Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

Poison

The glass feels heavy in my hand, condensation dripping onto my fingers as I take another sip of the whiskey.

The smoky warmth burns its way down my throat, settling into a comfortable warmth in my belly.

It's late, and the air outside Sydney's tour bus is crisp, a slight breeze ruffling my hair.

I lean against the side of the bus, staring out at the dimly lit parking lot.

The distant hum of traffic is oddly soothing, but it does little to quiet the thoughts swirling in my head.

What happens when the tour wraps up?

It's a question that gnaws at me every day, lingering in the back of my mind no matter how much I try to push it away.

Asher and I—we're a complicated mess. A beautiful, tangled mess with more history than either of us cares to admit.

He has a place in Los Angeles. A life there. And what do I have? A clubhouse that feels less like home the longer I'm away from it.

I don't like that feeling. I want to be back in Montana, back where things feel normal.

Can we really make this work? Can we bridge the gap between our worlds?

I take another sip of whiskey, letting the alcohol numb the edges of my anxiety.

We've come so far, Asher and I, but sometimes it feels like we're standing on opposite sides of a canyon, shouting across the void.

How do we bridge that gap?

My phone buzzes in my pocket, pulling me out of my reverie.

For a moment, I hope it's him, but when I glance at the screen, it's just a notification from some app I barely use.

I sigh, slipping the phone back into my pocket.

But it's hard to focus when every thought circles back to him. To us. To the uncertain future looming ever closer.

I stare into the amber liquid in my glass, searching for answers that aren't there.

Leaning against the side of Sydney's tour bus, the whiskey warming my insides as I take yet another sip.

The night air is cool but not biting, and the distant hum of the festival crowd provides a strange kind of comfort.

My head is still buzzing with thoughts of Asher, but there's a small spark of happiness burning through the anxiety.

At least we're giving it another shot. Somehow, after all this time, we found our way back to each other.

"Hey, Poison!" Sydney's voice cuts through my thoughts.

I look up to see her hopping down the steps of the bus, her dark hair catching the light from the streetlamp above us.

She's got that easy smile on her face, the one that makes you feel like everything's going to be alright. "How's it going?"

"Hey, Syd." I grin, raising my glass in a half-toast. "Just trying to figure out life, you know."

"Don't we all," she laughs, walking over to join me. She leans against the bus, mimicking my stance. "So, what's up? You looked deep in thought there."

"Just... thinking about Asher," I admit, swirling the ice in my glass. "It's been a ride, coming back together after all this time."

"Yeah, I heard you guys were giving it another shot," Sydney says, nudging me playfully. "How's that going for you?"

"Better than I expected," I reply, feeling the warmth spread from my chest to my cheeks. "I mean, it's complicated, but I'm happy we're giving it another try."

"Complicated seems to be the theme of your life," Sydney teases, but there's genuine curiosity in her eyes. "What's making it so complicated this time?"

"Well, for starters, he's got a place in L.A., and I've got mine in Montana with the club," I say, sighing. "And there's just so much history between us. It's like we're trying to find where we fit in each other's lives again."

"That sounds tough," Sydney says empathetically. "But if anyone can make it work, it's you two. From what I've heard, you've always had that crazy chemistry."

"Yeah," I say, smiling at the memory of our past. "We definitely have that. And it's nice to think that we were meant to come back to each other, even if it took some time."

"Exactly," Sydney agrees, giving my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Sometimes the best things are worth waiting for."

"True," I nod, taking another sip of my drink. "I'm just hoping we can bridge the gap between our worlds, you know?"

"I get it," Sydney says, her expression thoughtful. "But you guys have already overcome so much. What's a little distance compared to that? I'd love to know how you guys met, though. I haven't heard the whole story."

"Well," I take a deep breath, "we met in Vegas. It was... explosive from the start. He was this cocky musician with dreams bigger than the Strip itself. And me? I was just trying to survive day by day."

"Sounds intense," she says, sipping her own drink.

"Yeah, it was," I nod, thinking back to those wild nights and heated arguments. "We had this insane chemistry. Couldn't stay away from each other even when we tried. But then things got messy. Misunderstandings, fights... typical stuff. We split up, and he moved to LA without so much as a goodbye."

"Wow," Sydney murmurs. "That must've hurt."

"More than I care to admit," I say, swallowing hard. "But now, here we are, years later, touring together. It's like the universe decided our story wasn't over yet."

Sydney smiles softly, "I'm glad for the two of you. How have things been going since you officially started dating again?"

"Eh, they've been okay. He didn't tell me about his daughter until a week ago?" I say, swirling the ice in my whiskey glass. The amber liquid catches the glint of the fading sun, casting ripples of light across the ground.

Sydney's eyes widen as she leans against the side of the bus. "Wait, what? Asher has a daughter?"

"Yep," I say, taking a sip of the whiskey, letting it burn its way down. "Dropped that bombshell on me like it was no big deal."

"Wow, that's... I mean, life is complicated, right, but damn," Sydney says, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Tell me about it," I say, laughing despite myself. "I mean, who knew? Here I am, thinking I know everything about him, and then bam—daughter."

Sydney chuckles softly, but there's a hint of sympathy in her eyes. "Well, Poison, sometimes things get messy before they can be sorted out."

"Yeah, I guess so," I say with a sigh. "It's just... a lot to take in, you know? One minute we're reconnecting, the next minute I'm finding out he's got a whole other life I never knew about."

"People change," Sydney says thoughtfully. "And sometimes, they keep parts of themselves hidden until they're ready to share."

"True," I admit, finishing off my drink. "I just wish he'd been upfront from the start. Would've saved me a lot of confusion."

"Hang in there," Sydney says, patting my shoulder. "It sounds like you two have something special. Don't let this trip you up."

"Thanks, Syd," I say, feeling a bit lighter. "I appreciate it."

"Anytime," she replies with a warm smile.

"Hey, Sydney!" Gears' voice calls from the open door of the tour bus. "We need you back inside!"

"Coming!" Sydney shouts back before turning to me. "Catch you later, okay?"

"Yeah, for sure," I say, watching her jog back to the door of the bus.

As I stand alone, the weight of my thoughts settles over me again.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, pulling me from my reverie.

I glance down at the screen and can't help but wonder what other surprises might be waiting just around the corner.

As Sydney gets to the doors of the bus, I pull my phone from my pocket. The screen lights up with a new message from Lila.

"Well, look who decided to pop up," I mutter to myself, tapping the notification to open the text.

"Hey, Polly! Long time no chat. Gonna be in Montana for work in a few weeks. Wanna catch up?" The familiar tone of Lila's message brings a small smile to my face.

Despite the way my life has been lately, some things never change.

"Definitely! Let me know when you're here," I type back quickly, hitting send before tucking my phone away. It feels good to have something else to look forward to, something normal.

I take another sip of my whiskey, savoring the burn as it slides down my throat.

The night air is cool, a stark contrast to the warmth radiating from the tour bus behind me.

The distant hum of engines and muffled laughter from inside create a comforting backdrop.

I finish my whiskey and set the empty glass on the edge of the bus's steps.

The night wraps around me like a comfortable blanket, but inside, a storm is brewing.

Thoughts of Asher tug at my mind, refusing to let go.

"Here we go again," I mutter under my breath, running a hand through my silver blonde hair.

When did my life get so complicated?

Just a few weeks ago, it was simple.

Now, every thought of him comes with a whirlwind of emotions. Anger, longing, confusion—it's all there, simmering just beneath the surface.

"Why do you have to be such a mess, Polly?" I ask myself, shaking my head.

Asher and I have always been like fire and gasoline.

Explosive when together, destructive when apart.

And now, with him back in my life, the flames are reigniting.

But this time, I'm scared. Scared of getting burned again.

"Why didn't he tell me about his daughter?" I say aloud, frustration lacing my voice. "What else is he keeping from me?"

The questions swirl in my mind, each one heavier than the last.

I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself.

"Get it together, girl," I whisper, leaning against the cool metal of the bus. "You're stronger than this."

But even as I say the words, doubt creeps in.

My feelings for Asher are intense, overwhelming.

He's the kind of guy who gets under your skin, stays there.

No matter how hard you try to shake him off, he's always there, lurking in the background.

"Dammit, Asher," I say, kicking a small pebble away. "Why can't things ever be easy with you?"

I pull out my phone again, scrolling through old messages between us.

Each one a reminder of what we had, what we lost.

The love, the fights, the passion.

All of it wrapped up in a messy package that I can't seem to let go of.

Maybe this will be worth the risk.

But what if it isn't?

What if giving him another chance means setting myself up for heartbreak all over again?

The thought weighs heavy on me, making it hard to breathe.

"Okay, enough of this pity party," I say, straightening up. "Time to focus on the here and now."

I glance around, taking in the scene.

The tour bus, the distant lights of the city, the comforting sounds of the night.

It's grounding, bringing me back to reality.

With a final deep breath, I push off the bus and start walking.

Each step feels like shedding a layer of uncertainty, moving toward clarity.

It's not much, but it's a start.

As I walk back toward the tour bus, I can't help but glance at my phone one last time.

The screen is dark, but the memories are still there, etched into my mind.

"Whatever happens, I'll handle it," I say, determination filling my voice. "I always do."

And with that, I step back onto the bus, ready to face whatever life throws me next.