I spent most of Sunday lounging around, lying in bed for hours, and aimlessly walking around the house. I couldn't bring myself to put anything away—half of it needed to be washed anyway because everything reeked of smoke.

Tomorrow, I had to return to work for my usual shift, which, surprisingly, I was looking forward to. My mind had been running in circles lately, constantly overthinking. Sitting alone, dwelling on how everything around me felt like it was falling apart, wasn't an option.

I hadn't heard from Everest, nor had anyone stopped by. I couldn't even remember the last time I ate.

Sitting at the kitchen counter, I finally decided to turn my phone on. It had been on the charger all night, untouched—I just hadn't had the energy to look at it.

The moment it powered on, my screen flooded with notifications. Everest, angrily texting. Brooke, probably sending a million messages. My aunt, reaching out as well.

I didn't have the energy to read through them. Instead, I scrolled until I found Brooke's name and tapped on it.

"Hey," I said softly, barely above a whisper.

"Oh my God, Avery! Where are you? I've been trying to get ahold of you all night!" she practically screamed through the phone.

"I know... it's a long story." I absentmindedly picked at my fingernails, already chewed down to nothing.

"Well, where are you? Because I'm coming over. You always use school as an excuse, but you're my best friend, Avery—you matter too."

A faint smile crossed my lips as I glanced out the window, watching the sun start to set.

"I'll text you the address. You'll have to go through the clubhouse gate, but I'll let them know you're coming." I stood from the counter and walked toward the bathroom.

"You sound absolutely terrible. I'll be right there—and I'm bringing Chinese. Just text me what you want."

"Okay. I'll see you when you get here. Love you."

"Love you. Bye."

I hung up and looked at myself in the mirror. My eyes were sunken, dark circles framing them. My hair was greasy, unwashed for days.

I quickly texted Brooke the address and asked her to pick up an order of orange chicken with white rice. Then, without wasting another second, I stripped down and jumped into the shower before she arrived.

••••••••••••••••••

After stepping out of the shower, I felt significantly better. Brooke and I had been sitting on the couch for the past hour or two, eating our Chinese food while I filled her in on everything that had happened over the past 48 hours.

Given our history—especially her past association with Austin—none of it came as a surprise to her. But when I explained everything that had happened with Logan, that caught her off guard. She struggled to understand as someone who had known me since we were babies could let someone treat me like that, especially after I had been with someone like Everest.

"I'm always here for you, Avery. There are people here for you. You don't have to go through this alone," she said, placing a reassuring hand on my thigh. I grabbed it, holding it between both of mine as I rested my head on her lap.

"I'm just scared that if other people get involved, they're only going to get hurt. He already destroyed my house, Brooke. God knows what he'll do next."

She didn't respond immediately, just looked down at me with a saddened, concerned expression—because she knew I was right.

Why should anyone else's life be ruined because of me? I would never wish that burden on anyone, nor did I want to drag someone down with me into this dark, spiraling abyss.

"I think people like to believe Everest is my savior," I murmured. "But he's not. He's not the answer to my problems. Sure, he could kill a guy, but why would I want to be surrounded by that for the rest of my life?"

I stared blankly at the TV while Brooke gently ran her fingers through my hair.

"He really loves you, Avery," she said, her voice soft but insistent. "He acts tough, but you know him. I know him. He can say whatever he wants, but he would go to the ends of the earth for you."

"But he wasn't there when I needed him the most."

Before she could respond, the door suddenly slammed open. I jolted upright from her lap, and we both turned toward the entrance.

Everest stood there, completely drenched, water dripping onto the floor.

He didn't even take a second to look around before shouting, "AV—"

"We're right here," I cut him off, looking at him, dumbfounded.

His head snapped in our direction, his expression blank.

"Oh... Brooke," he said her name casually, nodding slightly as if greeting her.

I rolled my eyes and slumped back against the couch, facing the TV, making a point to ignore him.

Brooke took the hint. "I think I'm gonna head out. I have class in the morning. Text me tomorrow whenever you can," she said, smiling softly before giving me a hug.

"Will do," I murmured as she grabbed her keys and walked out the door.

I didn't move from my spot, listening as Everest shuffled around behind me. Hopefully, he was taking off his mud-soaked shoes.

I expected him to say something or walk in front of me, but instead, all I heard was a door shutting.

When I finally turned around, I saw that he had gone into the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

What happened to this being my house?

Annoyance bubbled inside me, but I was too exhausted to care. It was already 8 PM, and I had a 12-hour shift in the morning. With a sigh, I turned off the TV, cleaned up our takeout containers, and placed the dishes in the sink.

When I made my way to the bedroom, I noticed Everest had left the bathroom door wide open. The sound of running water filled the room—he was showering.

Ignoring him completely, I slipped under the covers, letting the darkness consume me.

Hopefully, tomorrow would be a better day.

__________________

I woke up the next morning in a noticeably better mood. As I got out of bed, I noticed that the other side remained untouched. Stepping into the living room, I saw that the floor was clean from the mud, the space looked more organized, and the sound of the washer running filled the quiet. Someone had clearly slept on the couch, and I assumed it was Everest since I hadn't felt him crawl into bed with me.

With work at seven, I quickly threw on my scrubs and pulled my hair into a loose braid down my back. As I prepared my lunch and made a to-go coffee, my phone buzzed with a text from Everest.

Someone will be at the house to take you to work. I'll pick you up tonight at 7.

Trying to keep a positive mindset, I ignored the irritation bubbling up but couldn't help wondering how he knew my schedule. I didn't recall ever discussing my work hours with him in detail.

Stepping outside, I spotted a broad, heavyset man with a long beard and a bandana wrapped around his head. He was leaning against the passenger side of a car, casually smoking a cigarette.

I put on a polite smile as I approached him. "Hello," I greeted, my voice tinged with nervousness. He didn't react—just opened the car door. Taking the hint, I climbed in. "Oh... thanks," I murmured, fastening my seatbelt as he circled the car, crushed out his cigarette, and got in.

"I'm Avery," I offered, attempting to make conversation. He remained silent, acting as though I wasn't there.

As the car pulled away, I tried again. "You a morning person?"

He responded with nothing more than a gruff sound. Realizing that was the most I was going to get from him, I gave up on small talk and watched the scenery pass by in silence.

When we arrived at the hospital, he stopped out front. As I stepped out, I hesitated and bent down slightly. "Thanks for the ride."

He gave no response. I cleared my throat awkwardly, shut the door, and made my way inside. Expecting him to drive off, I glanced back only to see him park, get out, and lean against the car, lighting another cigarette—exactly as I'd found him earlier that morning.

Confused, but with no time to dwell on it, I pushed it out of my mind and focused on starting my shift.

After putting my things in my locker and storing my lunch in the fridge, I headed onto the floor—only to immediately run into Mason.

"Avery, hey... I heard about your house. I wanted to text you, but—"

I cut him off, walking straight past him to the nurses' station. Of course, he wasn't far behind. As soon as I sat down, he was leaning over the counter, his expression filled with concern.

"Mason, really. It's okay. I'm fine," I reassured him, not wanting to think about my personal life while at work.

"I still feel really bad about the other night."

"Seriously, it's okay. Shit happens," I said, hoping he'd let it go.

But he didn't.

Grabbing a patient chart, I walked toward one of the rooms, Mason trailing behind. Before stepping inside, I turned to him. "Look, I just got to work. We'll talk later, okay?" My tone softened, offering him a small smile.

He nodded, finally backing off.

I entered the room, greeting the patient and her mother. "Hello! I'm Avery, and I'll be helping you today."

Looking at the little girl sitting on the bed, I was struck by how much she reminded me of myself as a child—short blonde hair, bangs, and a freckled nose.

"So, I heard you're not feeling well. Want to tell me what's hurting?" I asked gently, though my gaze flicked up to the mother for her input.

"She's been wheezing a lot. I think she might have asthma," the mother said, arms crossed tightly, concern written all over her face.

"I feel like I can't breathe," the little girl murmured, clutching her teddy bear tightly.

"Okay, sweetheart, I'm just going to listen to your heart and lungs, and then I'll have the doctor come in. How does that sound?"

After finishing my assessment, I documented my notes and updated the doctor. From the sound of her breathing, she almost certainly had asthma. Poor thing—so young and already facing the reality of relying on an inhaler anytime she wanted to play outside.

The next few hours flew by in a blur. The ER was unusually packed, making me miss my night shifts—fewer patients, but the cases were always interesting.

Finally, I got a break and sat down in the lunchroom, reheating my leftover Chinese food. The moment I took my first bite, savoring the much-needed meal, Mason plopped down across from me.

"I've been thinking a lot," he started, leaning in eagerly. "I really want to take you out again. Not a bar this time—a real dinner, somewhere nice, away from this college town."

I exhaled deeply, setting down my fork. "Mason, I think you're really sweet, and I didn't have a bad time on our date. It was just... unfortunate circumstances. But I have a lot going on right now."

"I know," he insisted. "That's why I want to take you out—to help you take your mind off things. I really like you, Avery."

I stared at him for a moment, realizing he wasn't going to drop this. And with five more hours left in my shift, I wasn't in the mood to deal with him continuously asking.

"Fine," I relented. "We can go out at the end of the week, like last time. Just somewhere close. You can text me about it."

The second I agreed, he lit up like a kid on Christmas morning.

I chuckled faintly and returned my focus to my food, scrolling through my phone as he rattled on about different restaurants and date ideas.

Those 30 minutes couldn't have passed fast enough. Once my break was over, I quickly immersed myself back into work, grateful for the distraction.

____________

As my shift finally ended, I stepped outside the hospital doors, greeted by the lingering light of dusk. It wasn't completely dark yet, but night was quickly settling in. You'd think the first day back after a long weekend would leave me exhausted, but instead, I felt surprisingly refreshed. Sure, my feet ached, and fatigue clung to me, but at least work had provided an escape from reality.

I fully expected to see Everest waiting for me—leaning against his bike or truck, a grim expression on his face—but instead, the same driver who had taken me to work that morning was there. He wasn't Everest, but he still carried that same impatient, brooding demeanor. Realizing my mistake, I let out a quiet, "Oh," before quickening my pace toward the car. He opened the door for me without a word, and we began the ride home.

I didn't bother attempting small talk. My mind was preoccupied with one question—why wasn't Everest here? He had insisted all weekend that he needed to know my every move, every second of the day, yet he couldn't even tell me about a change of plans?

The usual half-hour drive felt like it lasted only five minutes, and before I knew it, we were pulling up in front of the house. I unbuckled my seatbelt and opened the door, offering a soft smile. "Thank you."

He didn't look at me, but he gave me a slight nod—more acknowledgment than I expected. That small gesture turned my soft smile into a real one.

As I stepped inside, the sight of Everest's bike parked out front caught my attention. The moment I entered, I was hit with the most incredible aroma. Without hesitation, I dropped my bags, closed my eyes, and inhaled deeply. It smelled like absolute heaven—fajitas, specifically—and my mouth instantly watered.

"Close the goddamn door. That's how you get bugs."

My moment of bliss was instantly shattered. With a sigh, I turned and shut the door, then made my way toward the kitchen, where Everest stood behind the island, cooking.

"I thought you said you were staying in your trailer?" I asked curiously, plopping onto one of the barstools, resting my head in my hands.

"I slept on the couch last night," he replied, emptying the contents of his pan onto a plate layered with tortillas. "If something happens, I won't be able to get to you fast enough. It's just better if I'm here."

I hummed in response before tilting my head. "Why not just have one of your many brothers—who do everything you tell them to—watch the house?"

He dropped the plate in front of me with a thud. Miraculously, it didn't break. I licked my lips as I stared down at the steaming food, stomach rumbling.

"You really think I'd let another man live in the house I built for you?" His voice was firm, unwavering. "Or trust your life in the hands of a brother who just wants to drink and fuck?"

I squinted at him, giving him a pointed look before shaking my head. Instead of responding, I rolled a mix of chicken and peppers into a tortilla and took a bite. A long, satisfied moan slipped from my throat.

"Who says I don't wanna fucking drink?" I teased, still chewing, a playful glint in my eyes.

To my surprise, Everest smirked, raising an eyebrow. "Oh yeah?"

"Mhm."

I wasted no time devouring the rest of my food, practically licking the plate clean. I hadn't even realized how hungry I was—or maybe it was just that good. As I finished my last few bites, I glanced at him.

"Aren't you going to eat?"

"I already did."

"Oh."

The house suddenly felt too quiet, the kind of silence that made the distant chirping of crickets outside all the more noticeable. I cleared my throat, dusted my hands off on my scrubs, and stood, brushing past him as I made my way to the sink. I turned on the faucet, rinsing the dishes.

"Thanks for dinner," I said, my tone slightly playful. "Not sure if you could tell, but I liked it."

"Oh, I could tell."

At least he seemed to be in a decent mood. I finished washing the dishes, dried my hands, then turned around, leaning against the counter as I faced him.

"You don't have to sleep on the couch, Everest."

Even if things were complicated between us, this was still his house. He built it. He bought the bed, the sheets, the pillows. And he just made me an incredible dinner without even eating any of it himself.

He didn't respond—at least, not with words. Instead, he stepped closer, closing the distance between us. My back straightened as I looked up at him, his arms bracketing me against the counter. His breath was warm against my ear.

"If I—" he paused, and before I could process what was happening, a small squeak escaped me as he grabbed my ass, pulling me flush against him. "If I sleep in the same bed with you, I'm going to have to fuck you."

My mind blanked, my body betraying me as my legs turned to jelly. I struggled to stay upright, to think clearly, but then—

His lips pressed to my neck. A slow, heated kiss. My head fell back, hair spilling into my face as I gave into the sensation.

"Everest..." I moaned softly.

He froze.

A second later, he stepped back, the warmth of his body leaving mine, replaced by a cold that sent goosebumps up my arms.

"Go to bed," he muttered. "I'll be on the couch."

And just like that, the night was over.