot for not being strong enough to resist his charm.
    “But I’ve been ignoring him,” I added.
    “Have you seen him?” Harlow asked, concerned.
    “Not since that night at the club.”
    Several months ago, Craig came into the Mad Hatter, pissed at me because the cops hauled him in for questioning after I was attacked here at home and thought he was responsible. Why he was surprised I would point my finger at him was beyond me. He wasn’t nice and he certainly wasn’t above using physical force.
    ‘Course, I don’t think he was surprised. I think he was just pissed I would actually get him in trouble. Too bad it hadn’t been him. I would have loved pressing charges against him and getting him out of my life for good.
    The thought caused a funny feeling to erupt deep in my middle. I shoved it away. I knew what it was, and I hated it.
    “Do you think he’s going to start coming around?” Harlow asked, cutting off my thoughts.
    “I don’t think so.” I hedged. I knew it was only a matter of time. I’d been in this pattern with Craig before. What he didn’t know was that I was hell-bent on not repeating my past mistakes.
    “Well, at least we know he won’t be coming into the Mad Hatter.” Harlow pushed away from the counter and walked out into the living room. “Adam will kick his ass.”
    Adam was not a fan of Craig. A fact he made perfectly clear when Craig showed up at the Mad Hatter and Adam beat him up. The beatdown actually started an all-out brawl in the middle of the club.
    I hadn’t seen Craig since.
    But I knew he was there. Watching. Waiting. Stalking.
    He always was.
    It made it hard to breathe.
    “I was going to stay at Cam’s tonight,” Harlow said, stepping toward her bedroom. “But I’ll call him and tell him to stay here instead.”
    “No,” I said. “There’s no reason.”
    Harlow spun and gave a pointed stare at my cell. I sighed. “He just keeps calling to try and get under my skin. It isn’t working. Not this time. It’s over. For good. Nothing he can say will change my mind.”
    “I’m not worried about you going back to him, Rox,” Harlow said. “I’m worried what he’s going to do when he realizes it.”
    My stomach turned queasy, but I swallowed down the bile threatening to come up. “He isn’t going to do anything. Go to Cam’s. Enjoy him. He’s one of the good ones. There aren’t many of them left.”
    “If you change your mind, you’ll call me?” Harlow asked.
    I loved that she didn’t press. She didn’t try to mother me. I had a mother. I didn’t need another one. “I’ll call.”
    She nodded and disappeared into her room. I grabbed my duffle and headed for the door. My eyes instantly scanned the parking lot as soon as I stepped outside.
    Paranoia was sticky, just like the storm-laden air. It clung to me with persistence, never allowing me any peace. When I saw nothing out of the ordinary, I made my way to my used Mazda MX-6 and locked the door as soon as I got inside.
    He isn’t going to do anything. My own words haunted me.
    Because deep down, I knew they weren’t true.

2
     
    Adam
     
    Dense, sun-warmed sand gave way under the pounding of my running shoes as I jogged along the beach. It was still early in the day, but it was already hot. The air was muggy, and judging by the dark clouds forming over the water, it was probably going to rain at some point today.
    If it weren’t for the heavy wind blowing off the water, I’d be kicking myself for the punishing pace I had set for myself. But I wanted to get my run in before