Reaching for one of the thinnest rose gold bands, I slip it on my pinky. “That’s her,” Wyatt says, clearing his throat.
I lift my eyes from the ring to him and nod. “It is. It really fuckin’ is,” I say, having to clear my throat. The girl pops her gum behind the counter, and I lift my eyes to hers. “How much?” I ask. Hoping to God it isn’t some ridiculous price.
She takes the ring from me and pulls the little tag out, then I watch as she takes a calculator out and starts punching numbers. She pops her gum again, then lifts her gaze to meet mine.
“After taxes, it’ll be fifty-eight, thirty-two.”
Fifty-eight dollars. Five years ago I would throw sixty bucks down a stripper’s G-string without a second thought. Today, my life is a little different. Every single dollar can make or break me, us, me and Channing.
“You won’t find it cheaper. It’s real rose gold,” Wyatt mutters next to me.
I look up at the girl in her blue vest, and I know it to be true. I won’t find it cheaper. An engagement ring for under sixty dollars, I honest to fuck should be ashamed of myself that I’m even considering buying it, but I’m not. I want her to have it, I want her to know without a doubt that I am going nowhere. Not ever again.
“I’ll take it,” I state.
The girl pops her gum again, and a few minutes later I walk out of Walmart with an engagement ring for Channing. I don’t bother with a bag, choosing to shove the small box into my front pocket. I doubt I’ll be able to wait and do some big romantic proposal. I’m too goddamn anxious to have my ring on her finger. She’s mine and I want the whole fucking world to know.
Chapter Twenty-Three
CHANNING
I walk into the diner, not sure how I’m going to feel after my shift today. My last day at work. I’ve spent my entire teen and adult life in this diner. Six days a week, every week, and now it’s come to an end. I’m not sure that I want to leave, but I know that it is what is best for me and my baby. Also, what’s best for Rylan, too.
This town, the people in it, they have already decided who we are, which means they’ll never see us as anything different. I am the homewrecker, and he is the convict. There is no gray area for us, only black and white when it comes to the small town that we live in.
I stop at a table of three women a little older than me, smiling and ready to take their drink orders. I don’t recognize them, but that’s not really surprising. I tend to keep to myself, I always have. I learned a long time ago that it’s easier to survive by keeping to yourself.
“Can I get y’all something to drink?” I ask.
When they don’t answer immediately, I look up from my notepad. One of the women is staring daggers straight at me.
“When are you going to leave town you homewrecking little whore?” she seethes.
The other two giggle. Though I’m not so sure what’s funny. This blonde woman is staring at me like I did something to her man, or any man other than James and Rylan my entire life. I don’t respond to her, she isn’t worth it, nobody around here really is, not if they’re calling me names the way she is.
“Are you going to order, or just call me nasty names?” I ask, attempting to keep my voice calm, even and bored. Though inside, I’m dying a little.
She sits back as if she’s actually thinking about that. I fight the urge to roll my eyes at the bitch, and her bitch friends. She smirks, licking her bottom lip. “I’ll have a sweet tea,” she smiles sweetly. It’s fake, all of her is fake from the top of her bleached blond hair to the tips of her red stiletto nails—fake.
The other two girls order the same. Without a word, I turn from them. “James could have done better. That’s what he cheated on Jennifer with? Man, I bet he put a bag over her head,” the blonde laughs. She says it just loud enough for me to hear.
“No, he just fucked her from behind every time,” one of the other women says through her own laughing. “At least that’s what Jennifer said.”
My back straightens, and I attempt not to show that their words have affected me, but how do you let words like those slide? How do you not let them seep down inside of you, into your heart and more importantly, down to your soul?
I walk over to the drink area and begin making three sweet teas. I wish I were a big enough bitch to mess with them, but I’m not. My ethics won’t allow me to taint people’s food. Ethics. I snort to myself, morals and ethics are probably something that not many people realize I have, especially considering my current predicament.
However, I’ve decided people can shove their opinions on my life up their asses. Rylan is right, they don’t matter. None of them do, and especially not their small minded opinions. If they really knew what it was like between me and James, if they understood where my head was, what he promised me, they wouldn’t be so quick to judge me in the situation.
I don’t believe that I’m innocent, I’ll never be innocent. I was eighteen years old, and I knew it was wrong, but he was wrong too. It wasn’t just me. I refuse to take all of the blame on myself. Though I am not blameless, I am also not the sole person to blame.
Returning back to the table of bitches with a tray of sweet tea, I set them down one by one and refuse to make eye contact. Obviously these are Jennifer’s friends, or at least allies. They are not going to be nice, they’re here to harass me, and it’s fine really it is.
Tomorrow, they won’t be able to find me to say their nasty words.
Today, inwardly, I dare them to do their worst.
“Can I take y’alls order please?” I say, keeping my voice as friendly sounding as possible even though I want to scratch all of their eyes out.
“Do they make a sandwich here that is whore free? I mean, I don’t want your whore cooties on my shit,” the ever vocal blonde states with a snicker.
Lifting my eyes to her, I lose my resolve and roll them. “So Jennifer sent you in here because she knew my co-workers would call the sheriff on her. Aren’t you a little old to be playing high school games?” I ask, arching a brow.
They all three sit up a little straighter, their eyes all focused on me, but I am only looking directly at the ring leader. She can go fuck herself as far as I’m concerned. I hear her growl deep in her throat. I don’t back down. That’s what she wants me to do, that’s why she came in here with her friends. If I do, then she wins whatever game she’s playing. I refuse to break in front of a bully.
“You’ve put a strain on their marriage. Why won’t you just get rid of the kid? You can’t afford one, you don’t need one. Whores don’t deserve to have their own kids,” she sneers.
Inside I flinch, I wince, and I scream at her words. Maybe she’s right. My mom sure as shit didn’t need any kids when she had me. However, this baby is already loved beyond measure, not just by me, but by Rylan, too. I’ll never get rid of my child. Not for James, not for Jennifer, and sure as shit not for this bitch.
“I’m not going to argue with you about my right to keep my child. It has zero to do with you or anyone else for that matter.”
She narrows her eyes even more. “It does when I’m going to be the one forced to pay for it with my taxes,” she pops.
“You know what? I’m done,” I announce. She smiles as if she’s some kind of victor. “Keep smiling. I don’t see a ring on any of your fingers. Which means you’re lonely bitter bitches. That’s fine, swim in that bitterness for all I care. I’m going to go home to a man that loves me. While you go home to… your television and pint of Ben & Jerry’s?” I guess with a smirk.
They are stunned in silence for a few minutes, I let out a sigh of relief that they’re quiet for that time. I don’t need to hear their bullshit, not even for another goddamn second. They aren’t worth it, James and Jennifer aren’t worth it, they’re all just fucking worthless.
Taking my apron off, I turn from them. “Until he finds someone better, younger maybe, prettier… with less baggage, tighter?” the blonde laughs.
Turning my head, I look b
ack at her. I really look at her. She’s Jennifer’s age, in her late-twenties. She’s speaking of herself, of her baggage, not mine. Rylan knows exactly what he’s getting with me. There are no surprises. He knows I come from an addicted mother, he knows I come with a newborn on the way. She’s projecting her shit onto me and I refuse to accept it.
“Jealous that you’ll never be the younger tighter one?” I ask with a smirk.
She lets out a scream and before I realize what’s happening she’s charging me. Luckily for me, Lulamae steps between us, her rifle in her hand. “Now, get the fuck out of here before the sheriff gets a call. I’ll tie your asses up before he gets here too. You have five goddamn seconds to get the fuck out,” she announces.
The diner is silent, watching and waiting for the three grown ass women to leave. I only let out a sigh of relief when I see their car back out of the parking stall. Lulamae turns to me, a smile on her lips. “I’ve been wanting to do that since they walked their bitch asses in here. I could tell they were up to no fucking good.”
“On this note, I think I’m going to just leave early for the day,” I sigh.
Lulamae’s eyes soften and she nods. “Get your ass outta here. Your final check is on the desk, along with a little something from me and Clarence. Don’t open it here, and don’t get sappy on us,” she grunts.
I give her a small smile, my teeth sinking into my bottom lip. Then, without warning, I wrap my arms around her and force a hug that I’m sure she hates every damn second of. “Thank you, Lula. I love you,” I whisper against her ear.
“Get out of here girl, and I don’t want to see you come back. Make a beautiful life with that tattooed boy,” she whispers against my ear.
I release her slowly and take a step back. She looks a little misty-eyed but doesn’t stay there for long. She turns and walks away from me, toward her side of the diner. Leaving the floor, I head to the kitchen and say my goodbyes to Clarence. He’s just as bristly as Lulamae and holds his body even stiffer with my forced hug.
The office is dark when I walk inside, I flip on a switch and make my way to the desk. There is an envelope with my name on it, and a box wrapped in yellow paper with a light blue ribbon tied in a pretty bow. Reaching for it, I almost have them in my hands when I feel something behind me.
“Surprise,” the syrupy voice says, then a hand is wrapped around my mouth.
I attempt to fight off the man I know, the man who is holding me against his chest, his hard length pressing against my ass. The man I thought that I once loved. The man I thought would be my own one day. The man who manipulated a young girl for two years.
As darkness takes over, I decide that he isn’t really much of a man after all. In fact, he’s nothing but a worthless piece of shit.
RYLAN
“So I just show up at the yard on Monday?” I ask Wyatt.
He grunts, though I don’t think he’s happy about this switch after all. To be honest, I’m not really excited about it either. I want to move to the new town because I know that it will be what’s best for my new little family, but that doesn’t mean that I want to leave my cousin.
“Yeah, talk to Big Rickie, he’s your new foreman,” he instructs.
I nod, figuring this guy is probably smaller than me, and that’s just his nickname. It’s a common thing, I’ve discovered, linemen having nicknames. When you get one, it’s like you’ve finally made the super-secret club or something. As long as my nickname ain’t Convict, I’ll be fine with whatever they give me.
Reaching for the door handle, I frown as I look at the driveway.
“Where’s Channing?” Wyatt asks, taking the thoughts right out of my own head.
“I don’t know. She didn’t say she was workin’ late. She should have been home around three,” I point out.
Glancing at the clock on Wyatt’s dash, I frown. It’s after six in the evening. Even if she went to the store after work, she should be home by now.
“I’m going inside with you,” Wyatt announces.
I can’t speak. My breath has been stolen. Dread skates over my entire body. I know, from the inside out, I know without a doubt that something has happened to her. My stomach twist as I climb down from Wyatt’s truck.
Shoving my hand in my pocket, I grip the ring box so tight that I hear it crack a bit beneath my fingers. Releasing it, I bring my hand out and wrap my hand around the front door. It’s locked, and I let out a breath. I don’t know if it’s in relief or something else, but she’s not here. I don’t know if that’s bad or good right now, but I’m fixin’ to find out.
Taking my key out of my other pocket, I unlock the door and walk inside, Wyatt at my back. The duplex is empty, quiet, eerily still. Looking around, I notice that nothing is different, nothing is changed. It looks the way it did when I left for work.
“Let’s go to the diner,” Wyatt grunts.
Lifting my chin, I nod once. “I’m going to check the bedroom real quick.” Wyatt doesn’t say anything as I take quick steps to the back. It’s empty. The bed is made, and everything is neatly in its place.
“Let’s go to the diner,” I call out as I walk back into the living room.
“We’ll find her,” Wyatt says.
Looking up at him, I nod once. I don’t know if I believe him though. My heart is racing, my stomach is twisting, and I know without a doubt that something has happened. There is something terribly wrong. Really, really fucking wrong.
Chapter Twenty-Four
CHANNING
I stare at the woman across from me. She smiles, her evil eyes focused on mine. It was a ploy, the friends were decoys. James and Jennifer were hiding in the office, waiting for me to stop in, with a car in the back driven by Jacob. A getaway car. A getaway from kidnapping me. They are downright insane.
“Cut this bitch open, James. Get it over with,” Jennifer growls.
I jump at her words. My arms are useless, I try to move them, to instinctually protect my stomach, but they’re tied behind my back and any movement is fruitless. James doesn’t respond to his wife’s ranting. Instead, he stares at me. He head is tipped to the side and he watches me.
“Why do you want to keep it so badly?” James asks me, his voice soft, almost flirtatious.
If I closed my eyes, I could picture us in a different place, back in the motel that we frequented. This is the way he sounded when we were together, and I know now, that it was always fake, that it was always a lie.
I press my lips together, trying to decide if I should answer him. I don’t want to. I don’t want to even give him an ounce of my attention, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not terrified. I am. The look in Jennifer’s eyes combined with James’ cool calm and collected attitude, not to mention I haven’t seen Jacob since he was the getaway driver, are all reasons for me to be scared.
“This baby is mine,” I whisper. “Mine and Rylan’s. It’s not yours. I’m keeping it because it’s mine,” I rasp.
James lifts his arm, it moves so quickly that I don’t realize what’s happened until the back of his hand lands hard across the side of my cheek. My head whips to the side, my neck immediately aching with the blunt force.
I bite down on the inside of my cheek, my body staying upright in the chair, the pain immediately radiating throughout my entire face. His hand fists the back of my hair and pulls my head back, forcing my neck to arch too much, too painfully.
His face is the only thing that I see, he’s angry, angrier than I’ve ever seen him before. His eyes are full of downright fire and hatred. I find myself trembling beneath him. Helpless to whatever he’s about to dish out to me. Scared not only for myself but more importantly, for my baby.
“That life you have, it’s mine, not his. Jennifer wants it gone, Channing,” he growls.
Exhaling slowly, I keep my gaze on his and my voice low. “What do you want, James?” I ask.
I see his tell. He shifts his eyes to the side for just a moment and something akin to sadness flickers behind
his gaze before he looks back at me. “Doesn’t matter,” he grunts.
Licking my lips, I taste the copper tang of my blood that is presumably falling from my nose. “It does. This is your life, that you helped create, James,” I breathe. I watch as he gulps, indecision clear behind his eyes. “It’s yours too. I’ll never ask you for anything, James. Nothing. But don’t take this from me.”
I’m pleading, begging, and I don’t care. I’ll crawl and lick his shoes if he asks me to. As long as he doesn’t hurt us. I’ll do whatever he wants, anything at all to save my baby.
“James,” Jennifer shouts. He turns his head to look back at her. I watch his jaw clench, his profile my only view for the moment. “This bitch needs to be taught a lesson,” she announces.
He nods slowly. “A lesson,” I whisper, repeating her words. “Do you always do what she tells you to?” I ask. He flinches but otherwise doesn’t respond.
Jennifer stands and then she’s suddenly to the side of me, next to James. I don’t look anywhere, but her eyes, too afraid to see if she has a weapon in her hand. No wonder he cheats on her, she’s fucking crazy. I’m half tempted to say my thoughts aloud but decide against it, self-preservation on high alert at the moment.
“Yes, little homewrecking sluts don’t get to keep their bastards,” she hisses.
I make a noise, a mixture of a whimper and a cry in the back of my throat. “I don’t want to wreck your home. I’m sorry for what I’ve done. I’ve moved on, Jennifer. I have a man that I love, a good man,” I ramble.
She lets out a cackle that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I shake my head, knowing without a doubt that there is no reasoning with her. She is insane. Completely and totally insane. There is nothing that I can do, or say to get through to her, not at all. If James doesn’t stop her, then I will have no hope, and neither will my baby.
CONVICT: An Unfit Hero Novel Page 18
