Free Hurt Like HELL (new adult contemporary romance) by London Casey Page A

opening.  Then would come millions of questions.  Getting the police involved would turn into a he-said, she-said banter between Brett and I.  Plus, whatever scared him seemed to have scared him good. 
    When Jerry showed up around eleven, he took one look at me and stopped in his place.
    “You look frazzled,” he said. 
    “Busy morning,” I said.
    “That’s good.  Why don’t you take a breather?”
    I hadn’t had a break yet and I wasn’t going to argue with my boss.
    "Sounds good, thanks."
    With that, I rushed through the small kitchen, avoiding the tantalizing smells of chocolate and cinnamon, and went outside.  The alley was dingy, the forgotten about backside of all the businesses.  It smelled of wet garbage and the ground was littered with cigarette butts.  I leaned against the building and let out a long sigh.  I wished I were home, in my apartment, even with the feeling of being watched.  Things were so out of place, out of routine, it bothered me.  I liked routine and I like comfort.  All of which were disrupted and then shattered to pieces when I saw the figure standing at the end of the alley.
    Brett.
    He wore the same ratty clothes from this morning, and for the first time, I saw Brett how Bridget probably did.  Seeing him on stage - even though it was a small stage and stood maybe an extra two feet from the ground - gave him a larger than life persona.  His sexy voice, his dirty look, playing guitar, singing, then coming off stage riding that high of playing and having girls flock to him.  As I said, girls flocking because no woman would want someone like Brett.
    He paused when he saw me.  We were far enough away that I wasn't worried; if he made a move, I could be inside Thorns before he could make it halfway.  But he was close enough that I could see his eyes.  They were normal eyes now, eyes of regret and a major hangover.
    "How do you feel?" I asked, my hand touching the door handle.
    "Like shit," he said.
    "Good."
    There was a pause then the call of a crow as it flew overhead.
    Brett looked up and spoke.  "About before.  I was messing around.  Took things too far.  That's not me, just so you know."
    "That's refreshing," I said.  "So you didn't intend to force yourself on me?"
    "Tessa, come on.  My band... music... that can all go away..."
    "Just stay away from me."
    "I do like you, Tessa.  And I didn't mean to piss you off..."
    Brett trailed off and his face looked confused.  That's when I remembered that he made a comment about my boyfriend.
    "I have to go," he said.  "I have to meet my probation officer... drug test day."
    "Going to pass?"  I could not believe that just yesterday I thought he was like the sexiest man alive.  Now he looked like a loser burned out druggy.
    "I don't know," Brett said.  "Don't remember last night or a whole lot of this morning..."
    He shook his head and turned.  I hoped he failed his drug test and was put in jail.  It would suck for Thorns because people liked his band, but there'd be other bands.  There was always people willing to stand up and pour their hearts out to those who would listen.
    "Brett, wait..."
    He looked over his shoulder.  The way the sun came down and the shadows formed, his face looked like a hollowed skull with dead, blue eyes.  I almost felt bad for him.
    "Did you see anything this morning?  In the café?"
    He thought about it and shrugged his shoulders.  "I don't know... but someone clocked me in the lip really hard."
    I looked at my hand.  If I had hit Brett I would have had marks on my knuckles.  I had no marks and I remembered vividly... I did not punch Brett.
    He started to walk and I didn't say goodbye.  My mind was elsewhere.
    If I didn't hit Brett, then who did?

~3~
     
    When Jerry asked me to open the café again, I thought about telling him no.   I saw myself pouring my heart to him about Brett, but something had happened in the meantime.  Bridget sent me a text with a smiley face.  I replied