Payce's Passions by Piper Kay

be.
    “You’re right though, Brax.” He sighs.
    “About?” Is he finally going to tell me what I need to know?
    “I did have it coming, I deserved it. I’m sorry for everything. I fucked up man.” He lets out another deep breath.
    “Do you mean that, Payce, seriously?”
    “Yes, and something else.”
    “Okay, what?” Hell, there’s more, just great.
    “Until you said something to me tonight, I’d never thought about it, Brax.”
    “What was that?”
    “I didn’t realize that you never knew anything about what happened. I thought Aaron would have said something to you. When you told me you hadn’t seen Aaron, it didn’t sink in. Tonight, it did and you are right.”
    “So you do listen sometimes?” I laugh.
    “I’m trying. It’s time you heard the whole story from me. What’s done is already done, I can’t go back and change it now. I did make a choice about us, Brax, and I never gave you the chance to have any say or opinion in it. I’m going to give it to you though. There’s already been too much damage between us. You’ll probably never speak to me after though.”
    “Where are you, Payce?”
    “Listen…” He gets silent, not say anything, but I know that sound.
    Why is he there? I sit straight up in the bed when I hear the ping of a bottle cap bouncing step by step, echoing through the empty warehouse. It’s an old, but familiar sound, something we used to do when bored out of our freaking minds.
    The line goes dead.
    I jump out of bed, toss on a pair of jeans and a tee shirt, grabbing my jacket on the way out. My car might be broken down at the tavern, but I have my gas guzzler in the garage downstairs.
    Tearing out of the parking lot, I’m off heading for Payce. The roads are slick from the rain, but I’m hauling ass as fast as I can to get there. Payce is at the warehouses and nothing else really matters anymore. The place was horrible for us, we damn near froze to death in it, he got arrested there too, but it is also the place we finally gave in. Why is he there?
    This shit with us is stupid and needs to be in the past where it belongs. Fuck! Knowing he’s there mean’s Payce is not okay. I shouldn’t have brought up anything, what does it even matter anymore? Right now the important thing is getting to him. Within a few minutes I’m there.
    Last time I came here is when Payce was released from prison. The old brick building is exactly the same, shitty and rundown, a real safety hazard. I recognize the glow coming from the window, he has a fire lit. I wonder if it’s the old metal barrel we used to use to burn in, trying to keep warm. Fuck this place brings back memories.
    Stepping out of the truck, I enter the building. I tromp up the stairs, slowly and carefully scared I might fall through them. This place should be demolished. Making the turn, I can see the top now, he’s not sitting there pinging caps anymore. I step out onto the top floor, taking a step sideways and back against the wall.
    Payce is sitting in the same metal brown chair that’s always been here. He’s leaning forward with both arms across his legs, hands between them. He’s holding a lit cigarette between his fingers, the smoke circles up, winding around his wrists between his legs. On his right shoulder, there’s a tattoo of a lion, and a tree on the left arm.  He’s beyond fucking sexy. He looks up at me and his eyes zone in, freezing me in my own footsteps. All I can do is balance myself on the wall. I don’t say a word, but lean back, hooking my fingers in my belt loops, crossing one foot over the other.
    Payce’s jawline is perfectly chiseled, damn he could slice glass with it. His mustache and goatee are still new to me, but it enhances everything about his features. After several minutes of staring at me, he arches his left eyebrow, still not saying a word. His expression is alert, sharp and fierce. I’m not sure if he wants to kick my ass or what, but I know the man is so goddamned