With that thought in mind, I made my way back to the shelter. I couldn’t find a ride, so it took me about forty minutes to get back, but by the time I’d arrived, I’d folded the piece of paper and shoved it into my pocket.
I walked inside and Donny was there. He leered at me and stuck his tongue in his cheek, but I ignored him as I walked past the reception desk and down the hallway. When I reached my room I opened the door to find Tyler already there, lying on his stomach on the bed, arms tucked beneath the thin pillow.
He glanced at me and nodded, and I frowned.
“Why don’t they kick you out?” I asked, wincing at the blunt tone. It came across harsher than I’d taught myself to speak.
Tyler sat up, kicking his legs over the edge of the bed, and gave me a thoughtful look. “What do you mean?”
“They have a policy here, right? You can only stay a night, and then you leave. You have to come back in the afternoon to try to get more time.”
He cocked his head slightly, the scarred side of his face turned away. “Who told youthat?”
I blinked, confused. “Donny.”
His face twisted in disgust and he bared his teeth in what I assumed was frustration. I watched him carefully, studying the expression, one I had still yet to master. “Fuck. That motherfucker?” He shook his head and shoved to his feet, pacing the small room with his hands curled into fists. “I warned Janine about him. Idid.”
I’d never met Janine, but I knew she was the lady who ran this shelter.
“But he’s her nephew, and she said he wouldn’t do anything like that.”
“Like what?” I went to sit on my bed and watched him curiously.
He froze, then smoothed his hands over his stomach. I’d learned the gesture was a sign of his discomfort. “Did he, uh, ask for something for you to stay here every night?”
I shrugged. “A blowjob.”
Tyler started pacing again, cursing low. I didn’t understand what he was saying, but I felt like it wasn’t anything nice. I wasn’t quite sure how I was supposed to handle someone in this situation. Did I get up and pace with him? Did I calm him down? If Jules was here, he’d probably know. He seemed to have a grip on emotions a lot better than I did.
I plastered a smile on my face, the same one I’d used to charm countless others. I’d learned the expression from my brothers. “Why are you angry?”
“Why?” He paused and stared at me, blue eyes wide. I supposed he was handsome, and I wondered if Donny had asked for the same from him. “Because he uses this charity as a meal service for his sexual appetite. He’s disgusting.”
I stared. “Maybe he needs to be punished, then?”
Tyler hesitated. “Janine doesn’t believe me.”
“Right.” I stood and laid a hand on his shoulder. “So, I can stay here?”
“They have your name down on a list. You’re allowed to stay here, yeah, but you’ve been here for at least a week, right? They’ll start trying to coach you about life soon, get you a job or education.”
I winced. The last thing I wanted was to go back to school—I hated it. “So, you agree, though? Donny needs to be punished.”
Tyler’s mouth twitched and he nodded. “I guess.”
I grinned. “Yeah, I think so, too.”
Jules said Donny needed to go, and I wanted Jules. If getting rid of Donny meant Jules would let me touch him, then I’d happily do it. I’d do anything to get what I wanted.Anything.
Wengrow was first, though. He was my present to Jules.
* * *
There was no other word to describe Wengrow butslob. His house was a mess, with beer cans strewn across the floor along with other garbage that had my nose twitching in disgust. The stench made me dry heave as I stepped across the debris, careful not to knock over anything that would make a loud noise. From what I’d seen of the man as I watched him today, nothing suggested he liked guys sexually, and there was no way I’d get into his place by charming him. It turned out I didn’t need to—the guy drank himself into a stupor, and by my guess, it was a regular thing for him to do.
I’d kept to the shadows and peeked in his bedroom window. He was currently splayed across a ratty mattress. Apparently he was smart enough to lock his windows, and I’d needed to pick the lock on the front door, something my brother Beach had taught me, who in turn learned it from his girlfriend’s brother. The amusing thing about that was, Beach ended up cheating on his girlfriend with said brother, and when the truth came out our parents hit the roof. The girlfriend’s father was our dad’s best client, and as a result he gave our dad a firm “fuck you” before taking his business elsewhere. Beach, the perfect one of the three of us, had never gotten in trouble more than he did then, and it was nice to see him get the same medicine I was used to dealing with.
If only Beach could see me now. He would never guess what I was doing, always believed my parents were being over the top with me. Clearly they were right about me, especially since I’d put them six feet under.
