Angel of Redemption (10 page)

Lance
comes over and sets a cardboard coaster down in front of me.

“
Hey, man. Haven
’
t seen you in here for awhile.
”

“
Yeah, I
’
ve been working a fuckload of hours,
”
I respond, picking up the coaster and twirling it around
with my fingers.

“
I hear that. What can I get for you?
”

“
Sam Adams, please.
”

I
watch as he tilts the glass in front of the tap, reducing the head. I
’
ve known Lance for a long time. His
twin sister, Kimberly, was Aiden
’
s high school sweetheart, and he used to come over and hang
out frequently.

“
How
’
s Aiden?
”
he asks, setting the pint down in front of me. I take a
long, slow pull.

“
Fine,
”
I grunt. Yeah, I might still be a
little bitter about Aiden calling me out yesterday.
“
How are Tina and the kids?
”
I ask.

“
They
’
re good. The older the kids get, the
busier life seems, but we
’
re managing.
”
He shrugs.
“
Uh, we
’
re pregnant again.
”

“
Really?
”
I ask, surprised.

He
nods with a grin.
“
Thirteen weeks.
”

“
Holy shit! Congratulations,
motherfucker.
”
I slap his hand. Lance and Tina are
good people. I stayed with them for a few weeks after I was released. I didn
’
t want to go back to my parents
’
house, and I didn
’
t have anywhere else to go.

“
Hi, Dean,
”
Jodi purrs, sliding up next to Lance. He raises his
eyebrows, clears his throat, and excuses himself.

“
Hey, Jodi. What
’
s up?
”

She
bites her lip seductively. I know what she
’
s trying to do, but it
’
s not going to work.
“
Not
much. I was wondering where you
’
ve been. I
’
ve missed you.
”

“
Have you?
”
I say nonchalantly, taking another drink.

“
Of course I have.
”
She leans over the bar a little, giving me a direct view of
her tits. She
’
s
wearing a purple lace bra and I can
’
t help but look. I like a good set of tits. I
’
m pretty sure hers are fake, but they
give a good show.

“
When you gonna take me home with you?
”
she whispers.
“
You
know I
’
m
dying to suck your cock, right?
”

Yeah,
not subtle.

“
So you keep telling me.
”
I smirk. She leans backward again and crosses her arms,
pushing her tits up so that they
’
re practically spilling out of her top.

“
You
’
re such a tease, Dean. You have no
idea what you
’
re
missing.
”

In
fact, I do know. The guys around this place like to brag about what I
’
m missing. I know she
’
s a good fuck, but I really don
’
t want to lose my favorite hangout
over a one-night stand. Jodi leaves me with a hair flick and makes her way over
to some new customers.

“
She
’
s
jonesin
’
to ride you,
”
Lance laughs as he pours another beer
for me. I hadn
’
t even realized I
’
d downed my first one so quickly.
“
Why don
’
t you just give in? When was the last time you got laid?
”

“
She
’
s been around too much for me.
”
I shudder, ignoring the latter half of his question.

“
Yes, she has,
”
he says, glancing down the bar.
“
Let me know if you need anything else.
”

I
spend the next four hours hanging out, watching hockey, drinking beer, and
making small talk. At just after midnight, Lance calls me a cab. I
’
m not drunk, but I
’
m not sober, either.

“
If you hang out another hour, I can
give you a ride,
”
Jodi offers, her double entendre very
clear. She
’
s
relentless. I
’
d
say she
’
s
desperate, but the woman could go home with any number of guys in this bar. She
’
s not hurting for dick.

“
Not happenin
’
,
Jo,
”
I mutter, not even trying to be
polite.

“
Suit yourself,
”
she pouts.
“
Maybe next time.
”

I
walk away from her and make my way out front to wait for my cab. The cold air
feels good. I jump when I feel a hand on my shoulder and pull back my fist.

“
Whoa there, D,
”
Lance says, putting his hands up.
“
Sorry. I should have known better.
”

“‘
Sall right,
”
I slur, relaxing a little.
“
What
’
s up?
”

“
Nothin
’
.
You seen Gage lately?
”
he asks. I shake my head. Gage used to
be my best friend. We haven
’
t talked much in recent years, but I
occasionally run into him at Hudson
’
s.

“
He
’
s
off the grid again?
”

“
I don
’
t
know. He hit it with Jodi a few weeks ago and I haven
’
t see him since. Just thought I
’
d ask. I
’
m sure he
’
s fine, though.
”

“
Yeah.
”
I nod.

“
I
’
ll
see you later.
”

“
Night, man.
”

I
really wish Lance hadn
’
t brought up Gage. Thinking about him
fucks with my head.

I
don
’
t
escape my nightmares that night. There
’
s pain and fire and screaming and
…
Kayla. She
’
s lying on the ground just a few feet from me, cryin
g…
burning. And I
’
m just standing there, watching. I
want to help her, but I can
’
t move. Her eyes are glowing with fear. I
’
m completely helpless.

I
wake in a cold sweat, my heart beating hard and fast. It hurts. My pillow is
soaked. Pain radiates through the muscles in my back and upper arms. I dig my
fingers into my shoulder, but it doesn
’
t help. The only way to make that kind of ache go away is
to create a different one.

The
gym is exactly 3.2 miles from my apartment. I run there as a warm-up, work the
heavy bag for an hour, and then run back home to cool down. I try to work out
five days a week. It helps keep me in control
—
usually.

The
day goes by too quickly and before I know it, I
’
m late. I
’
m supposed to be at my mom and dad
’
s at six o
’
clock. It
’
s only a twenty-five minute drive, but
the clock reads 5:50 p.m. I grab my coat and take off as quickly as I can.

Pulling
up to my childhood home, I try to ready myself. My mother is out the door
before I can even get my seat belt off.

“
Hi, Mom.
”
I smile weakly. Her hands are on her hips.

“
Do not
‘
hi
’
me, Dean Allen,
”
she scolds. I kiss her cheek and follow her inside.
“
It
’
s been three weeks. Where have you
been?
”

I
’
m not quite sure how to answer that
question. I want to be a smart-ass, however I
’
m pretty sure that my mom is irritated
enough that I
’
ll
never hear the end of it. Instead, I decide to go with a relatively safe
answer.

“
Where I always am, Mom.
”

My
mom frowns. She could have easily visited me at Wyatt House, but she doesn
’
t like to. I don
’
t know if she
’
s afraid of the boys, or if she doesn
’
t like to be reminded. The boys in our
house all come from horrific backgrounds. None of them had parents who doted on
them like she did with Aiden and me. None of them had the support
—
physical, emotional, or financial
—
that I had. In her eyes, the world expects boys like ours
to end up in jail. No one expected
her
son to be the one behind bars.

My
family is fairly well off. I wouldn
’
t call us exceptionally wealthy
—
we don
’
t have a private jet or homes all over the world
—
but I never wanted for anything. I lived in a big house
with my mom, dad, older brother, and two dogs. We had a housekeeper who came in
once a week. I played little league and got good grades. But even kids from
stable homes find themselves faced with peer pressure and the temptation to do
questionable things.

“
Well, you haven
’
t been at Wyatt House for all that
time. You could have at least called. We
’
ve got the Spring Gala to plan.
”

I
snort loudly.
“
That
’
s what you do, Mom. I deal with the
kids.
”

“
You don
’
t even want to help?
”
she asks, pretending to be offended. She knows what my
answer will be.

“
No.
”
I show up dressed in my best, I smile politely, and I
answer the people who ask me questions. I don
’
t swear, and I try not to get too
drunk. That is my contribution to the fundraising for Wyatt House. Mom pouts
out her lip, but doesn
’
t push the issue.

“
Where
’
s Dad?
”

“
He
’
s in the office.
”

I
walk to the back of the house where my dad
’
s office is. His door is open, so I peek my head through.

“
Hi, Dad.
”

He
’
s on the phone and holds up a finger.
His six-year-old German shepherd, Roxie, is lying on the floor next to the
door. She lifts her head, her tail thumping against the hardwood.

“
Hey, girl,
”
I say, bending down to pet her. She licks my hand and
nuzzles against me.