Dirty News (Dirty Network Book 1)

by Michelle Love

  And I will manage my body, and eventually it will stop responding to Reed the way it does.

  I love Rod!

  End of story. He and I are the ones who are meant to be together. Reed will be my brother-in-law and nothing more than that.

  Rod pulls the bottle from his lips. “Where’s my brother?”

  Sue starts to leave the kitchen to go find him, so I say, “I saw him as I was leaving the bathroom. He said he’s going to bed.”

  Jason looks at his watch. “At ten. Is he feeling well?”

  I shrug my shoulders and take another drink. Rod puts his arm around me. “He’s just jealous.”

  My body goes tense. “No.”

  Rod nods. “He’s always been jealous of me, baby. No big deal. Whatever I had, he wanted. My big wheel, my G.I. Joes, my first car.”

  “He doesn’t want me, Rod.” I take another drink.

  The laugh that comes from deep in his chest rattles my body and he tightens his hold on me. “The hell he doesn’t. But you belong to me and always will.”

  Sue interrupts him, “Stop talking like that, Rod. Your brother doesn’t want to take your girlfriend away from you. He’s being silly, Jenna. Don’t listen to him. And, Rod, what have I told you about saying Jenna belongs to you? She’s a human being; she belongs to no one.”

  He levels his eyes on me. “You do belong to me, don’t you?”

  I nod and love the smile I see go all over his face. His lips touch mine and I lean into the kiss.

  I hear Sue say, “Don’t give into him, Jenna. Stand firm. You’re a human being, not a possession.”

  Rod used to treat me like that. Not anymore, though. Not since that day. And I don’t see him going back to that.

  When Rod tells me I belong to him, it hits me as if he’s really saying he loves me. That’s how I take it, anyway.

  As he lets the kiss end, I look at Sue, “It’s okay. I know what he means when he says it.”

  Rod moves his arm off my shoulders and takes my hand. “It means you belong to me. Just like I said. I think it’s time to hit the road, baby. It’s been a long couple of nights. I’m still kind of nursing that hangover I woke up with this morning.”

  “Bye,” I say as he pulls me to the front door.

  His parents say their goodbyes and wave. As we move through the living room, I see Reed in the dark hallway. I lift my hand and wave and he waves back.

  I can’t see his expression; he’s merely a shadow in the dark at the end of the long hallway. But I can feel his emotion from here.

  And it’s sad.

  What if Rod’s right? What if Reed really does want me?

  Then I push the thought out of my head. It doesn’t matter, anyway. I am with Rod. I am marrying Rod.

  So what if Rod doesn’t bring out the same heat in my body when he touches me that Reed does?

  Rod brings out other things in me. Things like compassion and empathy.

  Those are good things too!

  Chapter 10

  JENNA

  Sun streams through the curtains that have been left open for some reason. I don’t recall leaving them open, but I don’t recall much about last night, to be honest.

  Rod and I had way too much to drink, it seems. And it seems like I’ve slept most of the morning away.

  My head aches as I turn to the side to pick up my cell phone and see what time it is. When my eyes finally focus, I see it’s nearly noon.

  I turn back over and run my hand over Rod’s pillow, still dented where his head was

  The poor man had to get up and go to work!

  Dragging myself out of bed, I make my way to the bathroom, where I start the shower. Brushing my teeth as the water warms up, I notice some things are missing.

  Rod’s toothbrush is gone from the holder.

  I look in the trashcan to see if he tossed it for some reason. But I don’t see it in there. I rinse my mouth out and look around and notice his deodorant is also missing from its usual place on the shelf.

  As I open the medicine cabinet, the new package of razors I bought him the other day is gone, and so is the bottle of acetaminophen.

  My heart starts pounding hard as I walk out of the bathroom and go to the closet. Half his clothes are gone. The work uniforms are all that are left. His work boots are placed neatly on the floor, but his other shoes are gone.

  I kind of fall backward until my legs hit the side of the bed, then I fall onto it.

  He’s left me!

  After a few minutes, I shake my head to try to clear it. “No, he wouldn’t just leave me.”

  I jump up and run to the bathroom and turn the water off, go to grab a dress and pull it on, then open my drawer and pull out a pair of panties. Slipping on my sandals, I run out of the house to go to the garage he works at.

  My pace is fast as I walk down the street. The place is about a mile away, and I don’t want to show up all sweaty and panicked.

  He has to be there!

  I can’t remember so much about last night. Maybe he told me he had to go somewhere for his job and be there overnight.

  But why are so many of his clothes gone, and none of them work related?

  After turning a corner, I can see far enough down the street the garage is on and usually, I can see his old Ford from here. But I don’t see it now.

  My feet start moving faster on their own and now I’m running as fast as I can. I run into the parking lot and the smell of oil hits my nostrils. Then I see his truck is not here.

  One of the guys he works with sees me and comes out. “Hey! Where the hell is Rod?”

  I can barely breathe. “He’s not here?”

  He shakes his head. “We’ve been calling him since eight this morning and sending him texts. He hasn’t answered. I was going to come over to your house when I got off for lunch to see what the hell’s wrong with him.”

  I have to lean over and put my hands on my knees and try to catch my breath. My heart is pounding, and my head is going very light.

  Once I’ve regained my air, I stand up. “He’s gone. He left. Has he told you anything?”

  The man I’ve never really been introduced to but know as Craig looks at me and shakes his head. “Rod is a quiet man. No one knows anything.”

  “I have to go. If I can find him, I’ll let you know,” I say, then turn to go back home.

  As I get into the house, which seems very empty now, I go back to the bedroom and get my phone. Calling his mother seems like the next logical step.

  “Hi, Jenna,” Sue answers.

  “Sue, do you know where Rod is?”

  I cross my fingers, but her words let me down, “No. Why?”

  “His things are gone. And he didn’t go to work. He won’t answer their calls or texts.”

  “Did you two have a fight?” she asks.

  “Not that I know of. I mean, we drank a lot last night, and much of it is a blank. But we haven’t fought in a long time, so I can’t see why we would’ve. Can you try to call him?”

  “Yes. I’ll tell Jason and we’ll see if we can’t find him, dear. I’ll talk to you soon.”

  I call Rod next and it goes straight to voicemail. I text him. Baby, where are you?

  My hand is shaking as I place the phone back on the nightstand and stare at it as if it’s a magic looking glass that will tell me where the man I love is.

  An hour passes as I stare at the phone. Then it rings and I grab it without taking the time to see who it is. “Rod!”

  “It’s Reed, Jenna. What’s happened? Mom called me and said Rod’s left you.”

  “Did she talk to him? Did he tell her that?” I ask as I fall back on the bed.

  “No. She just said you told her he was gone and his things were gone and he’s not answering their calls. I tried to call him too, and he’s not answering me either.”

  “Reed, I got very drunk last night. I can’t remember much at all.”

  “Damn, Jenna. I’ve never even seen you get tipsy. Have you t
wo been fighting?”

  “Not at all. It’s been three months since we got engaged and we haven’t fought even once.” I feel my bottom lip beginning to quiver. “Reed, I feel lost.”

  “Jenna, everything will be okay. This isn’t the first time Rod’s disappeared.”

  “It’s not?” I sit up and wipe my eyes, as a few tears have slipped out.

  “No, it’s not. When he was eighteen, he left for six months. No one knew where he was, and the man refused to tell anyone where he’d been. When he was twenty, he left and came back a little after his twenty-first birthday.”

  I met Rod six months after that. And now I do recall him not being around for about four months when he was twenty-two as well.

  “Reed, what is it he does, do you think?”

  “I’ve always thought drugs were involved in it. And that’s what our parents think too. Is he doing drugs at home, Jenna?”

  “No. He drinks and smokes cigarettes, but that’s all. Do you think he has a secret drug problem?” I hold my stomach, as it aches so badly.

  Reed’s voice is shaky as he says, “I’m pretty sure he does, Jenna. I’m sorry. I tried to get you to understand he’s not a reliable man. You deserve better.”

  “But we’ve been together a little over three years, Reed. That’s a long time to be stable. How could he do this to me?” And then the tears take over and I can’t even see, as there are so many.

  “I’m sorry, Jenna. I really am,” he says. “Keep up your schoolwork. Don’t let this stop you or slow you down. I’ll keep it all paid for. Just don’t let him doing this stop you from going on and doing what you need to do to be the person you want to be.”

  “I have to go,” I say, then put the phone down and cry into Rod’s pillow.

  The apple scent is still there from the shampoo. I take in jagged breaths as I try to get what’s left of him into my body and into my soul.

  I don’t know how I can go on. I don’t know how I can live not knowing if he’s okay.

  How will I ever be whole again? How will I ever trust again?

  The day turns into night and back into day again before I can pull my weak body out of our bed.

  I have soaked his pillow with my tears, so many more than I knew I had. I can hear someone knocking at the front door and manage to get to it.

  Sue and my mother are standing on the other side of the screen door. Both wear sorrowful expressions. Mom pulls the screen open and they come inside.

  I try to turn and walk away, but they have me in their arms then, and I start crying all over again. “I can’t do this.”

  Their hands run through my hair and over my back as they murmur things like, it’ll be okay, and, you will get over this.

  I won’t get over this!

  Not ever!

  Then anger spreads like a wildfire through me and I pull out of their arms. “Sue, how could no one have ever told me that Rod disappears like this?”

  My mother looks at me with a confused expression. “Jenna, this town is tiny. You knew he did this kind of thing. Why are you asking her that question? The man had a bad reputation. You knew he was into questionable activities. It’s the main reason your father and I cautioned you so much about moving in with him.”

  Sue takes my hand. “Jenna, I told you he was difficult. I didn’t know you were unaware of his past.”

  “How did you make it when he disappeared those times, Sue? I have to know how I’m going to be able to live not knowing if he’s okay.” My hand shakes in hers.

  “Prayers. That, and hope.” Sue pulls me to sit down on the sofa with her and my mother takes the other side and runs her hand over my leg. “It nearly killed me the first time. He left right after his graduation ceremony. We thought he was coming to meet us at the party we threw him at the gun club out on the old Freeman ranch.”

  “Let me guess,” I say. “He never showed up, and when you went home, his things were gone.”

  She nods. “Then we at least knew he wasn’t kidnapped or something awful like that. We reported him missing and the police never found out a thing. One day the door opened and in he walked. When we asked where he had been, he told us to lay off him or he’d leave again. So we shut up.”

  “I can’t live like this,” I say.

  My mother pats my leg. “And you shouldn’t. Even if he comes back, Jenna, you shouldn’t take him back. No one should have to put up with this kind of thing.”

  I look at Sue, who nods at me. “I hate to say that. But what your mother is saying is for the best. You deserve better, Jenna. Rod is a destructive man. He’s always been hard to get to. And damn hard to understand. I can’t blame drugs for it all. He was an odd little boy.”

  “But I felt like we were connected. I felt like I did understand him. I feel like an idiot,” I say, then put my face in my hands. “How can I show my face in this town? Everyone knows we were going to get married. It was in the damn newspaper.”

  Sue’s hand rests on my shoulder. “It’ll be okay, Jenna. Time will heal you. You’ll see.”

  “Come home with me, Jenna. Let’s get you out of this house. It’ll only keep you upset without him here,” Mom says.

  “I can’t leave. What if he changes his mind and comes back home?” I pull my face out of my shaking hands and look at her.

  “Why would you want to go back to life with him? After what he’s done, why would you do that to yourself?” Mom asks me with a frown.

  “I love him. Maybe he got scared. Maybe this marriage thing is too much for him. I never had to have the marriage. He and I had our own thing.”

  Then it hits me.

  The contract!

  I jump off the sofa and run to the bedroom and pull open the drawer he keeps it in. “No! No! He took it! No!” Sue and my mother come into the room.

  Mom’s arms come around me. “He took what, baby?”

  “Our paper. He took the paper that said we would be together forever. Why would he not even leave that?” I turn to look at them. “Maybe it means for me to wait.”

  Sue looks at me with so much sadness in her light blue eyes. “Jenna, you shouldn’t sit around and wait to see. This isn’t right, what he’s done. He shouldn’t even be able to come back and have you again. Your mother’s right. You have to move on. Even if he comes back. He doesn’t deserve you.”

  “Sue, you know how much I love him. I can’t stand to move on. I’ll wait. I’ll wait forever if I have to.”

  “Did he leave you any money, sweetie?” Sue asks me.

  I shake my head. “He kept all the money. He’d give me some when he needed me to buy things. But he kept it all.”

  My mother takes me by the chin and makes me look at her. “Sweetheart, how are you supposed to wait for him here with no money?”

  “I guess I have to get a job. I’ll get a job and keep this place and when he comes back he’ll know I waited and that I love and accept him for who he is. He’ll know he can trust me to always be his. Then he’ll change for good. Then he’ll know someone cares for him so much they’ll just wait for him.” I look into his mother’s eyes for a sign.

  That has to be what this is, a test to see if I’ll wait for him!

  No matter how hard they try to get me to leave, I will wait here and keep this home for him until he comes back to me. He’ll see; they’ll see; we will all see then that he does love me and this is just his way of testing my love for him.

  I can’t think any other way. It’s what I have to do.

  I swallow hard and look back at the women who think they know what’s best. But Rod and I have secrets they know nothing about.

  He’s tested my limits before. It may seem harsh what he’s done, but I get it. I get him in a way no one else ever has.

  “I can do this. I’m okay now. I can take care of myself. Don’t worry about me. I can handle this.” I walk into the living room and go to my desk. “I’ll talk to you guys later. I have to get my classwork done. I’m starting late on it and I don’t w
ant to get behind. Rod would be disappointed in me if I did that. I want him to come back and see how self-reliant I am and capable of being the woman he needs me to be.”

  Sue takes my mother by the hand and pulls her to the door. “Let this settle into her head, May.”

  Out of the corner of my eye I see my mother nod. Then she says, “We’re only a phone call away, Jenna. Don’t hesitate to call. I love you.”

  “Love you too, Mom. He’ll be back. You’ll see. You will all see. This is just a test. A test I will pass.”

  “I love you too, Jenna. I’ll be here if you need me, sweetheart,” Sue says, then they leave.

  With a shake of my head, I feel better and clearer about things now. Opening my laptop, I get to work.

  He’ll be back. I know he will!

  Chapter 11

  JENNA

  An entire year has passed and still there’s been no sign of Rod Manning.

  I moved out of the house when the rent came due and I didn’t make enough money from the tips I made at the very small café I managed to get a job at in Jerome.

  After a couple of months living at my parents' home, back in my childhood bedroom, I decided to move to Tempe and go to the real Arizona State University at Reed’s prompting.

  He’s called me once a month to see how I’m doing and to check on my grades. He always lets me know he’s proud of my achievements and knows his company’s scholarship money is going to good use.

  Truth be told, though, his voice always leaves me full of sorrow. But there’s no way I’d stop taking his calls. Not after all he’s done for me.

  But it does hurt when I’m reminded of Rod. I try very hard not to think about him and our time together. And I find I have no trust in people.

  No matter how many guys have asked me out, I can’t seem to make myself give any of them a chance. That’s a thing my dorm roommate doesn’t understand about me.

  Of course, I haven’t told a soul about what Rod and I did or how much trust I put in him and how badly it hurt to know he did all that to me and left anyway.

  Somewhere deep inside me, I know he’s a man with deeper problems than I ever understood. And that alone helps me sleep at night.