Let Go (28 page)

Christina
lowers the volume again as videos of Greylan fighting spans over
the screen.

“Well that’s
just shitty. Why would anyone say you don’t deserve this? You’ve
worked harder than anyone I know. They can all go fuck themselves.”
Christina prattles on in objection. But Greylan knows the odds are
stacked against him. Everything the man says is true; he had his
chance and blew it. He doesn’t deserve this just out of the sheer
fact that he killed a man. But he can’t give it up. It’s in his
entire being. He needs it almost as much as he needs to
breathe.

Trinity slams
her glass back down and looks up to Greylan. Her speech is slightly
slurred when she states, “Grey, I think I’m feeling a little bit
better. And don’t listen to that shit. They don’t know you like I
do. You are gonna win it and show them all.”

He shakes his
head smiling.

“I think this
is the first time I’ve ever seen you drunk. You’re such a light
weight.”

“Ah, I am most
certainly not drunk but I intend on getting there. Christina hit me
up.”

Juno comes out
from the back just as Trinity is slinking back another drink. The
bar is pretty dead for a Thursday night. She situates herself next
to Greylan placing her hands up onto the counter.

“Hey Grey.
How’s it going?”

Nodding,
“Can’t complain.”

“Where’s my
bottle?”

“Shit Juno, I
forgot.”

“No worries,
it’ll give you an excuse to come back around here and visit.”

He looks to
the bar and grabs her hand squeezing. His breath comes out in a
rush, “I’ll be back. I promise.”

Trinity starts
nodding vigorously, “That’s the thing isn’t it Grey? We can’t
fucking let go, can we? Maybe that’s it though, maybe letting it
all float away like a feather in the wind will make everything
better.”

Juno glances
at Trinity, her brows raising in surprise.

“Ah, sorry
Juno, I know you have that double standard about language and shit.
But I just have the need to say
fuck it all
. Why do I even
care? Mom and Dad are gone, what the hell is really holding us
here?”

Greylan swipes
her glass and smirks, “You’re cut off kid.”

Christina
strolls over facing them, “Your sister is almost as bad a drunk as
you are Rookie.”

He shakes his
head. Maybe Trinity has a point. Leaving it all behind without a
backwards glance is an option but he knows it will always catch up
to him. The past always does.

Shouldering
his bag, Greylan helps Trinity out of the taxi they took to the
airport. He sucks in a deep breath before surging toward the huge
building sprawled out before them. This is it; finally he is on his
way to Vegas. So many thoughts tumble over one another. Is he good
enough to fight at this level? Will he make a fool out of himself
if he’s not? And other things like Parker cross his mind. He’s
determined to protect Trinity from any more heartache but last
night on the way home from Juno’s she pretty much put it out on the
line. If Parker is in Vegas, she’s going to talk to him. Greylan
tried to argue but she was adamant. She is trying to take her own
advice , leave the past behind. This morning he mentioned the
conversation briefly hoping it was the alcohol talking but he found
she was and still is serious and there is nothing he can do to stop
her. And he fucking hates that the asswipe could possibly make him
helpless with his own sister.

More than
anything he’s afraid of what he might or might not find in Vegas in
regards to Mollie. After apologizing to Jackson for going behind
his back with Jimmy, he talked him into contacting Meyer and found
out that she
does
live in Vegas and so does Meyer. Meyer’s
mom lives on the outskirts. He moved there years ago when he was
having financial troubles or so Jackson told him. He doesn’t like
that he had to ask Jackson to do that but again he’s helpless in so
many things lately and it sucks ass.

The flight is
quiet, allowing him to doze in and out of consciousness. He’s
reluctant to let himself fully fall asleep for fear of a nightmare
and how that would look on a plane full of people.

When they
arrive in Las Vegas, Trinity is a ball of nerves. She is bouncing
up and down in excitement, overstimulated no doubt by the sights
and sounds as they move from the airport to a taxi. But he can tell
she has the same uneasiness he feels, the mystery of what the next
twenty-four hours will reveal.

As the taxi
pulls up beside the hotel, Greylan steps out amazed by the sights
and chaos. They seem to be in the epi-center of the strip. The
hotel climbs into the sky reflecting the dusky twilight in the
distance. He stares uncertain, completely out of his comfort zone.
Two voices he recognizes echo near him. Fury fills one as the
volume rises. He scans the sidewalk and spots Jackson and Jimmy T
visibly arguing, not caring who is listening. He smiles that at
least something is familiar. His hand darts out to Trinity’s,
grasping it hard and pulling her in the direction of the
disagreement.

As they
approach both men grow quiet. Jackson glares at Greylan obviously
still not over the fact that he brought Jimmy along on this
thing.

Jimmy pipes
up, “Hey, there’s our champ now. How was your flight?” He moves his
gaze to Trinity and states, “Ya know, I never got to tell you that
night, I was at Grey’s fight a while back but you have grown into
quite the woman.”

Greylan
frowns, “Jimmy, better watch it. This is my sister you’re saying
that shit to.”

Jimmy holds
his hands up in surrender, “Alrighty, I know it champ. Just thought
I’d pay a compliment where one is due.”

“Work on your
delivery dude.”

Jackson moves
closer, “Pace, let’s get you two checked in. I’ve already scoped
out the venue. It’s right down the road from here. I want you to
get your bearings before tomorrow.” He glares over at Jimmy, still
not over their argument.

When Greylan
enters his hotel room he finds an envelope with scripted
handwriting addressed to him on the lone table in the corner. He
knows the writing well. His finger lingers on it for a moment.
Somehow he knows what she wants and he’s not sure he wants to
acknowledge it. He’s here in Vegas for a reason and it’s not a
green eyed, red head. He moves his hand away and skirts over to the
bed collapsing onto his back. He spies a tiny crack in the ceiling
as his hand comes up to move through his short hair trying to
distract himself from the small white note. It calls to him but
he’s afraid of what it means or how it might affect him.

A soft knock
from the door moves through the room. He glances over at the table
one last time before answering. Trinity is standing there, a smooth
smile pasted on her lips. Her eyes are bright and she seems
lighter. He shakes his head moving back into the room, not waiting
for an explanation or wanting to even hear one. She follows him in
asking, “Don’t you want to know why I’m so happy?”

Misery covers
his features, “Trinity, I can tell just by the way you’re acting
what it is that put that smile there.”

“Well, I’m
going to tell you anyway whether you want to hear it or not. Parker
is here, in this hotel. He had my room covered in vases of flowers
and he left a note apologizing and asking me to meet him for
dinner.”

“Of course he
did.”

“Grey, come
on. You’ve seen me these past few days. I am miserable without him.
Last night, at Juno’s it put things into perspective for me. I’m so
glad you took me out. Why does it matter where I am as long as I’m
with him? He’s my life now. I have to let the past go.”

“Glad I could
help the douche bag out.”

Trinity skips
to the bed and plops on the edge.

“Don’t be an
ass.”

Greylan raises
his arms in frustration and moves his hands over his face. Finally
he sits next to her and admits, “Trin, I’m not going to argue with
you about it anymore. Whatever you decide to do, fine. But I’m not
going to be able to protect you if he pisses you off again and I’m
in Jersey and you’re here.”

She looks to
the floor and shakes her head. When she glances back up, her eyes
rest on the table, she spots the envelope. She turns to look at
him. His profile shows the pain he’s in. She’s not sure what it is
but he’s wrestling big time with something.

“Grey, why
won’t you let me in?”

He gets up
abruptly and asks, “Don’t you have a date or something to get ready
for?”

Her feet guide
her to the door but she turns one last time, looks pointedly at the
envelope and back to Greylan, “You need to figure this out. You’ve
waited too long for this fight and I want you to win. No regrets
Grey!”

He smirks and
asks, “You promised to be there, remember?”

“I did and I
intend on keeping my promise. Can you promise me something?”

He waits his
mouth tight for fear of what she’ll ask. Denying his sister of
anything is not anything he’s accustomed to.

“Promise me
that you’ll go and get your head straight tonight. Whatever it
takes Grey, do it for you.”

He holds the
door open for her, unable to make any promises that he can’t keep
and whispers as she passes, “Be careful kid.”

Once the door
is closed he palms the envelope and settles back onto the edge of
the bed. Turning it over in his hands a few times he finally moves
his finger under the edge smoothly lifting the flap to reveal a
folded piece of paper inside. He maneuvers it out and holds it for
a few beats of his heart before unfolding it. The message inside is
simple just as the last one he received from her.

His breath
rushes out as he finishes reading the last word for the third time.
What the hell is wrong with him?
Hanging on every fucking word
as if he needs it to survive.
As much as he wrestles with
himself about going, he must. He has so many questions and if for
nothing else but to close the door. To get her out of his head. But
was the door really opened? He slept with her one time and there
were never any commitments. He’s had relationships with other women
that lasted much longer than with her and they’ve never affected
him as this woman has. He needs to get his head straight for
tomorrow and if it takes meeting her tonight, he’ll do it.

He checks the
time, six o’clock and calls Jackson, “Hey, something came up that I
have to take care of tonight. Can we go now or early in the
morning?”

“Fine, meet me
in the lobby in ten minutes.”

Hanging up he
notes how pissed Jackson still is. He’ll have to figure out a way
to make it up to him. When he leaves his room and takes the
elevator, Jimmy is already on his way down. He looks Greylan up and
down asking, “You got a hot date or something?”

“Or
something.”

He nods. As
they descend he adds, “By the way, Meyer is out.”

Greylan
relaxes into the wall of the elevator. He looks to the floor and
back up, “Did you speak with him?” He regrets the words as soon as
they leave his lips. He doesn’t want to know. The less informed he
is of Meyer the better. That part of his past is still too
painful.

“I didn’t, not
yet. But I will be informing him of our new management soon
enough.”

Greylan
nods.

The elevator
dings and the doors slide open. Jackson is leaning against a
counter across the lobby talking to a leggy brunette. She is
laughing trying to conceal her giggles with her hand.

Jimmy speaks
close to Greylan, “What is it with him and the women? On the flight
over he had two of them eating out of his hand and now this. I’m
lucky if I get laid twice a year and this dudes got them
practically throwing themselves at him.”

Greylan shrugs
not really caring how Jackson is able to talk to women. At this
point there is only one woman Greylan cares about seeing and he
needs to get through this first.