Free Rotten by JL Brooks Page A

texts.”
    I felt the air push out of his lungs and blow over my eyelashes. His fingers released their grip so I could check and see who was indeed calling.
    “Drew, good morning.”
    “It may be morning for you, but it’s a little after noon. I just left mass and thought this might be a good time to catch you. Did I wake you?”
    I coughed a little to clear my throat. The heavy cigarette smoke and liquid from the fog machines had done a number on me.
    “Yeah, went out last night. Did you see Fr. Joseph by chance?”
    The line grew quiet. “I did, that’s why I haven’t called. He told me that you are setting things right in your soul and not to worry – God has it all under control.”
    A large smile grew over my face at the priest’s kind words and made my heart ache at the same time.
    “My soul is definitely doing something. It’s a good thing God is in control because I am a fucking wreck.” My hand pulled to my mouth as soon as the words left it. I never cursed in front of Andrew.
    “Did you just say what I think you did?”
    “I’m sorry. It has been rough out here. I didn’t mean to curse.” Massaging my palm against my forehead, I paced the room back and forth, waiting for him to respond.
    After a few moments, he sounded apprehensive. “Well, I am going to go. The guys have tickets to a Cyclones game in Cincinnati, so I will be gone for the afternoon.”
    I laughed while looking at David who was leaning against the headboard with a sullen expression. “I didn’t know you liked hockey. Ask your buddies if they have heard of David Stark. Maybe if I sweet talk him, I can get you an autograph.”
    “Um, okay, Annie. Talk to you later.”
    “Bye.” I hung up the phone and walked away before he could see me cry. There was no “I love you” or “I miss you.”
    It was a courtesy call, like a cable company asking if your service was okay.
    Since I was up, I started to boil water to make coffee. Banging the kettle against the sink, I could feel the desire to fight flow through my veins. I wanted to scream or punch something. So I did. My small fist made a divot in the drywall of David’s kitchen. I barely felt the rips in the thin skin across my knuckles or the warm blood oozing out. In a flash, he was behind me, holding tight to restrain me from doing any more damage.
    “Push it out, Toni, keep fighting. Don’t hold it in.”
    I continued to jerk under his iron grip until my muscles grew fatigued, and the angry screams turned to anguished sobs. Under most circumstances, you want a person to calm down, but David was the opposite. He knew exactly where I was and what I needed to do to get through this. He knew I was desperate, and desperate people did desperate things. He has seen me in this place before, and the fear I may take the same course of action must rest in the back of his mind. I would never do such a thing, but history would never let him forget.
    I could hear myself sound feral as I wrestled him on the ground. “God, woman you’re strong.” His teeth gritted together as he had to move swiftly to keep me caged. Twenty minutes must have passed by before I was finally subdued.
    Pinned down by his thighs and arms, I rolled my head to the side. “Uncle.”
    David gave a hearty laugh but refused to let me up. I always said that, knowing he would laugh and I would attack him the moment he let me up. Looking back up at him, the warm tears poured down my cheeks and into my ears. His face dropped and he moved his legs to free them. I did not buck or kick; I wouldn’t fight this time. His hands came down to my face, the pads of his thumbs wiping the tears away. As I reached up to run my fingers through his hair, he closed his eyes and leaned into them.
    “I love you.”
    His eyes opened at my words. As he hovered over my body, I relaxed my knees and allowed him to sink deeper into my hips. I wasn’t trying to seduce him; I just wanted him close. I wanted to know what it felt like to have