"I don't know what to believe either" Lana said over a cup of coffee that was black as mud and tasted like it too.

After meeting at the pawn shop, we drove an hour out into the middle of nowhere in the desert to a little mom and pop diner, so we could talk safely and in private.

As she pulled her blonde ponytail around from behind her to lay over her right shoulder she said:

"You do know that if he is playing you, I didn't know, right? Ghost was the first to tell me how different he was being on that first run after meeting you. He wasn't with anyone then, so why now? Why would he be with another woman? He loved you-loves you" she corrected herself quickly.

I looked at her and raised my dark eyebrows and shrugged my shoulders.

"Bored with me, wanted my money or his dad put some idea in his head, I don't know" I said through a sigh.

Suddenly a thought popped into my head and I sat up straight in the old and worn, black-vinyl bench seat.

"Maybe that was the plan, have Ghost plant the idea that he felt some type of way about me?" I said as the light bulb went off when that idea entered my brain.

Shock washed over her face before the blood drained from it leaving her white as a ghost.

"Holy shit Hails, if that's the case, I had no idea. What are you going to do?" She asked worriedly as she stirred her straw around the big plastic red coke cup in front of her that was filled with water. She didn't like the coffee either.

I narrowed my eyes at her and said with a very determined tone

"Get my money and turn the tables on the fuckers. Something changed in me after that night" I said in a hushed tone and looked around the diner.

"I'm going to follow Cole and see who he's meeting, if it's not a woman then I'll trust him. I'll believe he wasn't in on Rex's plan. Then, we take that mother fucker down together. If it's a woman... then I'm going to end him" I say with complete confidence.

Something crossed over in me and I feel almost invincible...almost. I'm not delusional, it's me against the world, but there is a peace inside me and I feel strong.

"Okay, so what do you need from me?" She's asks with no hesitation. Lana is the friend who doesn't bail you out of jail, she's sitting in the cell right next to you, but this time this is something I have to do this alone.

"I just need you to help get my money and I'll do the rest" I tell her and I see her open her mouth about to protest.

I reached across the table and put my hand over hers.

"Lana, you're compromised by no fault of your own. You are loyal to Ghost, you can't help me, plus I won't put you in danger. You almost died that night, you're all I have, my touchstone that I don't ever doubt. If something happens to you, where will that leave me?"

She sighs and slumps her shoulders in defeat.

"This is just so fucked up Hails. You survived Ryan! You deserve happiness, not more bullshit. I'm so sorry, I took you to that bar that night. You told me you didn't want to and I made you go. I pushed you towards Cole and I told you he was serious about you-

I interrupted her at that,

"You also warned me that he was a player who didn't do relationships and told me to have fun with him, not fall in love with him. This isn't on you Lana, I'm just an idiot who never learns, I keep attracting these guys like static cling" I said annoyed at how I keep falling for the same type of guy.

"But you know what? Never again, I have finally learned. I would rather be alone than be with someone-

A jingle as the door opened made me stop talking and look up towards the door. When I saw who it was, I gasped and kicked Lana under the booth, nodding towards the door.

She had her back to the door and didn't see who just walked in but my eyes let her know it wasn't someone we wanted to see.

She stiffened and sat up straight. I grabbed my purse, pulled it into my lap and reached inside, placing my hand on my gun; just in case.

"It's Drew" I whispered

He made immediate eye contact with me, making it very clear he'd been following us.

As he slowly approached the table, I noticed he was just wearing jeans and a black hoodie, no cut or anything linking him to the club. He nodded to the waitress before sliding in next to Lana.

"Hey" He said softly and non-threatening.

"How long have you been following me?" I asked skipping over any small talk.

"Since you left your room this morning. You left before sunrise, you stopped at the 24hr pawn on Lincoln and bought a pair of binoculars. You watched Cole's place for about an hour, then went to Bennie's to shoot and work the bag, then you met up with Lana and drove here" he said nonchalantly.

I held eye contact with him as I sat forward in the booth, narrowing my stare into a glare that pierced into him.

"If you've been following me all day, without me knowing, why come in the diner now and expose yourself?" I asked in a harsh tone.

"Because I want to help you" he said sincerely "and I'm starving" he cracked a lopsided smile, raised up his hand towards the waitress and gave a little whistle.

The little cute brunette brushed her uniform off and came over to our table with a little extra sway to her hips than she'd had earlier and a smile played on her lips.

"What can I get for you?" She asked as she stood extremely close to Drew's leg that he had extended out. Her steely blue eyes ran up his leg and landed on the prize between his legs.

"Coffee and the special please" He answered flatly, ignoring her obvious flirting.

Her smile fell a little but she didn't stop trying.

"Anything else?"

"Just the coffee darlin" he said and finally gave her a smile that made her happy and leave our table.

These damn guys.. just ugh

I glared at him when she walked away making his chest shake with a silent laugh.

"What?" He asked innocently

I shook my head at him in disgust.

"Never mind, you said you wanted to help me, how can you do that?" I asked wanting to hear him out because Drew has been there for me since day one and has saved my ass more than once. He's a close to a brother as I could have.

He gave me one of his cute smiles knowing that I would listen to what he has to say.

"Can I eat first?"

I huffed and sat back in the booth and crossed my arms. I looked long and hard at him, connecting with his eyes before I put my hands in my lap.

"If you fuck me, I won't hesitate to shoot you" I cocked the trigger of my Beretta under the table, he heard it.

His smile dropped and a serious side of him I've never seen before came out.

"I'm NOT your enemy Hailey. I've always protected you. If I had been with you that night at Lana's, that never would have happened" his tone was serious and his eyes genuine.

He held my eyes until I found what I was looking for. I released the hammer and put the safety back on.

Lana who had said nothing in the exchange between us finally chimed in.

"Was Ghost in on it?" She asked with a shaky voice.

His eyes cut to hers and shrugged then turned back to me. She looked like she was going to cry.

"Let me help you" he pleaded

I gave a heavy sigh and looked at Lana who shrugged and nodded her head at me as she choked back the tears.

"Okay, but eat fast, I want to follow that asshole and see who he's meeting up with. Then I need to get my money" I told him with distain.

I was going to get to the bottom of this today, one way or another.

————-

Author's Note:

If you were Hailey, at this point would you believe Cole is playing her, or that it's all Rex?