Page 14 of The Handyman

My mouth dried as I raked my brain for something to say. “Tell me everything you know about your last dom— the guy that hit you.”

“Brandon? I mean, that’s all I really know about him— his name. The police didn’t care about getting his information from Black Cat. They threw him out, yeah, but once I was in the back room, they let him back in to get his stuff, and that’s when the cops talked to him. I haven’t seen him since. I don’t know if he was a member or anything, but I imagine Black Cat knows that stuff.”

I drummed my fingers against my thigh as she spoke, and frustration bubbled n my veins.

“Why?”

“Forget official information, what about your impressions of him? What did you think about his attitude?”

Her quizzical expression deepened, tinged with concern that wrinkled between her brows.

Grabbing her hand under the table, I squeezed insistently before she tensed. “Please just tell me, Riley.”

“Um— uh– I don’t know. He was okay at first, a bit of an asshole, but I thought that was just nerves because he was new. He wanted to jump into a contract. We didn’t even do much first. Um. . .” She looked mightily uncomfortable, and I tangled our fingers with an encouraging nod. Licking her lips, Riley tilted her head down in shame, but her eyes didn’t leave mine. “It wasn’t pleasant at all, but I chalked it up to nerves. After the fourth time, I told him I was cancelling the contract— that we weren’t compatible, and he should find someone else. That’s when he attacked me. He—he grabbed my hair, told me I was ‘his’ and that I wasn’t allowed to cancel the contract because he was in charge.” Inhaling a shuddering breath through trembling lips, Riley reached to touch her face where Brandon had hit her.

I struggled not to lose my shit over what she was saying— the story wasn’t over yet. There was plenty of time to freak the fuck out when she wasn’t right next to me.

“I yelled at him to let me go, but that’s when he hit me. He said to shut up and only talk when he said, that I was garbage and other awful names. He p-pushed me onto the bed, got on top of me, said I was disgusting and liked it, but—” Her voice caught, and she tore her eyes off me to stare at the edge of the table. “I managed to hit the emergency button on the floor, and he started screaming that I didn’t have the right to tell him ‘no’. They dragged him out, and I went to the back while the cops were called. When they left and clearly didn’t believe me, I went to the hospital, but the nurses were all giving me nasty side-eyes, so I didn’t stay. I drove back to Connecticut, but you already know how that turned out. And…that’s the story.”

“Hey. . .” Reaching to cup her hot face, I forced aside my anger as Riley’s shoulders shivered with her efforts not to cry.That’s way more than just getting slapped.“Thank you for telling me, Riley.”

Gulping harshly, she ducked her head in a dull nod.

I stroked her cheek with my thumb.

Hesitantly, her big, brown eyes met mine once again, watery and slightly red, but she hung on. “Why do you want to know?”

Dread knotted my gut at the question. I knew it was coming, but nothing prepared me for the way my heart absolutely dropped. Pursing my lips thinly, I inhaled through flared nostrils and cleared my throat. This Brandon douchebag wasdefinitelythe kind of guy to hold a grudge against women for turning him down. Black Cat didn’t vet normal members, but I’d bet money he had a few police reports under his belt.

Can I get away with avoiding the answer?Doubt it, but I sure as shit was gonna try. “So if I ever see him again, I can beat him half to death with a clear conscience.” I was going to have to pray to whatever deity was up there thatifsomeone came after her, that person would do some fucking research. This was entirely dependent on whether or not the proposal was issued on another site.I need to text Jerry. He’s a smart nerd. He’d know to flag anything found anywhere, but I have to make sure.

“I believe you’d do that, but that’s not the reason. But— but you know what? I’m not even gonna ask.”

My relief must’ve been obvious on my face, and soft, smooth fingers reached to caress my jaw.

Smiling faintly, Riley scooted a little closer. “I don’t want to know right now.”

“Good. Okay. I appreciate that, Riley. I’d rather not fuck up this day worse than it probably started for you. It’s honestly not that big a deal. . .”

Her brows twitched in disbelief.

I shook my head. “I’m gonna shut up, now.”

11

Riley

You’re not gonna come in?That question still floated through my head every waking second. After our date, Reece took me home, kissed my cheek, and promised to text me, so I knew he was home safe. Even though it was days ago, my cheek still tingled, and a perpetual smile stretched my lips.

Dear, Riley, blah, blah, blah. . . I appreciate you contacting me about your emergency. Yada, yada—corporate blabber. I hope your problems resolve. . .My smile widened as I sat back in my computer chair, hugging my head between my elbows to sigh in satisfaction. “Thank God. That’s the last one.”

My last confirmation that I quit. Ifuckingquit. And I wasn’t even worried! Why?Because I’m done being jerked around.I had enough in my savings to carry me over while finding a job, and I was determined not to get frantic about it.

Snatching my phone off my desk, I swiped the screen as warmth crawled up my neck. I hadn’t told Reece about my decision to quit my writing jobs and excitement tingled the tips of my thumbs. Memories played behind my eyelids when I blinked, reeling like a movie that I would never get tired of watching.

Reece had taken me on a lovely date, and I wanted to see him again, but I didn’t want to seem clingy. He liked straightforward, but doubt clouded my mind. Telling him I wanted to screw around with him wasnotgonna happen. Even though quitting my jobs felt great, I was still in trouble until I could find employment with pay high enough to sustain my life.

Vibrations from my phone rippled up my arms and I pursed my lips thinly as my gaze refocused on my phone. Answering the call, I couldn’t help my smile as I lifted the speaker to my ear. “Hey. I was just about to text you. Guess what I did today?” Swishing back and forth, I bit my bottom lip as the wind whistled into my ear through the line. “What are you doing?”