Page 125 of Off-Limits

“You fucking whore! Your mother would be rolling in her damn grave if she saw the disappointment you’ve become. You think you’re so high and mighty, like you are better than everyone else, but let me tell you, little fucking Dottie, you are just as fucked up as the rest of us. Actually, you are worse!”

I can feel everyone’s inquisitive, curious and nosey looks, their eyes singeing into my flesh, their questions ringing loudly in the silence beside her fucking shrill fucking voice.

“What the fuck are you doing here, Kerry-Anne? You need to leave.Now.”

“The hell I do! She was my fucking sister, Damon, and that slut up there is airing her dirty laundry, putting shit on my sister, and talking of things she didn’t even fucking know!”

I open my mouth, but I can feel Dottie coming up behind me. Placing my left arm out, she collides with it, a growl leaving her lips.

“Get the hell out of here. You were not invited.” She seethes.

“First you take my husband and daughter, and now you are trying to take this away from me?!” she screeches, her eyes red and irritated, but it’s not from crying.

She’s high.

Dottie laughs.

“You are delusional! Get the fuck out of here now.”

“You can’t make me. I deserve to be here.”

“The fuck you do! When was the last time you saw her, Kerry-Anne, huh? You haven’t bothered calling her or even stopping by to see if she is ok, so don’t you come around here and try put your guilt onto me. You did this to yourself,aunty. You made your bed, now you can rot in it!” She spits, and I couldn’t be prouder.

I see the exact moment my ex-wife snaps, her face turning furious with anger, resent, and whatever the fuck is going on for her, the veins popping out all over her damn neck.

“You stupid whore!” she screams like a banshee, lunging for Dottie.

I pull her out of the way. The entire town’s eyes are on us now, like we are some sort of freak circus act, but when my eyes land on Shane standing next to his sister Morgan…

I see red.

“Elliot! Get your sorry ass over here right now!” I yell across the church with Kerry-Anne’s neck snapping in his direction.

His eyes lock with mine, and I see the apology within them,but that won’t fucking do. He says something to his sister before he moves through the crowd, straightening his uniform. He stands in front of us, chin up but not in an arrogant way.

“Take her lying, cheating, botoxed, ornery ass away from here, arrest her, do whatever the hell you want or have to, but you need to do it right the fuck now. It’s the least you can do.” He may have slept with my then wife, but I know he’s a good, honest cop, a good bloke, even if it hurts my pride to say as much.

“Shaney, baby! Tell them they can’t make me leave.” Kerry-Anne pleads, reaching for him but he side-steps her advance.

“You need to leave, Kerry-Anne. You are disturbing the peace, and if I have to take you in, I will.”

Her eyes grow wide in disbelief, another screech leaving her lips as she does the most idiotic thing I think she’s done to date. She lunges for a fucking police officer.

Shane moves with practiced skill, quick and easy, and before my damn eyes, her hands are behind her back, and she’s pressed up against the white woodgrain wall. Pulling the cuffs from his belt, he begins reciting her rights through her angry protests and screams.

I should feel smug, but all I feel is sadness and pity.

Once the cuffs are secure around her wrists, and after a few harsh whispered choice words from Shane, she stops fighting him and he turns around to face us.

He’s a man now, not the teenager that only thought about getting his dick wet all those years ago, and I realise as I look into his eyes, that I forgave him a long fucking time ago. Hell, I should thank him.

Shane offers me a solid nod and uncaringly with the rest of the town watching on, he says without conviction.

“I’m sorry for what I did all those years ago, Damon, and Dorothy, I’m sorry for your loss. If you need anything, Morganand I are just around the corner. The rest of you, get back to your damn seats, the show is over.”

With that, he turns on his heels, and pushes Kerry-Anne through the church. We watch them until we can no longer see them.

I whisper to Dottie and Arrie and move back to my seat, even though it pains me. We need to say goodbye to Mani, so she can be put to rest, and I need to get my girl out of here so I can comfort her, but one look at Lewis as I head to my seat tells me it isn’t going to be that easy.