Vengeance Aside (Wanted Men 0.5)(5)

“This is what I meant when I said she doesn’t give a shit. She doesn’t. Look at her. Look at you, Dale,” Liam complained, sounding more hurt than upset. “You just caught me cheating, and you’re smiling at the chick I was cheating on you with!”

Dale shrugged. “It’s not her fault you’re an asshole. I hope you know if he did this to me, he might very well do it to you in the future,” she told the pretty ginger with the big blue eyes. Man, the girl’s skin was nice.

“I did this to you because you’re not into us anymore. If you ever were.”

Dale threw her two big bags over her shoulder and snagged the padded hanger she kept her work clothes on so the velvet corset and shorts wouldn’t wrinkle. She stopped at the door and looked up at her ex-roommate.

“If you were unhappy, you should have asked me to leave. Just because I’m not throwing a fit and breaking your stuff doesn’t mean you did this right, Liam. Selfish people who turn their backs on those they’re close to are shitty, and you ruin people’s lives with your lack of character.” She should know, she’d loved enough of them in her lifetime.

Liam’s expression softened slightly. But when his brows came down, and guilt entered his eyes, as though he’d just realized what he’d done, Dale got moving. Had to. Otherwise, all that shit would leave with her and she didn’t need his negative emotions mucking up her vibe.

“Don’t worry about it, Liam. Really. We’re cool.” She squeezed by the new couple in the narrow hallway and only had to take a few steps to reach the door. “Good luck, you two. Feel free to toss whatever I’ve left behind. I won’t be back for it.” As she stepped out into the hallway, she gave them a wave and didn’t even slam the door. She genuinely didn’t feel the need.

As she walked to the elevator, a part of her felt bad because Liam was right. She hadn’t been invested in them as a couple. But she hadn’t just been putting in time either. She’d had an agenda.

Dale was a yoga instructor, and Liam was a regular in her class. She’d gotten to know him over the last year, and had thought he’d be the perfect guy to help her achieve the only real goal she had in life. He was a carefree bachelor who bartended for a living, and spent his leisure time doing yoga, cooking, and traveling. No-strings had appeared to be his MO.

So, when Liam had mentioned he was looking for a roommate one day after class, she’d raised her hand and had moved in the following week. She hadn’t forced a thing, and had been relieved when lazing around on the couch in their downtime had led to snuggles and eventual sex. She’d given her virginity up without a thought but had held back, thinking it only right to wait a respectable amount of time before asking for a donation that would come with just one condition. No strings. Right up his alley, right?

And hers, because she didn’t need them. She made great money teaching during the day and serving at an elite club at night. She had a very healthy savings account that she’d built while living at her father’s house for a lot longer than she’d wanted to. And she was ready. Beyond ready to change her lonely, solitary existence by putting A and B together to make C.

Or not.

The elevator finally arrived, and Dale got on and pressed G. She couldn’t believe she’d read the situation so wrong. She was usually a great judge of character. But, apparently, Liam had wanted those strings after all, and seeing he wasn’t going to get them with her, he’d moved on. And that was okay. In fact, him finding something real with someone else without telling her first did nothing more than prove to Dale that she was going about her life in the right way. Stay protected and no one gets hurt. Namely her.

As she stepped out on the ground floor, she worked her phone out of the pocket of her denim shorts and called her co-worker. The only one she saw outside of Scorch, the nightclub where they both served a wealthy crowd they’d never be a part of. Erika Hernandez, a bubbly romantic who liked to worry, was always good for a distraction.

“Hey. I thought you’d be here by now. I was going to make you help me unpack some boxes before we left for work. This place is a disaster.”

As Dale pushed through the doors to walk out into the glaring sun, she forced a smile that felt more natural than the real ones she occasionally wore. Houston was sweltering on this brilliant Saturday afternoon, which had to have made for an uncomfortable day for Erika because she’d just finished doing the opposite of what Dale was currently doing. She and her boyfriend of two years had just gotten a place together.

“Sorry. I got held up when I came home to grab my uniform and found Liam on the couch making out with a cute ginger with amazing skin.”

Silence.

“I’m coming now,” she continued as though she hadn’t noticed the lack of sound. “Can we grab a bite before we head to the club? I’m starving.”

“Dale? You better be fucking joking.”

“Nope. I haven’t eaten all day, and I just used the last of my energy to pack my bags that I’m tossing into my car as I speak.” She dropped one bag on the smoking hot sidewalk and popped the trunk of her little red Mazda.

Another stretch of silence lasted long enough for Dale to stow her bags and get on the road.

“You can say what you want, Erika. I’m cool.”

“I want to ask if you’re okay, but I know you’ll just say yes. Be real, Dale. For once, alright? Be real. Are you okay with this?”