Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 68459 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68459 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
“I don’t even know her name,” Taite said. “When we were done, she started getting dressed, and that’s when Alana showed up. Shit was said between her and I, and I sent the girl home. She left, running the entire way, and Alana yelled at me some more. I got pissed as hell and left, deciding to see if I could piss her off some more by finding that girl. I found her, too. At the gas station. I asked her to get into my car, and that’s when Alana roared up in her car. We fought some more, and at some point I pushed the girl away from me and she fell. She hit her head on the corner of the building, and I don’t know. I just freaked. Alana left, and I stuffed the girl in a garbage bag in hopes that she wouldn’t be found.”
I shook my head, not wanting to hear anymore.
The loss of life was horrific.
The utter lack of caring on Taite’s part was unsettling.
Even worse, Alana had witnessed it all and hadn’t said a word.
Now they both would be seeing prison time.
“I’m gonna get out of here,” I grumbled as I headed toward the door. “I have much better places to be.”
Dad chuckled. “Good luck trying to make up for being a dumbass.”
If it hadn’t been my dad, I might’ve turned around and decked him.
As it was, I figured he was right.
I owed her an explanation.
Or maybe I owed her a couple.
I have talents you can’t put on resumes.
—Text from Hollis to Quincy
HOLLIS
I contemplated staying at Quincy’s place.
But, once all of his laundry was done, and I’d been twiddling my thumbs because he had no charger there for me to charge my phone—what kind of psycho used an Android?—I had no other recourse but to leave.
Plus, I had my own laundry to do, and I needed to look into my parents’ situation.
I was just finishing a call with Tay of all people, who’d let me know that he was staying with a friend, our parents were in jail, and he hadn’t seen Humfrid in days, when another call came through on my phone.
“Tay,” I said as he wound down about what kind of dumbasses our parents were. “I gotta go. But call me tomorrow. We’ll talk about your living situation, and then we’ll talk about fixing up your resume so you can start applying for some jobs.”
“Okay,” Tay sighed. “Have a good one, Hollis.”
After hanging up, I switched over to Quincy, my stomach filled with butterflies.
“Well, hello stranger,” I said smoothly. Carefully.
Quincy groaned. “I would like to say I’m sorry for being a complete dumbass.”
I smiled down at my lap. “It’s okay.”
“It’s not,” he disagreed. “But I’ll try to do better. I’ve been doing this for years, not having to check in with anyone. But now that I have you, I’ll call. I’ll make sure to keep you updated so you don’t worry.”
“I didn’t have time to worry,” I admitted. “I went to the store to get some feminine products, then I ran into your brother, and he let me back into your apartment. Then he told me where you were and what you were doing.”
He made a noise under his breath.
“Can you, uh, come back?” he asked, sounding tired. “I’d come there, but I’m fucking exhausted, and the thought of driving makes me want to vomit. But I’d really like to see you.”
I’d really like to see him, too.
It was surprising how I’d become so dependent on seeing him, even if it was just a few glimpses here and there while I was at work.
I contemplated saying no for all of two seconds before saying, “Sure.”
“You remember the code?” he asked.
I snorted. “Quincy, you never gave me the code to remember.”
“Oh, that’s what you meant by my brother let you in.” He was quiet for a few long seconds before he said, “I’m an idiot.”
I wasn’t going to disagree with him.
“I’ll buzz you in. Then give you the code when you get here,” he promised.
I agreed, then started the drive back to his place, which took me quite a long time due to an accident.
By the time I got there, I’d already contemplated opening the box of wedding cake three times.
There was only so much patience I had, and I’d spent the majority of the day denying myself because I wanted Quincy to have it with me.
So far foodwise I’d had two cookies, a Danish, a bear claw, and a couple of cinnamon doughnuts.
By the time I arrived, I was salivating and couldn’t take it anymore, so I reached for the brownie that I thought to save for him.
Ringing the buzzer, I was let in immediately, and made the short trek down the hall toward his apartment.
Apparently, he and three of his brothers lived in same building, while the rest of them shared a complex a couple of blocks down.