“Movie night,” Donna cuts in, the smile curling the corners of her lips up, eyes sparkling. “Date night for couples.”
I bite my tongue, huffing air out my nostrils. I fucking hate her.
Chapter5
Owen
The clicking of a tongue warns me that Donna is about to start in on it. Side-eyeing her, I catch sight of her wrinkled nose, disgust simmering in her eyes as she stares at my ex-girlfriend. Donna loathes Gracie and doesn’t keep it a secret. The woman is just full-on blunt, with everything and everyone. It’s one thing I do admire about her. Gracie used to have a mouth on her, always standing up for herself and those she loved. Until the drugs and alcohol took hold of her. Then she’d just made no sense whatsoever half of the time. Being able to stand up for themselves and demand they get what they want is a quality I respect in a woman. It’s one reason I was attracted to Donna in the beginning and one reason I’m still with her. These days, however, I struggle with staying with her.
Especially in moments like these. I seriously hate when she goes off on Gracie, but there’s not a damn thing I can do. Not right now anyway. Going against Donna is always a mistake. One I don’t like making often. The woman is good in bed, and I fucking enjoy her BJs a little too much. Screwing that up is like running into a brick wall with a knife pointed at it, convinced that one strike at the wall will chip it to pieces. It’s exhausting watching Gracie be belittled, always reminded of her mistakes, and reprimanded for trying so hard in life just to find normalcy of any kind for herself.
“Why’re you here?” Donna demands when Gracie stands in place, keeping her stance. “Shouldn’t you be at some joke of a meeting or whatever?”
Anger flashes in Gracie’s eyes. The brown lights up momentarily. There’s something else there, though, that’s keeping Gracie held back. Exhaustion? Perhaps. I’m not sure how much it takes out of a person against the demons that putter through one’s mind when struggling with addiction. I’m so proud of her, though. She’s worked so hard up to this point.
“I live here,” Gracie states flatly and motions lamely towards her bedroom door. “Or did you forget that?”
Donna snorts and crosses her arms. “I meant, for the movie night. Why’re you even out here? You don’t have a date.”
Gracie’s jaw ticks, but Devon swoops in before she can say anything with his words meant to diffuse situations. “Gracie’s invited. She does live here, Donna. We can’t kick her out of her own living room.”
It’s a simple reminder without wanting to lash out at my girlfriend, but as usual, Donna takes it as a challenge. On cue, Donna spins to face my best friend, her red hair wiping around, reminding me of the red hair gene in Gracie’s family, and another reason I took an interest in her in the first place.
“Why’re you defending her?” Donna’s cold voice shakes me from the tumbling thoughts. “She isn’t your girlfriend, Devon. Kate is.” She points at Kate, whose standing inches behind Devon.
“Kate,” Donna demands, “say something to your boyfriend.”
Blue eyes flicker in fear as they widen at Donna. I have an inkling of what she wants to say. She wants to argue with Donna, tell her off, and let Gracie stay. I know the look of wanting to do so all too well. I’ve seen it too many times in helpless women who deal with abusive husbands and so badly want to fight back but are too afraid of doing so. But defeated, just like the others, Kate’s shoulders sag. I catch the apologetic look she shoots Gracie before turning to Devon helplessly.
“Donna’s right,” Kate squeaks.
The woman was wrapped around Donna’s finger. She’d once been strong, but in the last couple of years since knowing Donna, Kate’s will has slowly been chipped away. A hollow shell is all that’s left. It’s disheartening to see how much of a grip Donna has on other women or anyone, really.
I even admit she’s got a killer grip on me. I hate it, I really do, but I feel too latched on to be able to pull out. And not in a good way either.
My eyes flicker to Gracie, but I keep myself from dropping everything to go over and pull her in for a hug as her face drops. The fire in her still burns, head held high, with her nostrils flaring as she glares straight at Donna. If anyone can stay out of my girlfriend’s clutches, its Gracie.Lucky.Slowly, the corner of her lips curls upward, and Gracie steps forward. Her eyes are on Donna, a dare glittering in them. I have no voice to warn her to back off, to rethink whatever she was about to do.
“Make me,” Gracie grounds out between clenched teeth, but her voice is dead flat.
Donna wheels around to face her, an eyebrow cocked and those pouty lips pursed. “Excuse me?”
“Make me leave.” Gracie continues. “It’smyapartment. My father pays for it. If anything, you should leave before I call the cops. Who do you think they’ll make leave, huh? Sure as hell won’t be the one who has the money coming in for this place.”
Donna snorts, unperturbed by the threat, and takes a step forward, putting her hands on her hips. “Go ahead. At least I’ll be able to leave with dignity instead of being a freeloader.”
Gracie flinches, and I grimace, feeling the bite that Donna’s words leave behind.
“My parents love me, Donna. They want me safe, secure. They want me better and are helping me get better. I have that. Do you? Because last time I checked, yours simply paid to get you out of their house. Mine wanted me to live with them, tostaywith them. Did yours?”
Ouch.I know personally that Donna’s family is a sore subject. Her family has money. I can’t exactly remember what from, but it’s all they care about, and I’m pretty sure it's most of the reason Donna is the way it is. I feel sorry for her sometimes because of it, but hey – we reap what we sow. And it isn’t like Donna even tries to be even remotely nice to Gracie.
Just as I suspected, Donna’s face falters, but she pulls herself together. She obviously doesn’t want to let go of her stature. Her eyes flash with malice, intent to hurt, and I step forward to do damage control I probably should’ve done a while ago. Donna likes to win these things and will say or do whatever it takes. I know that by heart. But it’s too late. The next bout of words to escape those lips of hers stops me dead in my tracks.
“At least I’m not some wiped-out crackhead alcoholic with no friends.”
The pain that slashes across Gracie’s face at the words shoots a knife through my heart, and I draw in a breath of air that stings my lungs. Gracie staggers back, tears glittering in the corners of her eyes, and opens her mouth to try and say something but is cut off by Donna’s continuance.
“At least I have a life. I have a job and people are proud of me. I’m not a freeloader who relies on daddy’s money to survive. I’m not pathetic and a hopeless basket case. Oh, and I have Owen.”