The Thunder Wolves MC - Lyssa (Book #13)

2

The Spiked Eagles MC guys were all very sweet. My having jumped on the back of one of their bikes could have ended so much differently for me than it had. The guys could have demanded more of me than they had. The only ask they had of me was when they dropped me off at a hotel in the town they had been headed to, was that I do better than the asshole I had left behind. All of them had heard my story when we had stopped along the way to eat at a diner a few hours into the trip. None of them seemed bothered when I stayed with them until they arrived at their destination. Well, kind of, they didn't take me all the way to where they were going, only the same town. They pulled off into the hotel parking lot just inside town, Tank helping me off the back of his bike.

"This is it, sweetheart, as far as we can take you. From here, you are on your own. We will be back through in three days if you decide you need a ride back."

Handing Tank the helmet he let me borrow, I gave him a tight smile.

"Thank you, but I think this will be just fine."

Nodding, they all watched me walk inside before I heard them leave. Turning just inside the doors, I watched them pull out of the parking lot. A large group of guys on motorcycles with a different patch covering their backs joining the small group of Spiked Eagles. I hope they are alright and not in trouble for being in some other club's town.

Turning back around, I walked up to the counter, and even though I knew my cards could be tracked, I didn't care. I used one that was in my name only to check in. There was no way in hell I was going to use one that was also in that assholes name. I wanted nothing else from him. Even though I had thought about it for a split second. I mean making him pay would be a nice little f**k you to him. But then again, I didn't want there to be any reason he could come back and claim I was using his cards without permission. So, once I was in my room, I made sure to pull out the three cards he had paid for and cut them up, then threw them away. Leaving me with the one card in my name that wouldn't last me very long.

With that in mind, I didn't stay in my room for long. Walking out of the hotel, I found a store within walking distance, where I used my card to purchase a few essentials I would need. Things like a couple of outfits, one nice outfit for interviews, underwear, a bra, shoes, socks, toiletries, and a few food items that I could easily keep in my hotel room. I also got a new phone, so I was reachable. I didn't bother with going through the effort of keeping my old phone number. I didn't want anyone trying to call me from there.

Returning to my room, I took a hot cleansing shower. As the water ran over me, I finally allowed myself to break. Letting the tears mix with the water as I let myself break completely. My day was supposed to end differently. I should be partying and celebrating my new life. I should be cutting my wedding cake and laughing with my friends. I should be leaving with my husband for the airport for our honeymoon. I should be blissfully exhausted as I sit in first class with the love of my life as we take off, headed for two weeks in Italy. Hell, I should be finding a way to join the mile-high club as the two of us make love to each other in the bathroom of the plane. At least that is how I imagined the day to end. Instead, I am here in a hotel room in a town I don't know, a state that I didn't pay attention to when we crossed the border, crying my eyes out in the shower.

That night is as long as I give myself to grieve the life I thought I was going to have. The next morning, I got to work. I need a job. I also have to end my old job. I have no plans on returning to my old life. My sister and my now ex can do whatever the hell they want with all my things that I left behind in his apartment. There is nothing there I want or need. Nothing that can't be replaced. I spent a good two hours in the hotel's business center applying for several jobs online. With that done, I allow myself the rest of the day to mourn the loss of my sister. I will never forgive her for her part in everything. She was all the family I had left since our parents died when we were little, and our grandparents, who raised us, are gone now as well.

The next day, I spent more time searching for a job. By the third day, I had a couple of interviews lined up. From that day, I didn't look back. No one came looking for me. Even once I logged back into my social media accounts, it was as if no one cared I walked out on my wedding. No one missed me. The only thing I had was a couple of messages from him. The first one was of him begging me to come back so we could talk things through. Then the following one was him telling me how crazy I was acting and how he knew he should have chosen my sister. She was at least the sane one out of the two of us. My sister had even left me a message or two, trying to explain herself and apologize before moving on to how I was throwing everything away over something so silly. And if I wasn't going to come back, then she was going to make her move.

I can't even say I was surprised to see she had more than willingly and happily taken my place on what was supposed to be my honeymoon. At the sight of the first few pictures of the two of them smiling and having fun together, I removed both of them from my friends list. Going through and adding everyone who commented on how happy or cute the two looked together. By the time I was done removing people, I was left with a small group of people on my friends list, so few that I decided I didn't care to continue using my social media accounts. I didn't get rid of them, but I also stopped looking at them after changing my status from 'in a relationship' to 'single' and removing any pictures that featured him and my sister.

By the end of the week, I had secured a job and was searching for an apartment or another living arrangement, as I was still staying in the hotel. Two weeks later, I was set to move in with a girl around my age who had a small apartment built in her basement that she was renting out. Emilia was amazing. The two of us became more than just landlord and tenant. She was an instant friend.

"Hey, when you are done, come across the street. I will buy you a drink."

Smiling, I shook my head. Emilia has been trying to set me up with a guy for the past few weeks. Ever since I decided it was time to move on completely. It has been nearly a year since I walked away from my wedding and left everyone and everything behind. She even loaded a couple of dating applications onto my phone. Not going to lie, I have had some fun with one or two of the guys I have matched with on them, but nothing more than a one-night thing. And not anything to write home about. The guys were nice enough, but you know when both parties are only looking for one thing, and well, both of you walk away after with the understanding that nothing more needs to be said. Neither one of the guys have I even bothered responding to after either. They were alright and helped with some of my needs, but neither one of them was great, if you know what I mean.

"Alright, but so long as you are buying drinks."

I respond to her message quickly, then shove my phone back into my pocket before my manager sees, and return to straightening the clothes in the area where I am working tonight. My job isn't all that great, but it pays the bills. It also works well enough to accommodate my class schedule now that I have decided to take a few courses at the local college.