It's been a week since everything happened, and I still can't shake the feeling of being stuck. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I just stared at the empty space beside me, the weight of everything pressing down on my chest. Everest had gotten up early again, slipping out of the room quietly, leaving me to try and make sense of the mess that had become my life.

He'd been different these past few days—distant, but in a way that still pulled at me. When he wasn't dealing with club business or trying to figure out how to handle the fallout from everything with his grandmother, he was... focused on me. He was trying to drown out the chaos in his own way, and I knew that much. His way of coping wasn't healthy, but I wasn't sure how to help him. He kept his distance emotionally, but physically, he seemed to want to hold on tighter than ever.

Anytime he wasn't dealing with club business, he was in this bedroom, in this bed, with me. Fucking me into pleasure, oblivion, and exhaustion. We ended up taking a bedroom upstairs in the club that I didn't even know existed. It looked newly renovated and, thankfully, had an attached bathroom, which I was grateful for. With so many people staying at the club because of the situation, space was limited, and that extra room was a small blessing.

Sighing, I finally forced myself to get up. My body ached, a deep exhaustion I couldn't seem to shake off. I didn't feel like myself anymore—not really. It was as if I was trapped between the girl who wanted to run and the woman who felt responsible for everything happening around her.

I made my way downstairs, hoping a cup of coffee might help clear my mind Andy much needed ice pack for my lady bits that were throbbing. But when I reached the kitchen, I was met with Brooke. She was freshly showered, her face flushed, but there was something about her that felt off. Her eyes looked tired, and she didn't seem like her usual self.

"Hey," I said softly, trying to read her expression. She gave me a half-smile, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Hey, Avery," she replied, her voice flat. She grabbed a mug from the counter and filled it with coffee, avoiding my gaze for a moment.

"I haven't seen you either," she says, pouring herself a cup of coffee and taking a sip as she leans against the counter.

"Yeah..." I drag on, looking down. An awkward silence settles between us, and she clears her throat.

"I'm getting an ice pack for my vagina." The second the words left my mouth, I felt a sigh of relief, both physically and mentally. She immediately put her coffee cup down, placing both hands on her face as she giggled. "Girl, I am so happy you said that. Austin has been on me nonstop. I haven't even had a chance to shower alone yet."

I laughed with her, grabbing two ice packs from the freezer and tossing one over to her as we both sat down at the kitchen island.

"I think it's just their way of coping with everything. Everest has been the same way. He refuses to talk about any of it. He just comes into the bedroom and demands I... strip." I said, exhaustion creeping into my voice, and I winced just thinking about it—my body sore from the constant attention.

"Don't get me wrong. I love the sex. It's actually even better than it usually is, but this can't be healthy. I'm dying," she said to me with a straight face, taking another sip of her coffee.

Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed through the house, and Maryann walked into the kitchen, her presence immediately filling the room.

"Well, well, girls," she said with a grin, her voice smooth and casual. She poured herself a cup of coffee, but as she did, she didn't miss the telltale clink of a flask being unscrewed, followed by a generous splash of what smelled like whiskey being added to the steaming cup. She was in her 50s, but still small and wiry, the kind of person you couldn't help but notice when she entered a room. She wore nothing but an oversized t-shirt—definitely not hers, judging by the slouchy fit—and her tousled hair gave off a carefree, if not slightly messy, vibe.

"Brooke, right?" she asked, looking over at her. "You Austin's girl, then?"

Brooke froze, a slight frown forming as she nodded, unsure where the conversation was headed. But before she could answer, Maryann continued, her voice dripping with something that wasn't quite friendly.

"I never thought he'd get with a colored girl," she muttered with a dismissive tone, her eyes lingering a little too long on Brooke.

Brooke's face stiffened, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Excuse me?" she said, her voice rising slightly, defensive but calm.

Maryann's grin didn't falter, though it felt cold now. "I mean, no offense, sweetheart, but just surprised." She took a sip from her whiskey-laced coffee, completely unfazed.

Brooke's gaze locked onto Maryann, her posture tense, ready to respond.

Before the conversation could escalate, I just sat there, ready for Brooke to grab this woman by the back of her head and slam her onto the ground. I could practically feel the tension building, the air thick with unspoken words, when suddenly, the echo of boots hitting the wooden floor filled the house. Voices rumbled in the hallway, signaling the return of Everest, Austin, and the rest of the brothers. It was clear wherever they'd been, they were back now.

Austin and Everest walked into the kitchen together. Austin gave a quick, almost nonchalant greeting to his mother.

"Mom," he said, his voice flat, his focus already shifting.

Everest didn't say a word. His eyes scanned the room before locking onto me. Without a second glance toward anyone else, he crossed the room and grabbed my arm, his grip firm but not forceful.

"Let's go," he muttered, his voice low.

I didn't hesitate. I knew better than to argue right now. I gave Brooke a broken, small smile, silently apologizing for the mess that had just unfolded, before allowing Everest to lead me back up to the bedroom. The weight of his silence was heavy, but I didn't dare ask him to speak just yet.

As we moved, the house seemed to quiet around us, the chaos and tension left behind in the kitchen.

Once we got into the bedroom, Everest didn't hesitate to toss me onto the bed. For a second, I realized I'd forgotten my ice pack downstairs, but I quickly snapped out of it when Everest climbed on top of me and started kissing me.

"Sin, wait," I said, gently pushing him off.

He rolled over with a sigh, staring up at the ceiling. I sat up on my knees, watching him as I tried to clear my head.

"What, you don't want me to fuck you anymore?" he said, the harshness in his tone catching me off guard.

I looked at him, trying to keep my calm. "Have you talked to your mom?" I asked, my voice steady despite the frustration building up.

He rolled his eyes and sighed. "Avery, we're not talking about this right now," he muttered, tugging at the hem of my shirt, signaling he wanted to keep things moving.

"Everest, don't get me wrong, I love when you fuck me, but you're projecting all this anger and sadness onto me, and it's taking a toll," I said, lightly slapping his hand away. "I'm exhausted."

Without responding, he got up from the bed and started buckling his jeans. I stood up right behind him, confused, as I followed him toward the door.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I asked, my frustration creeping into my voice.

"If you're not gonna let me fuck you, I'll find someone who will," he muttered. The words hit me like a punch, but he wouldn't even look me in the eye when he said it.

"What the fuck did you just say?" I snapped, hitting his back. It probably didn't faze him, but I couldn't help myself.

"I've been here for you, Everest. I've been patient, waiting for you to be ready. Now I'm here for you, so why the fuck are you treating me like this?" I demanded, my voice shaking with emotion.

He turned around slowly, his face cold. "God, Avery, you just don't know when to quit. Not everything is about you. I let you rot in that bed for days on end until you were ready. Well, I'm not ready," he spat.

I took a step back, shocked. My whole body recoiled in disgust as his words sank in. I could feel the tears pricking at the corners of my eyes, but I held them back, too stunned to say anything else.

Once we got into the bedroom, Everest didn't hesitate to toss me onto the bed. For a second, I realized I'd forgotten my ice pack downstairs, but I quickly snapped out of it when Everest climbed on top of me and started kissing me.

"Sin, wait," I said, gently pushing him off.

He rolled over with a sigh, staring up at the ceiling. I sat up on my knees, watching him as I tried to clear my head.

"What, you don't want me to fuck you anymore?" he said, the harshness in his tone catching me off guard.

I looked at him, trying to keep my calm. "Have you talked to your mom?" I asked, my voice steady despite the frustration building up.

He rolled his eyes and sighed. "Avery, we're not talking about this right now," he muttered, tugging at the hem of my shirt, signaling he wanted to keep things moving.

"Everest, don't get me wrong, I love when you fuck me, but you're projecting all this anger and sadness onto me, and it's taking a toll," I said, lightly slapping his hand away. "I'm exhausted."

Without responding, he got up from the bed and started buckling his jeans. I stood up right behind him, confused, as I followed him toward the door.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I asked, my frustration creeping into my voice.

"If you're not gonna let me fuck you, I'll find someone who will," he muttered. The words hit me like a punch, but he wouldn't even look me in the eye when he said it.

"What the fuck did you just say?" I snapped, hitting his back. It probably didn't faze him, but I couldn't help myself.

"I've been here for you, Everest. I've been patient, waiting for you to be ready. Now I'm here for you, so why the fuck are you treating me like this?" I demanded, my voice shaking with emotion.

He turned around slowly, his face cold. "God, Avery, you just don't know when to quit. Not everything is about you. I let you rot in that bed for days on end until you were ready. Well, I'm not ready," he spat.

I took a step back, shocked. My whole body recoiled in disgust as his words sank in. I could feel the tears pricking at the corners of my eyes, but I held them back, too stunned to say anything else.

The silence stretched between us for a while, and I couldn't tell if it was comforting or suffocating. The weight of everything that had happened today felt like it was pressing down on my chest, making it hard to breathe. But Brooke was there, her presence steady and quiet, offering a kind of solace without words.

I eventually let out a shaky breath, trying to steady myself, trying to push past the overwhelming feeling that I was losing control. "I don't know what to do anymore," I whispered, my hands trembling as I twisted the fabric of my hoodie between my fingers.

Brooke stayed quiet for a moment, her eyes never leaving me. Then she spoke, her voice soft, but with a weight to it. "You don't have to know right now. You just have to be. Just... breathe. Whatever you need, you can figure out later."

It was one of those rare moments when someone offered me a perspective I didn't know I needed. I felt the smallest amount of relief, but it wasn't enough to stop the storm brewing inside me.

I stayed like that for a while longer, letting the minutes bleed into each other, not really keeping track of time. When I looked at the clock later, I realized hours had passed since Everest had left the room, since I'd heard those words, since I'd been left standing alone in the doorway. And nothing had changed since then.

The weight of the world still felt like it was on my shoulders, and no matter how much I tried to breathe, it felt like I couldn't fully exhale.

Brooke stood up after some time, stretching her arms overhead and letting out a quiet groan. She looked down at me with a half-smile. "You want to get out of here for a bit? Clear your head?"

I nodded before I could even think about it. "Yeah. I think I need to."

We didn't speak much as we made our way outside, the cool air hitting me in waves. I welcomed it, letting the chill sink into my skin, hoping it would numb the ache in my chest, even if just for a little while.

The walk was silent at first, each step seeming to sink deeper into the quiet between us. I didn't have the energy to say much, but I didn't need to. Brooke's presence, the way she didn't push me to talk, was enough. It felt like a strange kind of therapy.

As we walked, the sound of our footsteps crunching on the gravel beneath our feet was the only noise breaking the silence. I could feel my mind spinning, but for the first time in hours, I didn't feel the need to force myself to make sense of everything.

Brooke glanced at me after a while. "You good?" she asked, her tone gentle but still carrying concern.

I thought about the question for a long moment. It was one of those questions you weren't sure you could answer honestly. But as the world around me continued on, I realized that, maybe for the first time in days, I didn't have to have the answer just yet.

The music blasted through the club as we walked in, the heavy bass vibrating in my chest. The air was thick with the scent of sweat and alcohol, and the flashing lights made everything feel a little too sharp, too bright. The energy in the room was different from earlier—more chaotic, less controlled.

Brooke headed straight for her sorority sisters, who were laughing too loudly, their voices a mix of excitement and exhaustion. I watched her blend into their crowd, her usual confidence returning as she greeted them with an easy smile.

I, on the other hand, drifted toward the bar, my eyes scanning the room as I moved through the crowd. The noise felt almost suffocating, and I just needed something familiar, something that would help drown out the thoughts circling in my head. I didn't expect it to help, but I needed something to focus on, even if it was just the rhythm of the bartender's quick, practiced movements.

The bar was crowded, but there was an empty seat near the far end, right in front of a row of liquor bottles and a neon sign that flickered every few seconds. I slid onto the stool, feeling the coolness of the counter beneath my forearms, and let out a long, steadying breath.

I reached up to run a hand through my hair, trying to calm the buzzing in my brain. I thought about Everest, the way he had walked out of the room earlier, the sting of his words still hanging in the air. And the way I had stood there, frozen, unable to move or react. It all felt like too much, and I hated the feeling of being so helpless.

"Hey, girly," Jasmine chimes as she sidles up next to me. I give her a sideways glance, narrowing my eyes.

"Shouldn't you be in bed? You're too young to be out here with all of this," I say, my tone a mix of concern and amusement.

She chuckles, and I immediately know what that means—she's been sneaking drinks.

"Jasmin, are you drunk?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. She shakes her head quickly, but then holds her finger up to her lips, shushing me dramatically, clearly trying to keep it quiet.

"Tequila's bartending," she whispers conspiratorially, glancing around like she's afraid someone might hear.

I let out a small laugh. "You're really pushing your luck tonight, huh?"

She shrugs nonchalantly, her eyes a little too bright for my liking. "It's not like I'm gonna get caught. I'm fine, I'm just having a little fun."

I look at her, weighing whether or not to lecture her, but the last thing I want to do right now is get caught up in a conversation I'm not in the mood for. Plus, she's stubborn—she'll do what she wants regardless of what I say.

"Come on, let's get you to bed," I say, standing up from the barstool. Jasmin whines, clearly not ready to leave, but I don't give her much of a choice. I gently nudge her forward, and though she stands a few inches taller than me, I manage to guide her through the crowd. For a 16-year-old, Jasmin is surprisingly tall.

She stumbles slightly but shakes her head, pouting. "I'm fine! I don't want to go to bed."

"Too bad," I say, a little more firmly this time. "You're not making this decision tonight."

I guide her down the hall, the sounds of the club's music still vibrating through the walls, but it feels distant now. Jasmin complains along the way, but I stay patient. Eventually, we reach the small hallway leading to the bedrooms, and I finally manage to get her into her room.

Once the door is closed behind us, I help her onto the bed, making sure she's tucked in safely. "You're staying in bed. No more sneaking out tonight."

Jasmin huffs but doesn't argue further. She pulls the blanket up to her chin, her eyes already heavy with the pull of sleep. "You're a buzzkill, Avery," she mumbles, though there's a fondness in her voice.

"I'm your buzzkill tonight, huh? Get some rest," I reply, smiling slightly despite myself.

I quietly leave her room, stepping back into the dimly lit hallway. As I make my way toward the stairs, something catches my eye. The door to Ghost's office is cracked open, just enough for me to see a sliver of what's inside.

Curiosity nudges me closer, and before I can stop myself, I gently push the door open. What I see makes my heart skip a beat.

Everest is leaning back in his chair, his posture relaxed but something about the tension in the air makes it feel anything but casual. Bree stands between his legs, her back to him, but there's an unmistakable weight to their proximity. They aren't touching, but it's clear by the way they're positioned that something has already happened—or is about to.

My breath catches in my throat, and I freeze, unsure whether to retreat or keep watching. The unease in my chest grows heavier, but I force myself to take a step back, slowly closing the door without making a sound.

"Are you serious?" I demand, my voice thick with disbelief and anger. I refuse to let anyone—especially Everest—walk all over me, not after everything we've been through. I've been here for him, helping him cope with his struggles, and this is how he treats me? The betrayal stings more than I can put into words.

Everest looks caught off guard for a moment, his eyes widening just slightly, but Bree? She doesn't seem fazed at all. With a grin on her face, she casually plops down onto his lap, swinging her legs over him and running her fingers through her hair like it's no big deal.

I can feel the anger rising inside me, bubbling to the surface, my chest tight with frustration. How could he do this to me? After everything we've shared, how can he just sit there, letting her do that without a second thought?

Everest finally smirks, a look of cocky amusement crossing his face. It's like he's daring me to do something about it.

"You know," he says coolly, his tone dripping with arrogance, "I never thought you'd actually care this much." His eyes flicker to Bree, and then back to me, as if he's savoring the chaos.

I step forward, my fists clenched at my sides, but my mind is clouded with a rush of emotions—hurt, betrayal, anger—and none of it feels like it's the right time to talk. Not like this.

"You have no idea, Everest," I say, my voice thick with frustration. "I've been through this shit already, and you of all people should know better. I'm not going to stand around anymore, waiting for you to do the same thing." I feel a tight knot in my chest as I finish, but there's no time to dwell on it.

I turn away from him, shaking my head in disbelief. My legs feel heavy, like every step is pulling me further from him, but it's what I need to do. I'm drained. Completely. I don't have the energy to keep fighting, especially not with him. Not like this.

Without another glance, I walk out of the room, the sound of my footsteps fading into the distance. It feels like the weight of the world is on my shoulders, but I refuse to look back. Not this time.