It's fake, just like him. His silver grills sit on his bottom teeth, and he licks them.
“Is that any way to greet an old friend?” the bastard has the audacity to ask.
“Fuck off,” I seethe, leaning in. “And if you ever come back, I will fucking kill you.”
“Now, now, now, August boy.” He’s always called me that. He’s only ten years older than me, but he acts like I’m some stupid fucking teenager.
Wrong.
I worked for Josh on the streets, selling, breaking into places for him. He paid me well, until the last job that sent me away for good.
It was a job that was meant to be easy.
But when I turned up and saw two of his other men there, I got cold feet. They called me a pussy and put a gun to my head, telling me I had no damn choice.
Robbery.
In the end, it was a set-up.
They broke into the store, marched me to the cold room, and locked me in there, destroying the place and taking everything they could.
I was found in the cold room with a gun on the floor next to me.
The bastards had called the cops on me.
Those bastards set me up.
Josh denies it all to this day.
In court, they told the judge that it was me who had a gun to their head and made them do it.
They got parole.
I got prison.
Turns out, they stole a lot of money, and the shop was owned by a government official.
Just my fucking luck.
“I’m not your boy, Josh,” I spit back at him. “Now fucking leave.”
“That your little sis in there?” He nods. “She’s a cute little thing,” he says with that evil fucking smirk of his.
“I am not kidding, Josh.” I step up closer. “Don’t come around here again or anywhere near her.”
“Your mom asked me to come around,” he says, that awful smirk never leaving his damn fuck ugly face. “Told me to tell you she wants you to come visit.”
Drugs and alcohol fucked her up early on when I was a kid. It’s how I met Josh to begin with. I worked for him to pay back her debt, then he offered me more money than I could refuse. It’s hard when you’re a teenager and have nothing and someone offers you something for jobs you know are wrong but you need food.
And I needed food.
I turn and reach inside, grabbing the bat I keep by the door. I swing back around to see he is no longer on the porch. Now he’s standing near his car, his hand up in the air.
“I’ll be seeing you, August boy.”
Chapter 9
Rylee
Anderson ignores me all week. Oh, he calls and texts, but not once does he make an effort to come and see me. So when Friday comes around, I know I have to go see him because clearly, he isn’t coming to me.
Pulling up to where I know he is—at a party, as usual—I walk in with people staring at me. I’m dressed in my work clothes because I couldn’t be bothered to stop at home to change. I need to do this now, or I’m afraid it’ll never happen.
One of Anderson’s friends spots me first. His eyes go wide with the realization that I’m here because I never come to these things. Getting drunk every weekend does not interest me. Sometimes you have to grow up, and clearly, Anderson doesn’t know how to.
“Hi, Blade,” I say to him while checking around for Anderson. Then I spot the fucker walking out with a girl by his side. His eyes flick to me, then flare, before he strides my way. His hand goes to my waist, and he pulls me out the front door and away from everyone.
I go because I need to speak to him.
His hand is tight on my arm, and I shake it off once we get outside.
I look up, then take a step back.
“You have a little something right there.” I tap the side of my mouth. “Lipstick.” I smirk. “Thank you so very much for making this easier. Don’t contact me anymore. I’m telling my parents I have called it off. This…” I wave between us, “… is off.” I watch as he takes my words in. His face changes from confused to shocked, and finally to anger. His eyebrows are pinched, and his lips pursed as he stares at me with furious eyes.
“You don’t get to call that.”
“I do.” I step back again.
The front door opens and a girl steps out. Her hand goes to her belly. She’s the same girl who was standing next to him when I arrived. “Your new flavor of the month is searching for you,” I say, glaring at him.
He steps forward, grabs hold of my arm again, and holds it tight. “Rylee, you don’t get to choose. Haven’t you figured that out since I first cheated on you? It’s a weekly event. Don’t act like it’s affecting you now,” he snarls while his fingers dig deeper into my arm. I know it’s going to bruise, and I’ll have to hide them too.
“Get…” I say silently, “your hands off of me.” I raise my voice for that last part. “Before I scream,” I say when he doesn’t drop them.
Finally, he does, and I step farther back.
“Rylee, you can’t escape me. We are destined.”
“Bullshit! Now lose my number,” I say as I rush away and get into my car, only checking back once to see if he’s following me. Thankfully, the other girl is keeping him occupied.
Driving away, my hands shake on the steering wheel. As soon as I see a park, I pull over to give my shaking hands and beating heart a chance to rest.
My phone starts ringing, but I ignore it. Clenching my hands, I try to stop the shaking that is taking over my entire body from what I just did.
I just ended something that has been a part of my life since high school.
It was well overdue, but that doesn’t make doing it any easier.
It’s hard.
But necessary.
Anderson, despite being the cheating prick he is, and the abusive asshole he’s become, was there for me for many years. Yes, he may have shown sympathy in times of need for his own agenda, but he was there for me.
A part of me loved him. It’s why I stayed so long when I really should have walked away years ago.
My phone blares again, and when I pick it up to check, I see it’s my sister.
“Ry, gosh, where are you?”
“Driving.”
“Okay, well, drive your ass here, would ya?”
It’s where I was going anyway since home is not an option right now. And Anderson wouldn’t dare come near me around Rhianna. He knows she will not take his shit.
Managing to catch my breath and stop my shaking hands, I drive to Rhianna’s to see her already at the front door. Her hands are crossed, and she is in her pajamas as she stands there waiting for me.
Closing the car door, I make my way to her.
“Anderson tried calling me. And we all know the only reason that would be is because you finally broke it off with him,” she says with a gigantic smirk. “I’m glad. Really happy for you, Ry.”
I rub my hand up my arm where he grabbed hold. It’s hurting badly. “It was long overdue.”
“Yes, very much so. Now come… let’s go and kick Noah out of my bed, and you can tell me how your week has been.” She hooks her arm through mine as we step inside.
“I can’t kick your boyfriend out of your bed. I’ll sleep on the couch,” I say quietly, so we don’t wake Noah.