God, I miss her. I just want to see her up close, touch her, fucking smell her.
“I don’t mind,” I tell him. “Is she doing okay?”
“I think so. She seems like it, at least. Very busy with school and the photography club stuff.”
That’s the only time I get to see her. She’s on the sidelines of every practice and game taking photos of the team. It’s so fucking hard to concentrate knowing she’s there watching. That’s another reason I was off today. She wasn’t there. I looked for her, but she didn’t show up.
“Is she sick? Because she wasn’t at practice.”
“Not sure. I do know she said she had to handle a few things with the school before leaving for the game this weekend.”
It’s only an hour away this time, so I’m not leaving until tomorrow morning. Benny is staying behind since Melissa is going to watch him. As much as I want him to come, with him not feeling well, he would be miserable in a strange place.
But this time, Owen is coming, so I won’t be alone.
“Are you heading down tonight?”
“Yeah.” We finish showering and get out, towels wrapped around our waists. “Laney is coming too. She’s driving down with Winter. Also, how have I never met Winter? If she’s your brother’s best friend, you would think we would cross paths or something. I’ve seen her taking photos of the cheer team. She’s cute.”
“And into girls.” I shoot him a grin. “And it’s because she and my brother are a few years younger than us. They don’t run in the same crowds. They like to be locked up in their rooms, watching movies and reading books.”
“Ahh, so she’s got brains.” He smirks, tapping his head. “I love a girl who knows stuff.”
“Again, Justin, she likes girls.”
“Maybe. But maybe not.” He shrugs.
“I give up,” I sigh, rolling my eyes and getting dressed.
Knowing Laney is going to be so close this weekend, and I can’t touch her is going to be torture.
But after the last away game and Stacy’s bullshit, maybe it’s for the best.
I haven’t talked to her since I told her I knew that her staying away had to do with Stacy somehow. I’m not giving up, though. Knowing it’s not me has given me some hope. But I don’t want to push her and have her end up actually hating me.
When I get back to the house, I send Chelsea home and head upstairs to see Benny. Chelsea is nice; she seems to be doing her job well. I wasn’t sure having another woman in the house was a good idea because Stacy is fucking crazy.
But I made sure to hire someone who was a lesbian. How messed up is that? That I had to go that far because if Stacy asked, I could tell her and hope it keeps her from losing her shit.
It makes me sick that she has this fucked up claim over my life. I feel like I’m trapped, that my life isn’t my own. That everything I do is being controlled by her.
And it’s all done out of fear. I’m afraid if I stick up for myself and fight, she will take Benny away. The fear of losing him has made me into a little bitch with no backbone.
“Logan,” Dad’s voice has me pausing halfway down the hall.
“Hey, Dad. How was work?”
“Good.” He stops before me. “I have some news.”
My body tenses, and my heart races. News, I know what that means.
One thing I love about my dad is he fights for his family. He’s been working with the local police, even a bit with the FBI, for months now. They’re building a case on Tony, Stacy’s dad, and his gang.
That is another reason why I haven’t pushed Stacy. It was advised I leave things be for now, so it doesn’t interfere with their investigation.
Even though it’s been hell, I keep living with her shit because if they can bring her father down, then I no longer have anything to fear from her. Without him, she’s nothing but a sad, unhappy woman.
“What kind of news?”