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“Oh,Miguel,” Brenda wiggles her eyebrows. “How long has this been going on?”
“Only a little while.” I sigh. “I’m expecting a phone call soon enough with her in tears telling me about what an ass he really is.”
Brenda sighs. “She’ll find someone who actually loves her.”
I nod. Pianna really is incredible. Her personality overpowers an entire room, and she can make you feel heard even in your most vulnerable hour. My best friend is a catch. She just doesn’t treat herself as one.
“What about you? Talking to anyone?” Brenda pushes.
Flashes of Jason, Grant, and Trip cross my mind. An involuntary shiver follows.
“That bad, huh?” Brenda asks, misunderstanding the reaction.
“There has to be someone for it to be bad,” I shift in my seat uncomfortably. I don’t want to lie to Brenda, but she can’t know what’s going on. She’ll hate me for what I did to Jackie, and she’ll go to the cops if she finds out I’m being blackmailed.
“You haven’t tried any apps? Gone to any bars? Girl, you should be out bouncing from bed to bed, trying to find Mr. Right Cock.”
I laugh. The sound feels strained. “Isn’t that supposed to be Mr. Right?”
“Naw, no need to hurry into settling down. You just need to get laid by men who will worship you, and then you need to tell me all about it.”
I take another bite of frozen yogurt, wishing I could say something to her about my situation. I would love advice.
“The last guy I tried to talk to ended up being a bully,” I admit, not meeting her gaze. I scoop up a gummy bear and plop it into my mouth.
“A bully?” Brenda asks sharply. “I hope you didn’t tolerate any of that nonsense.”
I want to roll my eyes. It’s not like I have a choice in tolerating it or not. I can’t let Brenda know I’m still talking to said guy, or rather,guys. She’ll start digging and asking questions. Then the lies will have to start.
“It was over before it even began,” I assure her. “No feelings were developed for them to be hurt so…” I shrug.
“Next time something like that happens, you need to give it back as good as they give it to you,” Brenda snaps. I look up at her. Her dark brown eyes glare back at me. “I know you’re quieter than I am, but I know you well enough to know that you have a backbone. Use it girl. Kick them where it hurts the most. Use what you know and twist it around on them.”
“Twist it around? How?” I frown, confused.
“Everyone has a weakness, you just have to find it,” Brenda assures me. “A man’s got a big truck? Definitely has a small dick. Remind them of that. Got a lot of flashy things? Probably doesn’t come from his own success, or he’s broke as hell and trying to pretend he’s not. Don’t be afraid to tear down their self-esteem a little.”
I blink at her in surprise. Could I bully my bullies? I might have to play their game in order to keep my secret from being exposed but… that doesn’t mean I have to make it easy for them to push me around. What do I know about them though? Not much.Thatis easily fixable, thanks to the modern age of social media. I make a mental note to do some research when I get back home.
“I can see your wheels turning,” Brenda says, her spoon scratching along the bottom of her cup. “I can’t wait to hear what you do to the next asshole who tries something.”
I grin at her. “I’ll keep you posted.”
* * *
It’s nearlyten o’clock by the time I get home. It’s earlier than a night out with Pianna would’ve been, but it feels late now, and I’m ready to fall into bed.
I park my car in the visitor lot and walk the four blocks to my building. My complex isn’t anywhere close to as nice as Grant’s. It’s old and desperately in need of some revitalization. The walls are thin. I can hear music blasting as I walk past buildings as people throw parties. The loud rattle of the air conditioning units clustered together is a sign that they’re about to die soon. It’s just a matter of time. Especially in this Texas heat. One day soon, I’ll be able to afford a house. And by soon, I mean in the next ten years.
The thought is souring so I turn to something more uplifting. Like how I plan to make the three guys in my life miserable by fighting back. The thought brings a smile to my face. I’ll have to do some digging on the three of them. Maybe after a shower, I’ll pop open a bottle of wine, grab my laptop, and do at least a quick internet search. If I can just make them uncomfortable enough to leave me alone, maybe all this nonsense can go away.
I’m so consumed by the desire to beat them, that I don’t notice the motorcycle parked in front of my building, or its driver, until I pass them.
“Hey dollface, where thefuckhave you been?”
My heart sinks at the sound of Trip’s voice. I turn around slowly, praying that maybe his voice is in my head. I’m not that lucky. Leaning on the handles of his motorcycle with his helmet dangling from his hand, Trip glares at me. His mouth is pressed into a hard line, and his eyes catch the streetlamp outside my building, causing them to flash. He swings his leg over and stands.
He’s dressed in a leather jacket and jeans. Beneath his jacket, he’s wearing a plain white shirt and a thin, gold chain dangles from his neck. There’s a hardness about him. Like he knows how tough life can be and has become just as tough to match it. Where Jason has a calming air about him and Grant has an air of sophistication and power, Trip has a frantic energy about him. Like a fuse just waiting to be lit.
