Page 5 of Savage Hate
She almost fucking ruined my life, and as she spoke, as shewhinedabout the noise, I couldn’t help but be transported back to that time.
For four years, she made my life Hell.
For four years, I dreamed of strangling her. Of enacting revenge so great, she’d never even look my way again.
Maybe now was my chance.
four
Lennon
I wake up late the next morning, and my head is pounding for coffee. Groaning, I roll over and instinctively reach for Wright. The realization of what happened in the last week catapults into me with such shock and force that I pull the duvet over my head and scream when I realize this is now my reality.
How did I get here? Living in the apartment my mother rents out month to month. Back in my hometown. No job, no close friends… nothing. If I had the money, I would’ve preferred Italy or Bali. Lesson learned—always have access to your own money. Because when your cheating fiancé locks the bank accounts and moves things around, leaving you with $350 to your name?
Yeah, it’s a slap in the face. And a wake-up call. The lawyers I called didn’t seem to have any answers for me, either. Even though it was my money, I didn’t have a job or an official income, so it would be hard to explain how I’d accrued thousands of dollars in cash selling cupcakes to Wright’s friends.
Sighing, I climb out of bed and throw on some jeans and a t-shirt. I don’t bother with my hair, instead pulling it up into a high, tight bun. Slipping into my sandals, I grab my purse and head out in search of some coffee. As I walk down the stairs, I listen for any noises at the tattoo parlor, but it seems to be empty now. When I glance inside a second later, it’s dark, and I don’t see anyone sitting on the couch like last night.
Good.
By the time I have a hot coffee and a warm croissant in my hand, I’m a happy camper. I take a seat at one of the benches overlooking the central park. I’ve always loved this park, despite loathing this town growing up. It’s lively, with everyone walking through it from one side of town to the other, and the restaurant behind me always has people sitting outside at tables for brunch. Especially with beautiful weather like this.
I didn’t bother to text my mom back last night, so instead I text Mindy, my one and only friend. She lives in the next town over, never having really left the area after high school. Married with two kids, she’s the only person from Greythorn that I’ve kept in touch with, and I ask if she wants to get a coffee sometime this week. I can’t afford to take her to lunch, but I can buy her a coffee. She responds almost instantly, and we make a plan for this Monday.
Standing, I throw my trash away and stretch my arms above my head as I look around. Iwantto go back to the apartment and crawl underneath my covers. Iwantto order junk food and binge Netflix shows until my eyes sting and my stomach hurts. I feel so raw, so vulnerable, that maybe I should do those things. But, where would that get me? No, I need to move forward and get my life together.
I’ve had a week to wallow.
Now it’s time to get things done.
The first thing I do is go grocery shopping, which is not easy being in a town where the mean income per capita is six figures. I manage to score some pasta on sale. Even though it will be a while before I can afford to eat meat, I manage to stick to my budget for the week. I hope to have a job soon, and if I can stretch my money for a couple of weeks, I can survive on pasta, bread, and baked beans.
Forget baking, too. That’ll have to come later.
I ignore the way my eyes sting and my throat aches when I think about how different my life is now, and instead head back to the apartment to unload my food and necessities. My eyes shift to the left when I get to my building. Thankfully, Savage Ink is still empty, and I carry on up the stairs. When I’m finished unloading my groceries, I make myself some eggs and scarf an apple before going on a walk through town.
Ten years. Ten years since I’ve been back in Greythorn. Ten years since I was crowned prom queen, valedictorian,andmost likely to succeed by the student body. I swallow when I think about what those students would say about me now—how they would perceive my life… and my fall from glory. I quicken my pace through the dense forest in the middle of the park.
I veer left and begin to walk toward the house I grew up in. The house which was currently being renovated and one of the reasons why I was staying in the apartment. When I get to our house, I breathe out a sigh of relief. It still looks the same—large, grand, three stories with tall, Edwardian windows. Ours was one of the oldest houses in Greythorn, dating back to the 1700s. My dad came from old money, as do most of the people who live here, but this house had been in our family for generations. I pause in front of the front door, remembering my childhood. Remembering the nights I went to bed hungry, or the nights my chest ached from disappointment and loneliness.
Everyone always thought I’d had the perfect life, but in reality, my parents didn’t parent me. They never did. I was often left by myself or with a nanny. It wasn’t a terrible childhood, just barren of warmth and comfort. I wrap my arms around my body and begin to walk back to the apartment.
As I round the corner, I notice the door of Savage Ink is propped open. Walking slowly, I let out a sigh of relief when I see a woman with long, dark hair sitting behind a desk, her phone in her hand. I step over the threshold and smile.
“Hi,” I say, attempting to give her a warm smile.
Her eyes flick to my face in surprise. “Do you have an appointment?”
I shake my head. “No, I’m not here to…” I look around. I don’t have any tattoos, even though a small part of me has always wanted to get one. “I just moved into the apartment upstairs. I wanted to introduce myself.”
She perks up and stands. “Oh! That’s exciting. I’m Lola,” she croons, holding her hand out.
“Lennon,” I reply, shaking her hand and smiling as I look around. “I met… I’m not sure who I met last night, but there were three of them and they were very tall.”
She huffs a laugh. “Oh, Silas, Damon, and Jude?” The familiar names slam through me one at a time, and my horror must be evident on my face because she goes on to elaborate. “Don’t mind them. They’re just grumpy old men, even though they might look a bit mean.”
I swallow and feel the blood leaving my face. “Silas… Huxley?”
