Page 105 of Off-Limits

Flushing the toilet, I stumble toward the basin and bend down, splashing cold water on my face. When I stand upright, I groan at what I see. I am a fucking hot mess, and not the good type either.

“You done, precious?”

“I hate you!”

Johnny chuckles.

Silently flipping him off, I drag myself to the shower to try and wash away this hangover and the longing for Dottie and the relationship I spent years building with Arrie, but as the water hits my back, I know it’s fruitless.

After I’ve cleaned myself up, Johnny and I sit over coffee, making a plan of attack. Kerry-Anne won’t have a leg to stand on once the judge sees the prenup.

What scares me is what she said to the girls, but something tells me she’s hesitating for a reason. Everyone knows she’s been dating the cop she cheated on me with, on and off for years, and he’s been here his entire life, so he knows the entire town and all their dark pasts, so why hasn’t she pulled the pin and sung like a canary?

Nursing a hangover like I am, and trying to work through the labyrinth of fuckery, is testing my limits that’s for sure. I don’t know what step to take first, my mind is clouded by Dottie.

“Earth to, wankstain. You going to call your daughter?”

Snapping out of my inner commentary, I look to Johnny to find him smirking.

“You thinking of her again?”

“When am I not?”

“You got it bad,huh?”

“Come on, dickwad. I had you set up a damn picnic in the middle of bum fuck nowhere, just so I could surprise her.”

Johnny chuckles.

“Yeah, you still owe me for that. Do you know what time I had to wake up to do that in time for your little romp? It’s not human to be awake at that time,” he says, shivering as if he’s remembering some bad memory.

“It wasn’t that bad.”

“Stop deflecting.”

I sigh.

“I’ll call Arrie tomorrow.”

Johnny raises a blonde brow.

“What?”

“You’re being a pussy.”

I know he’s right, but I will never admit it aloud, especially to him. The shit I said to Arrie was horrible, and I’m disgusted I allowed my emotions to rule me like they had. I lost control. Again.

“Look at me, Johnny, I can’t look her in the eye like this and apologise. I feel and look like shit, not to mention, I’m not ready.”

“Ready for what?”

I hesitate for a moment but sigh in resignation.

“I said some shit I shouldn’t have. And dealing with my daughter while I have the hangover from hell, is not on my to-do- list today, alright?”

Johnny smothers a laugh with his fist.

“Have I told you to fuck off today?”