Page 26 of Forgive Me Father: For I Have Sinned

On the weeks Butch was in town, he’d join Liv and me on our lunch outings. She adored him and was ecstatic when we made the announcement that we’d officially moved into theboyfriendstatus column of our relationship. He’d become a permanent fixture atThe Nook, taking it upon himself to play bouncer for those who’d had one too many or he thought was getting a little too handsy with ‘his goods.’ I played it off like I didn’t need a babysitter, but deep down it felt damn good when he got a little jealous.

Then one weekend, things felt different. Off. Butch was supposed to be home two days prior but ran into an issue with his client. Guess the little shit got busted with a crap ton of coke and the paparazzi were all over it. So, the parents, in turn, blamed Butch for not keeping a better eye on their son. Well, that didn’t go over too well, so his boss was doing damage control to try and save the contract. Butch had talked about getting out of private security and into his own gig, what that would consist of I had no idea, but he didn’t want to let down his buddy Kegan who’d hooked him up with his job after they got discharged from the marines.

I was a bit of a nervous Nellie waiting to hear from him as it had been well over twenty-four hours since his last text to me. Alas, the show must go on, I told myself as I sat in front of the make-up table in my room upstairs. Down in the bar I entered to the usually packed room, but something still felt off. Scanning the room, I searched the faces hoping to find Butch’s among them but came up empty. Marcus and Daniel smiled up at me from the bar, and I returned their greeting with a wave before taking the stage.

The night kicked off into high gear, and I danced away my fears, only miss stepping a couple of times. Which was still odd, but I didn’t fall on my face for which I was thankful for. I didn’t find myself smiling as much I usually did.Maybe I was missing Butch more than I cared to admit?

Midway through my set, I took a break to freshen up as I did each night I worked, but as I reached the end of the hallway to step outside, I was immediately pinned face first up against the wall. “Well, well, well. Here we are again, rent-a-boy.”

Fuck…

“Thought you could go to the cops and live to tell the tale, did you? Think again. I’m gonna take that tight ass for a second ride and then I’m gonna make sure no one rides it again.” He pushed the door open, tossing me out into the night. I lost my footing, breaking the heel off my shoe and down I went, scuffing up my knees and the balls of both hands. Before I had time to assess my injuries, he picked me up by my hair and slung me against the brick wall on the backside of the building. “Now, where did we leave off? Oh yeah, pants down, ass up, and my hand around your throat.” He spun me around, slamming my head into the brick wall, holding me in place with his hand around my throat. My feet dangled above the asphalt. Warmth ran down the side of my face, and I knew I was bleeding. “Now about these, what do you call them, pants? Look more like girl’s underwear to me.”

As his hand slid down the back of my shorts, I heard a click, fearing the worst until another voice sounded. “Put him down. Now, or it’s your fucking life,” Butch said, and I could’ve cried right then, but I was fighting to breathe as it was.

“This is none of your business. Just move on down the road. See my boyfriend here likes it rough, don’t you Jamie?” my assailant said.

“I said drop him,” Butch ground out. At this point, I was slipping in and out of consciousness. He must’ve elbowed Butch as I heard his gun hit the ground at the same time I did, but he wasn’t down for long. I laid there watching the horrific scene unfold in front of me, I could see Butch’s gun in the distance but couldn’t muster up enough strength to retrieve it.

He struck next before Butch could, splitting his lip open. All that did was piss Butch off even more. With an uppercut, he dazed him long enough to land a second blow to the temple. He stumbled back, tripping over me when he looked down and saw me lying there, he kicked me in the ribs with his steel-toed boots so hard I vomited. That was all it took for Butch to unleash a fury like I’d never seen. Before his sneering face had the chance to look up, Butch slammed his head into the brick wall with such ferocity I literally heard a crack. I didn’t know if it was the wall or his head, but I was betting it was the latter.

In the next instant Butch punched his midsection so hard he doubled over, falling to the ground but it didn’t stop there. He continued to kick him until he moved no more. “Butch,” I croaked out, drawing his from his tirade before he wound up in jail for murder. “Help.”

Coming to my aid, he pulled his phone out of his pocket as he cradled me in his arms. “Jamie, can you hear me? Baby, baby, please.” I could hear him but was unable to respond.

“Kegan, call Richardson and get toThe Nooknow. Tell him I found something he’s been looking for.” He hung up, not waiting for a response before dialing 9-1-1 and putting them on speaker phone. He kept what happened to a minimum but reiterated my injuries to them. Kegan arrived at the same time as the cops, and at the sound of the sirens and flashing lights, Marcus and Daniel came bounding out of the back door.

“What the fuck happened?” they asked, and Butch started to explain as Kegan ran up, assessing what was left of the man who attacked me.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Kegan said, bending over and checking the man’s pulse.

Richardson appeared beside Butch and me, who refused to hand me over to the paramedics. “Dude,” Kegan told him, “let them do their job.”

Butch insisted on carrying me over and placing me on the stretcher before kissing my forehead. “I’ll be going with him to the hospital,” he informed the paramedic who was smart enough to not argue with him. “Baby, I’m gonna go give them my report. I’ll be right back.” He came back seconds later, or so I thought it was seconds later, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to stay awake.

“Welcome back child.” I woke to the blinding lights and familiar voice.

“Nurse Joan?” I questioned as the all too familiar straw touched my lips.

“Yes love, now drink. We need to stop meeting like this,” she told me as she sat the cup down. “Do you know anything about the angry giant storming the hospital hallways scaring the shit out of our security guards?” she said through tight lips.

“Butch.”

“I believe that’s the name the blonde Adonis called him,” she must be referring to Kegan. “Do I send him in or send him away?”

“In, please. Boyfriend.” My throat hurt so fucking bad. I was sick and tired of having my larynx crushed.

“On it,” she said before opening the door and laying into Butch. I couldn’t quite make out all her words but heard his. “Yes ma’am,” as he opened the door. What were the chances I’d have the same nurse for damn near the same injuries by the same man in just as many years?

“Water,” I muttered as he neared my bedside. When I’d drained the cup, I attempted to speak again. “Ugh, tired of hospitals. What happened to that guy?”

“Fuck Jamie, I knew who he was. Kegan had shared bits and pieces of the case with me but never who his victims were, so I had no idea it was you he was after.”

“Why me?”

“Because you’re the one who got away. None of the others survived. When I saw him in the alley, holding you against your will. I lost it.” He took my hand in his, running his thumb lightly along the topside of it.

“Is he dead?”

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