Page 17 of Keel

She nodded. “Yes. I’d love to. I read a little more before I came over this morning. I’m trying to work through it all. I feel better, I think. And then it hits again, and I think I should feel like trash, but that didn’t get me anywhere.”

“No, believing you should be trash won’t get you anywhere. Get your shoes on, and we’ll head out.”

“Okay. I’ll knock when I’m ready. Just a few minutes.”

Though she swore she wasn’t going to kiss him, she brushed her teeth before heading out. She didn’t want minty fresh breath because she planned to be close to Keel. She was doing something good for herself, and she almost believed that was the only reason.

After pulling on her shoes, she left the condo, making sure the door was locked. She knocked on his door, and he opened up seconds later, looking fine in his shorts and t-shirt that hugged his muscles. He wasn’t huge, but what he had was beautiful.

“So, do you want to walk farther today?”

“Sure.”

“Awesome. Let’s go.”

They chatted about the weather, the beach, the trees, and the flowers. Their discussions weren’t heavy, and she appreciated it. She liked how easy it was with him.

They turned around to head back, and were close to the entrance of a shopping center when all of the sudden, Forest’s shiny car pulled into the lot, screeching to a stop right in front of them.

Frankie backed away, tripping and stumbling. She would have hit the ground with her ass, but Keel caught her.

“Don’t let him get to you,” Keel said.

Forest stepped from his car, his lips down in a frown. “Yo, bitch. I’m not done with you.”

Keel moved to stand in front of her. “Don’t come any closer.”

“Fuck you. Go away, soy boy.”

Keel rolled his eyes at the insult. What was this guy, five? “You should get back in your car and leave.”

“Don’t tell me what to do. She’s coming with me.”

“No.” Keel didn’t yell the word. He spoke evenly, like Forest didn’t bother him at all.

She leaned out so she could see Forest and his reactions. She’d been blind to everything about him, and it had almost ruined her. She’d almost lost her life to this asshole. He didn’t deserve her love, never had.

Maybe she hadn’t really loved him. That was a thought. She’d stayed with him because he abused her, and she loved feeling punished, because that was the only way for her to feel anything. She thought she deserved the pain and torture, and maybe she did, but with Keel helping her, there was light at the end of the path.

She was seeking the truth, and it wasn’t easy. The truth was, Keel helped her by offering her friendship, which was saving her.

“Leave me alone.” Her voice wasn’t strong like Keel’s, but she wasn’t going to let her ex degrade her. Never again.

“Shut up, trash. No one cares what you think.”

“I care what she thinks, and she said for you to leave. She doesn’t want you in her life.”

Forest puffed up his chest like he could fight Keel. She almost laughed.

“What are you going to do, big man?” Forest asked.

She glanced up and saw a smile spread across Keel’s face, but it wasn’t the smile he sent her way. This smile was dark, and maybe a little evil. More like Pennywise the Clown than Barney the Dinosaur. Forest was in real trouble, or she thought he was, until he pulled a gun on them, sending fear sliding through her.

Chapter 10

Keel saw the gun come out, and he wondered how the hell this punk got another gun. It was exhausting. The idiot was holding the weapon loosely, like he was a pretend gangster in a music video.

Keel assessed the situation, taking in the weak points, the attacks he could do to disarm this idiot again before he did something stupid. He wished boys like this guy would be tossed into the military. They’d learn lessons that they needed to and maybe grow up. Then again, a boy like Forest wouldn’t last long in the Army. He’d be eaten alive by a drill sergeant.