Roughneck

Oh hell to the no.

Something burned its way up the back of my throat and threatened to strangle the breath from me. Everything darkened but the opened square foil package in my grip. Anger clogged my throat and deafened my ears.

This d-bag is going down.

The flat-screen TV cast a glow over the dimly lit dining room. Those stupid, hideous pale green walls that he was certain would look great in our salle a manger gawked back at me.

Lucy, my pit, glared at me from the living room doorway with concern on her pale face. She looked so out of place next to the expensive dining room furniture and lush rugs. "Lucy, come sit down girl," he called.

Vomit climbed up my throat, racing for the finish line. I took three small steps, and suddenly I stood in front of him. His white button-down was undone, showing the flat surface beneath.

"Baby, what's wrong?"

God, his voice hit bone. Nothing. I felt nothing. "It's over."

Heath's blue eyes met mine, and a worry line formed in the center of his perfect forehead. "What? Are you drunk?"

Am I drunk? He obviously didn't know anything about me, because if I were drunk I would have already smashed anything within reaching distance over his head.

He sat the remote to the side and sat up, trying to grab my hand. I back stepped. "Get up."

Heath lifted a brow and brought his palms outward. "What's going on, Neveah. Tell me."

Slowly, he stood up, easily hovering over me by a foot. I brought the condom wrapper out in front of me and watched his face as he noticed it. He sucked at lying. There was a reason not even his good looks could land him an acting job. "Nevea—,"

I slugged him, the good kind too. The kind Dad spent hours teaching me in the gym growing up. I curled my thumb over the outside of my fist, aligned my knuckles with my bones, and threw all my force into his jaw.

It cracked.

Part of me felt sad that it didn't break.

Before he could stagger, I shoved him back down into his precious recliner. He clutched the arms of the chair for balance.

"I'm done," I shouted. My body shook with an anger that I'd never felt. The remote beside him caught my attention, but I really didn't want to end up on the ID Channel.

Heath's blue eyes widened, but despite his fear he took a cautious grab at my hand. "Baby, please. It was an accident. I love you."

Doesn't even deny it. "Oh, okay." I wiped my brow. "I was worried there for a second. I thought you meant to have sex with her. Silly me."

The diamond jewelry box that his mother gave us as an engagement present flickered in the dim lighting, and before I could think better of it, I grabbed it and tossed it down onto the wooden floor.

I never liked that woman anyway!

"Neveah!" Heath warned, clutching the recliner's armrests. But after that punch, he didn't make any movements to get up. He's smarter than he looks. "Calm down, I'm sorry!"

Every word that left his perfect mouth made my skin crawl. "You wouldn't have said anything about her if I hadn't found the condom. So forget I'm sorry and tell the truth. You're just sorry you got caught."

Heath's eyes cast down, and all of a sudden everything inside of me calmed. The waves of anger only rippled, and the red in my vision vanished. The perfect furniture that cost more than my childhood home and the stupid chandelier hanging in the dining room was all wrong. Everything was wrong. This was not how I would live my life.

"You know what," I said to no one. "I'm not happy. I wasn't happy here before this happened, and this is my out." I glared at him. "I hate your mother. I hate the way you try to control my life. I hate that stupid cat!" I pointed toward the hairless monstrosity that sat on the coffee table. "And I hate my life!"

"Baby, you're just upset—,"

"Shut up," I yelled. "I'm out."

His brows furrowed and he tried to get up to reach for my face, but I sidestepped him. There was nothing keeping me in that stupid relationship with the biggest douchebag in Arizona. "Where are you going?"

"Home."

***

"You broke that jewelry box his mother paid a fortune for?" Aunt Shelly screamed into the phone.

I rolled my eyes and squeezed the steering wheel. "Did you not hear the part where I said I found an opened condom wrapper in his pants' pocket?"

"I heard, but you should have taken the jewelry box and sold it!"

Oh, Aunt Shelly. "I don't want any of his mother's money. That old hag. I bet she's already setting up dates for him with her benefit sister's children."

"But are you okay? He was your fiancée, sweetie. I know you have to be hurt."

She was right because it did hurt. An ache had latched onto my skull and was doing its best to beat me down. Though my heart hurt part of me felt relieved to be done before it really started.

"I'll be fine," I said. "I need to get off the phone. I'm coming into Huntsville."

She squealed. Aunt Shelly was only seven years older than me. She did her best to fill the void my mother left when she died during my youth.

There were things only a mother could teach you, but you better believe I never missed out on a chance to talk about boys, or sex.

"I'm so excited you're comin' home for the summer. We can go shopping. There is a festival coming next month!"

From the passenger seat, Roxy folded her ears. "You're scaring Rox," I said.

"Whatever, that dog hates me."

"I think she's onto something. She senses evil."

"Funny. Now we need to talk about hooking your dad up with some of the moms that come to the gym."

I took my exit toward the gas station. "Puh-lease. I don't want to talk about my dad's love life."

"He doesn't have one. We need to get this man some action. He needs it. I can tell."

"Gross," I shouted. "I'm at the gas station. I've got to go. Bye!"

"Don't you hang up on me!" she shouted. "Be careful, and call me when you get settled."

Pulling into a parking space, I unclicked my seat belt. "Okay, love you. Bye."

My phone buzzed in my hand, and I prayed it wasn't Aunt Shelly calling back. Heath's name flashed across the screen. I ignored it for the seventh time since I left Phoenix nearly sixteen hours before. I guess 'it's over, asshat' meant something else in his world. Sometimes his world did seem like a different planet.

I'd warned myself to stay away from him, but his charm was smoother than a serpents. I'd never really been interested in pretty boys growing up. There was something about a man that worked with his hands, but I'd thought new place, new opportunities. I'd been stupid.

I'd given myself to him because I was desperate for something real. Moving sixteen hours away for college had been my dream, but I shortly realized after three weeks of getting lost that I had absolutely no one to turn to—, to talk to. Then I met him during my first summer internship freshman year. The fact that his dad owned the company had been my first clue that it was meant for disaster.

But he was so charming. So arrogantly brilliant, his shiny white teeth had blinded me from the truth. But no matter that he was a city boy—that city boy had broken my heart. This was the first time—that I knew of—that he cheated, but I wasn't a fool. Daddy had taught me to be strong and not take any shit, and shit I would not take. It'd taken an opened condom wrapper to realize it, but for two full years I loved the idea of our relationship way better than our actual relationship.

I'd rather be poor and happy than rich and miserable.

The last of my sophomore classes ended, and instead of staying in Phoenix for the summer Heath made the decision for me. I was going back to Huntsville. The last time I'd seen Dad was Christmas which was too much time. I should have already been back.

The Texaco sign flashed red above me, and I shoved my cell phone into my pocket.

"Roxy," I cooed.

She popped her head up from the passenger seat. The only mark on her body was the heart shaped spot on her nose. "I'll be right back. Stay."

She lowered her head, and I knew she wouldn't move.

The door dinged when it opened, and the line of people at the counter all looked over. You can imagine the sketchy people you see at twelve a.m. in the gas station.

I made a beeline to the bathroom and hurried to lock the door. I felt better knowing that a deadbolt stood between me and the people out there. Without touching my butt to the seat, I peed and hurried to wash my hands.

The hunger in my stomach screamed at me and against my better judgment, I went ahead and grabbed some food.

The line hardly moved, and my patience ran thin. An older man with torn clothes pulled out a pocketful of change and tossed it onto the counter. "Did ya hear about that ole' gang that killed the kid in Dallas?"

The man at the counter tossed a dirty look over his glasses. "No, what happened?"

The old man took off his hat and ran his fingers through his greying hair. "Some thugs beat a kid to death. Supposedly, he owed them money. It was brutal. One of his arms was twisted behind his head, and he'd been beaten with a tire iron," he hissed. "I guess they aren't gettin' the money now, huh?"

The cashier made an ugly face as he finished counting the change. "Thanks for the info," he mumbled as the man walked out of the store.

It wasn't that people weren't gang raped or beaten in Dallas. It was the fact he mentioned it that scared me. Dallas wasn't that far from Huntsville. Chills ran up the back of my neck, and suddenly I wasn't that hungry.

***

After ditching the Cheetos and Slim Jim, I ran to my Honda and hauled tail to Dad's house. Lucy was on full alert on the way home, her ears folded back, she could sense my anxiety.

We lived down in the boonies. I never understood why we couldn't have had a house uptown. It would have made it easier for people to get to our gym. As I got older, I understood the need to have your own space, and Dad had plenty of it.

There were always boys jogging up and down our road, training for their next match. I felt protected riding the long bus ride out to our house from school because I knew Dad was close.

The woods around us had been eerie at night, but to feel the humid Texas wind against my face was worth the scare. Dad left the front porch light on of our three bedroom cottage. The swing in the corner swayed creepily in the wind, and the distant howl of a wolf put an extra pep in my step to get to the door. The street light in front of the gym flickered, and I couldn't help but smile at the old building next to us. That was dad's life. Slowly, I pushed opened our front door and clicked the lock shut.

The box TV cast a glow over the living room to my left, and that's where dad slept in his recliner. His Joe's Boxing Gym T-shirt was wrinkled and bunched up around his stomach. I tugged it down the flat surface and smiled when his eyes fluttered opened.

Dad was a fox, there was no denying it. He was in impeccable shape for someone in his late forties, and all the neighboring houses had reason to watch out their windows when Dad jogged by in the afternoon, shirtless.

"Nevaeh," he said. "Sweetie, you look so beautiful."

I hadn't brushed my hair in eighteen hours. "You're really sleepy aren't you? I look like crap, Dad."

He laughed and rubbed his fists against his eyes before bounding up to hug me. "Baby Girl. I've missed you so much," he mumbled into my hair.

The smell of his Axe soap brought back memories.

"I missed you, too. I'm sorry it's been so long."

He pulled back and ran his fingers through my soft brown hair that matched his. "No worries. Where is my other baby girl?"

Lucy bounced up from her place by the front door, attacking my dad. "Hey, beautiful. You've gotten so big."

Lucy kissed his face while I grabbed my suitcase and walked back toward my room. The door still creaked when I pushed it opened, and my four-post bed was made. I could tell Dad washed them by the scent of his dryer sheets in the room. I tossed my bags to the side and sunk down into the downy comforter. God, I've missed home.

I closed my eyes, listened to the distant sound of the crickets singing and the howl of the wind. There wasn't one place in the world that made me feel like home did.

"What happened?"

I opened my eyes and glanced over at Dad who leaned against the doorjamb. "He was cheating on me."

Dad's face softened. I tried to look brave like he'd taught me, but my bottom lip trembled, and he was there to gather me in his arms. "Well, he's a dumbass."

I smiled into his chest and screwed my eyes shut. "I'm pretty sure me slugging him and breaking things ended the engagement."

Dad chuckled. "That's my girl. Did you just leave? I was worried about you today. When you called and told me you were comin' I was happy, but I knew something was wrong. You'd been so excited to intern again for the summer."

The internship looked wonderful for my credentials and even counted toward two summer classes. But I knew being around him would tempt me to fall into his lies again. His light brown hair and deep blue eyes would have weakened me eventually. I was strong but everyone has a weakness.

"Yeah, but I don't want to be around him this summer. I just want to forget he exists."

Dad stayed quiet for a second. "You interested in a job at the gym?" he asked.

What he really meant was that his books were off, and he wanted me to fix them. "You mean you haven't been keepin' up with the books, right?"

Dad laughed. "You know me too well, baby girl."

"I'll help you, Dad, but I don't want your money. I just want a place to stay and some food in my belly. You think you can handle that?"

Dad stroked his scruffy chin and pursed his lips. "You still have money saved up from your refund?" I nodded. "Deal."

"What time are you getting up in the morning?"

"I'll be at the gym at six, but you don't have to come in until nine or so."

"I'm going to take a run in the morning. Are you still giving the ladies down the road a show?"

Dad rolled his dark eyes and squeezed me tighter. "I may have a few watchers from time to time."

I leaned back against my pillow. "By a few do you mean fifteen?"

"Or twenty."

I laughed. "I'm going to get a shower and probably go to sleep soon. Thank you for waiting up on me."

Dad smiled. "Of course, baby."

He stood and walked toward the doorway. "Don't take so long to come home next time," he said over his shoulder. "I've missed my main girl."

"I've missed you too."

"I was talkin' about Lucy."

I tossed him a middle finger, and he smiled.

Lucy sat outside of the bathroom door while I showered. She lifted her head when I walked out in a towel. The wind was rough outside, my shutters banged loudly against my window. It sounded like a storm had moved in.

Lucy charged toward the window where she rested her front two paws on the windowsill.

"What is it?"

She growled and continued her glare. The blinds were pulled up partly from the last time we visited. Lucy liked to watch birds.

I tip-toed over to her and glanced out the blinds. The only thing I could see were the shadows of the woods behind our home and the small one bedroom guest house.

I patted Lucy's head. "Is it those silly wolves again."

She ignored me and continued to stare outside when I climbed in my bed. My phone flashed again but I ignored the flashing red light like I did Lucy's low growl.

It was probably those wolves again.