Page 60 of Unlucky You

“Did you buy condoms with the intent of being with me?”

I rolled my eyes. “Are you serious?”

“As a muthafuckin’ heart attack. I’ll bring some next time I come or you can buy a new pack and we’ll break that shit open. We can use every single one if that’s what you want, but I’m not fucking behind your last man. That’s like me buying lingerie foranother woman then handing it off to you with the intention of digging in your pussy. Would you be cool with that?”

A wave of irrational anger spiked through me at the thought of secondhand intentions before I smiled.

“You had condoms that night at your house. Did you buy them for me?”

“Yes,” he stated bluntly.

“You’re lying.”

“No, I’m not. You are the first person I’ve been with since I got out. I bought condoms a few days after you came looking for me that night at The Pit. Even if I knew this was a bad idea, I still wanted to fuck you.” He smiled arrogantly. “And I knew I would because your stubborn ass wasn’t going to stay away.”

My mouth dropped open and he gripped my neck, bringing me down into a kiss. When I pulled back, I narrowed my eyes playfully.

“You have a verylooseand overly exaggerated point.”

“It’s not loose, it’s valid as fuck. You just don’t want to agree because you want this.” He lifted his hips, pressing a rock hard dick against my ass.

“If we’re not having sex, what are we doing?”

“Chillin’.” His smile was sexy and taunting. I despised how easily my body reacted to that smile. Rough hands moved up my thighs to my waist and under my shirt until I felt the brush of those calloused fingers at my side. Slowly, they glided to the small of my back. “Now talk to me.”

FIFTEEN

Grand.

I stared at the group of people, grateful this would be my last fucking time sitting in a room with them. This shit was pointless. I didn’t have issues managing my anger. I had an issue with the muthafucker who took someone I loved from me.

The only regret I had for my actions was that a split second cost me years away from my son. There was no other remorse and that possibly made me a shitty person for being able to sleep peacefully at night knowing I couldn’t bring Aleah back, however, the man who was responsible for what happened to her was no longer breathing.

“Grand…” The persistence in the tone of the person who called my name caused me to swing my eyes around the circleof bodies until they landed on Melissa Daugherty, the counselor I was assigned to. Her brows were slightly pinched when our gazes met. “You’re not focused. You only complete the course with active participation.”

“I’m here,” I grunted and she nodded.

“It’s not just about being here. We’ve gone over this multiple times. You have toparticipate.” When I stared blankly, not giving anything else, she sighed.

“We’ve been discussing triggers. Would you like to share what you’ve identified as your triggers?”

I snorted, moving my eyes round the circle of bodies again. “You know this shit is a joke, right?”

“What’s a joke, Grand?”

“Me being here. Shit, everyone in this room being here.”

“I assure you, nothing about anyone in this room needing to work on their emotional maturity so they’re able tothinkand notreactis a joke. Least of all, yours. You reacted and your actions killed a man.”

I smiled arrogantly. “A man who put drugs in my girlfriend’s drink because he wanted to take advantage of her. He would have, if she hadn’t had a fatal reaction. She was someone I cared about. I hit him because he laughed about carelessly taking her life. I didn’t try to kill him but I’m glad I did.” I lifted from my chair and stepped in front of Melissa. “You want to know my triggers…” She tensed and lifted her eyes, jutting her chin. The room was so damn quiet you could hear a pin drop.

“People who are too much of a fucking coward to accept that he got what he deserved.A life for a life. People who are too self-righteous to admit that if they had been in my position, they would have reacted the same. I’mangrybecause I lost someone I love. I’mangrybecause I’m being forced to comply with this bullshit when none of you give a damn about the justiceshe would have never received if I hadn’t reacted. There’s your participation and fuck this class.”

I walked away with the sound of her voice yelling behind me, “Successful completion of this course is a term of your parole, Grand.”

I shrugged. “And you know I don’t need this shit so you do what you have to do.”

When I was seated in my car, I gripped the steering wheel and dropped my forehead onto my hands, attempting to let the moment pass. But as soon as I lifted my head and opened my eyes again, peering at the building I’d just stormed out of, irritation flooded my veins. I slammed my fist on the steering wheel multiple times until my hand throbbed from the repeated motion. I shook away the pain, started my car, and left the business park, heading to work. My classes were mandatory, so after I started working with Walt, again he agreed to let me start after lunch on the days sessions were scheduled. At least I could spend the rest of my day hammering and drilling into sheetrock which meant I didn’t have to think.

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