Page 67 of Silent Damage

“What are you doing?”

My hands break free, and I start hitting him again, but he hits me back.

We’re both just swinging aimlessly, hitting whatever we can.

My towel falls off, and I end up on top of him again, totally naked, but he grabs my hair and pulls me to the floor.

“STOP,” he hollers, but I won’t. I can’t.

I’m just so frustrated and mad that he’s doing this. STILL.

He pins my naked body to the floor, both hands pressed against my wrists.

“You know I can kick the ever-loving shit out of you, Gabe!”

I try to break free from his grasp, but he’s too strong. My mouth opens, desperate to scream at him, but I clench it shut again.

Jason watches as I seal my lips closed, his face growing redder by the moment. “Fuck this,” he finally hisses.

Then he releases me and rises, making his way to the front door to walk out on me again.

And something shakes loose inside me. I’m boiling inside, and the hurt at seeing him bail on me again compels me to push the words out.

“All you do is walk away.” My voice is low and raspy from disuse. It hurts my throat, but I have to let it out even if I hate myself later for doing it.

He stops and spins, his eyes blazing as he shakes with rage. He takes a step closer and cries, “Don’t you ever say that to me!” His deep voice fills the space, making my breath hitch. “You don’t get to say that to me. I didn’t walk away. You did.”

He paces around the room, his body shaking as he presses his hands against his temples with a pained expression. “You told me your mom was helping!” he cries out. “Don’t you get it? Nobody cared about me, Gabe! Why would you do that to me?”

I’m not doing this. I told him then that I did it for my mom. What does he want from me?

He stares in disbelief. “You just don’t get it.” He shakes his head, sneering at me as he walks to the front door.

My voice cracks. “Jason, I needed you.”

I’m not crying at this point.

I’m falling apart.

He doesn’t even look at me as he reaches for the door. “I guess we’re both awful for each other, huh?”

Then he walks out.

Chapter 17

Jason

The smell of piss and gasoline smacks me across the face as I turn down the alley leading to the Kitty Cat Club.

The nerves in my gut churn as I step closer to the door. It’s not even eight o’clock in the morning, and the chances of someone being awake are slim, but I had to come.

I can’t stay in that trailer—not after all of that.

I need a plan, and this is it. If they don’t let me join the HellCats, then I’ll let Angie pimp me out long enough to buy a ticket to Mexico and never look back.

I knock on the door with my chest puffed out, ready to make my case right there in the alley. The door opens, revealing a man and woman, both in their early twenties, wearing matching gold thongs, wings, and haloes.

The girl has pasties over her nipples, and they’re both covered in gold glitter.