Page 97 of Duke

I WATCH HER FROM the shadows, eyes drinking in the very sight of her. In the pitch-black night, my angel shines like the sun. She slowly walks to her car. I’m surprised when she stops before getting in. She turns looking back at the house. Even from my hiding spot across the road, it’s easy to see the pain and fatigue marring her beautiful face. She bends at the waist then clutches her sides as she straightens, swiping a tear before standing tall and proud. With her armor back in place, she gets in the car and puts it in drive.

She’s more burdened by this life than she ever was. Saddled with a crippled father to take care of, burdened by the debt he racked up over the years. But she doesn’t say a word about it to anyone. Meat’s keeping tabs on her just like he always has.

She should be in LA right now starting a new life; using her hard-earned degree in some corporate job. Instead, she’s about to leave for a job there’s no way out of. Her degree’s nothing but a worthless piece of paper; she never needed it to be a barmaid. But my Shanna more than anyone, deserves a chance at her dream. She’s too good for us all; a princess born to a viper king, the hand dealt her had shitty cards. And they only kept coming. But tonight; I’m dealing her a new hand.

Tonight, I’m gonna give her—her chance.

I’m setting my girl free.

I haven’t been stunned speechless many times in my life, but last week a letter came for me at the shop. It was from Colin. He begged me to look out for Shanna; to make her my bride someday, and to wait for her to get this stubborn notion out of her head that she’s gonna take care of him and put her dreams on ice.

He wrote pages. The poor bastard is bored, hurting bad and putting everything on paper. What brought me to my knees though—was the love letter he put inside. It was printed off a computer. He said he was snooping on Shanna’s laptop. It was a love letter to me. It reminded me how much we belong together; not that I needed reminding.

But if there’s one thing I’ve learned about Shanna is that the more you push her—the more she fights. I needed to freeze all contact, let her wonder if I’m hurting too or burying myself deep in another woman. It will drive her crazy. I know she’ll come around. But she needs to do it on her time, not mine.

I keep her letter in my wallet. It’s already creased and worn from how many times I take it out reading her words to me. Words she doesn’t even know I have.

Using one foot to guide my bike out to the road, I’m resolute in what I’m about to do.

This might be my last ride.

If I get caught I’m looking at some hard-time, no doubt. But I’d serve a thousand life sentences to give my girl her dream.

Starting the bike, I throttle the engine, using one foot to guide her out to the road. It tears my heart to fuckin’ pieces to ride out in the opposite direction from where she’s going. But I have no choice. I can’t be seen anywhere near here tonight.

It does feel damn good to ride these roads again. There’s nothing like cutting through a hot summer night feeling the wind at your back while the moon shines down on you.

I’m meeting Will out by the old creek I used to play in when I was a boy. It’s the only place in Springdale where I have good memories before my old man got caught with my aunt and just like that—both my mother and aunt left my life. But I had my Gram to soften the blows my father would deliver when he was in a rage.

Passing the apartments where she lived, causes my gut to clench. But I keep going, slamming the door to my memories shut. I can’t afford old sentiments to fuck me up tonight.

The tip of Will’s cigarette tips me off to where he waits.

“Fuck. I was half-hoping you wouldn’t show.”

“You know me better than that.”

He inhales deeply, puffing out rings, “I do. And I know you’re too smart for this.”

“There’s no other way.”

“Alright then.” He shakes his head, reaches into the back pocket of his worn jeans and opens a flask. “Here.”

“No. I need to keep a clear head.”

“Does Meat know what you are planning?”

“No. But he’ll probably figure I had something to do with it.” Moving off the bike, my boots sink into the soft grass by the riverbank. It’s peaceful here, nothing but slow-moving water and moonlight. A few frogs croak nearby. I’m not nervous at what I’m about to do. I just hope I’m making the right decision. And that she won’t hate me for it; if I ever tell her someday that it was me.

“You got everything?”

He nods.

“Meet me at the lot behind the bar an hour after closing. We’ll need to cover our tracks.”

“It’s gonna rain around daybreak. I reckon that should do it.”

“I can’t take that chance.”

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