“What could possibly be better than getting laid? You win the lottery or something? ” I said.
Hollis slapped my shoulder, a shit-eating grin on his face.
“What? What is it?” I asked.
“Theresa broke up with that spineless prick,” Hollis said.
“She what?” I asked.
“She kicked that asshole out the door. She’s finally free of all those years of manipulation and bullshit Ike put her through,” he said.
“Well, good for her,” I said. “What happened? You got details?”
“I don’t fucking need details. All I needed was that idiot gone. And he’s gone, baby. Very, very gone. I’m gonna go get us something to drink because we’re celebrating.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I finish cleaning up here.”
I couldn't believe it. Theresa was single again, and from the sounds of it, that was a good thing. I was glad that she had finally stood up to him and gave him the boot. Part of me wanted to reach out to her, but I wasn’t sure if that would spoil anything. Half of my plan had already worked itself out without any personal intervention on my part.
And if Hollis knew I was here over some email that told me she needed me, he’d have my fucking head.
It had started at Laura’s funeral. Ike was there with Theresa, and something felt off. He held her a little too tightly and tried to steer her where he wanted her to go instead of where she wanted to go. He always kept her close, and his hand was always on her, as if he was a puppet master pulling her strings. Everyone was so distraught with grief that they couldn't see it, but I could.
Ike was a controlling, manipulative bastard. And there was no one looking out for Theresa.
More than ever, I knew he was the reason behind that email. That anonymous piece of electronic mail with that one fucking line begging me to come up and help her. I now knew what the person was talking about. And if I had anything to do or say about it, she’d forget all about that pathetic piece of shit by the time I left town.
Theresa deserved better, even if I couldn't have her.
I promised myself when I arrived that I would do everything in my power to make sure she was safe before I left to go home.
But now that Theresa was single and away from him, I could go back to Boston and get back to work. I enjoyed getting my hands dirty on the job. I enjoyed putting up the walls to people’s homes and businesses. Whenever I felt the need to punch something, that was what I did. I built instead of destroying. It was a productive outlet for my anger, and it kept me from running out of skin to tattoo.
I couldn't stay.
Though something inside me wanted to.
“Get in here and open the damn beer, Grant!”
“I’m coming, Hollis. Hold up,” I said.
“And you need to take a fucking shower. We’re going out with some girls tonight.”
I furrowed my brow as I pulled myself up onto Hollis’ deck.
“Girls?” I asked as I plucked the beer from the kitchen counter.
“Jane!”
“Are you finally gonna fuck her like you wanted to do all those years ago?” I asked.
“You never know. She might have a thing for uniforms, too,” he said. “So chug that damn beer, get a shower, and let’s go find out.”
I took a quick shower and got changed before Hollis, and I headed out. We hopped into my blacked-out Jaguar and rode off to the bar. It was the place Hollis, and I always frequented in our teenage years. Back when we were younger, they were notorious for serving underage kids. It looked like they had cracked down on things over the years, but the memories were still sweet as pie.
I’d lost my damn virginity in the bathroom of that fucking place.
“Ready?” Hollis asked.