Page 11 of Wild Card
“Come fuckin’ stop me,” I call back at him without turning around, stopping at the log to speak to the kid before I leave.
“Name’s Ash, I’m staying at the Watering Hole. If he ever gives you shit again, come find me.” I rough up his hair and start making my way back to Moby.
“You given up already?” Moby asks when I open the door and get inside.
“Already got a number, I figure you can give it to your geek guy to get a trace.” I lift out the phone and place it on the console.
“Good enough.” Moby looks impressed and starts up the engine.
SIX
Ruby
Brett has been silent our entire journey home. All night, he’s faked smiles while people congratulated us, but I’ve sensed the anger growing inside him. I’ve felt it in the way he’s crushed my hand in his, and now he’s driving these roads far too fast.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper when we get closer to home. Hearing the tremble in my voice makes me realize that I’m scared, and it confuses me. Sure, Brett can fly off the handle, but he’d never hurt me.
Brett says nothing, just focuses on the road ahead, and narrows his eyes. “Brett, talk to me,” I beg him, trying to remember a time when I’ve ever seen him this mad. Last Halloween, when three boys egged his car, he completely lost it, but even then, he wasn’t this angry. He flies past the turning into town, which I assume means he’s not taking me home, and although I’m feeling like it would be best that he did, I decide to say nothing. We really need to talk about the fact that I’m still wearing the huge diamond ring on my finger, and maybe when we get back to his place, he’ll be ready to do that.
He pulls up outside his father’s mansion, gets out, and slams the car door so hard that the whole car rattles. I close my eyes and take a breath before getting out and slowly following him inside.
He throws his keys down at the marble floor and slides his hands through his hair like he’s trying not to lose control, while I stand in silence and wait for him to be ready.
“Do you have any fucking idea how much you humiliated me tonight?” he yells as he turns around to face me.
“Brett, I’ve said I’m sorry. I was just so shocked and I?—”
“Fuck!” He startles me when he kicks the side table.
“You need to calm down so we can talk.”
“Calm down! Calmfuckingdown?” He charges at me, gripping hold of my arms and slamming me back against the door. “I asked you to marry me and you laughed in my fucking face.” His face is so close to mine that his spittle lands on my face.
“I told you I was sorry, I wasn’t expecting it.” I turn my head to the side and wait for him to release his fingers from where they’re digging into my biceps.
“You’d think a girl like you would be grateful.” He laughs to himself when he finally backs down.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask as he takes off his suit jacket and loosens his tie.
“You know exactly what it means, Ruby. I only started dating you because I felt sorry for you. Everyone in this goddamn town feels sorry for you.” He laughs some more as I stare at him in confusion. “You work in that run-down bar; you even have to fucking live there because you can’t make your rent. You’re gonna end up just like your momma,” he sniggers.
“So what if I do? My mom was a good person; I could do a lot worse than turning out like she did. Brett, why are you being so cruel?”
“I’m just telling you how everyone else sees it.” He shrugs before heading up the stairs.
“Take that back.” I chase after him. There’s no reason for him to bring my mom into this, and just when I’m almost caught up, he quickly turns around and strikes me across the cheek.
I stand in shock, feeling my lip throb from where the huge ring his father gave him for his twenty-first birthday caught it.
“Fuck, Ruby, I’m sorry.” The rage on his face instantly disappears as he reaches out for me, but I step back, looking down and seeing the blood on my fingers after I touch it to my mouth.
“Ruby.” Brett shakes his head like he’s confused as I continue to back away from him. “Ruby, come on, I said I was sorry. I just—” I spin on my heels and march out the door, passing his car and rushing toward the gate as fast as these stupid shoes will allow..
“Ruby, get back here!” he yells at me from the door, but instead of doing what he says, I reach down, take off my heels, and run.
The whole town seems to be in darkness when I eventually get back to it. The streets are empty, and I can’t help feeling relieved. The last thing I’d want is for someone to see me like this. I get to the back door of the bar, and curse myself when I realize I’ve left my purse in Brett’s car. I can’t wake up Earl and have him see me like this. My lip’s feeling sore and swollen, and I’m too tired to come up with an excuse for why, right now. I’m still in shock that Brett lost his temper to that extreme, and I don’t care how sorry he is; he was wrong.
I walk around the front to try that door. Earl was running the bar by himself tonight. He’s getting old, and there’s every chance he could have fallen asleep while cashing up and left the door unlocked. I sigh with relief when I try it and it opens, though inside is pitch black. I close the door behind me, pulling across the two bolts when I figure it’s better than nothing, and when I smell a strong scent of cigarette smoke, I look around and notice a cherry burning red in the corner where Ash was sitting earlier.
