AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He saw a flash of something stormy in Wyatt's stormy eyes at his words, but he didn't care. Wyatt didn't know him, didn't understand anything about him or the shitty hand that life had dealt him. Zach had learned long ago that he was worthless, just a warm mouth and ass for men to use and discard. He sure as hell didn't need Wyatt acting like he gave a damn about Zach's non-existent feelings.
Zach stepped back out of Wyatt's reach, his walls slamming back up into place. The brief moment of vulnerability he'd felt was gone, replaced by anger and resentment.
"I should get going," Zach muttered, already moving to gather his discarded clothing. He felt suddenly exposed under Wyatt's penetrating gaze, that careful concern making his skin crawl.
He needed to get out of there.
Wyatt watched him get dressed again. He was still, not trying to stop Zach — but those eyes saw right through him. "You know where to find me," was all he said.
Zach fumbled with his keys as he entered his run-down apartment, his mind still reeling. The initial euphoria he'd felt after standing up to Hal and blowing Wyatt again had vanished, replaced now by a creeping sense of some new dread.
He flicked on the overhead light and shut the door behind him, leaning back against it with a sigh. What was he doing? Sucking off a hitman, getting choked and loving it… He really was fucked up.
Zach glanced at the bong on his coffee table longingly. A hit or two would make him forget everything, at least for a little while. He could get lost in that familiar numbness, pretend he didn't feel so goddamn messed-up all the time.
But something held him back. Wyatt's face swam into his mind — the storminess in his eyes when Zach had brushed off his question.
No one had looked at Zach like that in a long time. Ever, maybe.
Like he actually gave a shit about him.
Zach shook his head sharply. Don't be stupid. Wyatt was just a random hookup who got off on getting his dick sucked. He didn't actually care. No one did.
Zach pushed off from the door and strode over to the bong, his movements jerky with frustration. Forget Wyatt. Just get high and stop thinking so much. Stop thinking, stop thinking,stopthinkingstopthinkingstopthinking…
But before he could light it up, his phone buzzed with a new message. Zach paused, debating ignoring it, but curiosity won out. He fished out his phone.
It was from Chuck, his now ex co-worker.Hey man! Heard you got fired. That sucks. The place won't be the same without you. Gonna miss our smoke breaks. Funny thing, that pos Hal hired some new kid that looks just like you. Srsly, he looks like your twin, lol. Anyway, hit me up if you need anything - C
Zach stared at the words. His stomach dropped like a falling elevator.
Hal had hired someone who looked just like him?
Now that he was gone, had Hal replaced him?
Zach had never thought of it like that. When it had started happening, when he'd first started his job and Hal had first called him into his office for the first time… Zach had thought it was his own fault, somehow. Like Hal had looked into his eyes and seen that he was a freak deep down, that he wasn't normal. He never seemed to bother Chuck, or any of the other employees.
Zach was fucked up inside. Hal had just seen that.
He hadn't thought that it could just be anything but that.
That the shit that had happened to him could have happened to anyone... Wrong kid, wrong time, wrong place…
The idea of that pervert putting his hands on someone else made Zach see red. His hands curled into fists, fury rising up to choke him. After everything he'd endured…
Bile rose in Zach's throat as the implications hit him, making him want to march right back there and slam his fist into Hal's smug face. But he was powerless. What could he do? Go to the police? Run to the new kid and tell him to get the fuck away?
He had no evidence, no nothing. If he tried to say anything, to warn the new hire, Hal would just point out that Zach was some fired ex-employee with a grudge and a drug habit.
Hal had all the leverage, just like always.
The bitter taste of injustice flooded Zach's mouth, the familiar helplessness washing over him once more. His hands started shaking. Without thinking, he flung his phone violently across the room. It hit the wall and shattered, pieces scattering across the stained carpet. Zach barely noticed.
His breathing came hard and fast, hands clenching into fists. That pathetic worm Hal was already planning to ruin someone else's life, and it had barely been a day.
And there was nothing Zach could do about it.
He stood there trembling, feeling utterly powerless. Like he always did. The familiar helplessness threatened to swallow him again. Zach squeezed his eyes shut, fighting back the sting of tears.
