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When I turned to leave, Tommy yelled, “You can’t just walk out on me like that.”
“If you’re replacing me, then there’s no need for me to stay.”
“I hope you realize you’re not getting shit from me. Don’t you even try asking. If you walk out, you’re not ever coming back.”
I nodded. There was so much I wanted to say, but I wouldn’t take that risk. He could change his mind any second. The best thing for me to do was to get as far away as I could before he did. I opened the door, then slammed it behind me as I ran to my car. I started the engine, threw it in reverse, and backed out so fast my tires squealed. I was finally going to get away.
Later that night, I sat on the bed in a cheap motel room eating a pack of crackers I’d gotten from the vending machine. What the fuck was I going to do now? Walking out had felt good. I was glad Tommy had fucking cheated on me. I was glad I’d walked in on him and Martin because I don’t know how else I would have managed to escape. But I was terrified to go back to work. Would he come after me, or was it really over?
Call Beck.
I wasn’t sure if I could. We’d met at the University of St. Louis and become close friends before I’d had to drop out because I couldn’t work enough to pay tuition and keep my grades decent. I’d always intended to go back, but when I ended up with Tommy, he told me it was a waste of money. Why had I ever listened to a word he said?
Because he was gorgeous, because at first, he treated you so well, and because he’s a damn good manipulator.
And I was a damn good doormat.
Beck had more money than God, and I knew he could fix every one of my problems. He’d offered to pay my tuition, but I’d told him no. He swore I’d given him far more by being a true friend, but I hadn’t done that expecting anything in return, certainly not thousands of dollars. I didn’t want to be indebted to him. Clearly, I was a fool. I’d refused to let him give me anything, then turned around and accepted gifts from Tommy until I became beholden to him.
Even then, Beck had offered to help me. He’d told me he considered anything he did for me a gift. The money he spent would have meant little to him, but I’d never been comfortable with our wealth disparity. I started talking to him less and less, especially once I was completely under Tommy’s thumb.
Except now, I really needed someone. Beck was the one person in my life who had never done anything to break my trust. He was one of the few true friends I’d had since I was a little kid. People often thought we were dating because we were so close, but things had never been like that with him. We’d first gotten close when he needed someone to talk to after a bad breakup. After that, he’d truly wanted to hang out with me as a friend with no other agenda. That was fucking refreshing.
Could I make it on my own? All I had were a few changes of clothes and basic toiletries. That wouldn’t get me far. I needed to get out of St. Louis. I’d be safest if I was far away from Tommy. I would never be safe if I was where he could attack me or try turning on his charm again. I wanted to believe I’d never be manipulated by him again, but if I was desperate enough, if it was a matter of survival, I couldn’t be sure how strong I would be.
It’s okay to need help.
Beck had told me that so many times, but I’d never really believed him, even though I’d believed so much bullshit from Tommy.
I pulled out my phone and tapped Beck’s name before I could talk myself out of it.
What were the chances he would even answer? It had been months since we’d talked and that was just by text.
My breath caught when he accepted the call.
“Laurence? How are you? I’ve been thinking about you and wanting to call.” Beck had always called me by my full name. I wouldn’t have liked that with anyone else, but with him, it just fit.
“I’m…” tears started running down my face. “I’m not good.”
“What did that bastard do?” He’d given up the pretense of trying to like Tommy long ago.
“I left him.”
“Thank God. Are you all right? Did he hurt you?”
“Not physically, not tonight.”
“But other times?”
“Yeah.” I knew Beck had never believed me all the times I denied that Tommy had hit me or pushed me down.
“Tell me what happened.”
“I got home from work late, and Tommy was fucking a guy on our kitchen counter, a guy I thought it was my friend.”
“Son of a bitch. I could make him disappear.”
I didn’t doubt that, knowing the money and power behind his family. “No. I don’t want you taking any risks like that.”
