Page 44 of Oliver

Mom has tried reaching out and I’ve spoken to her briefly but truthfully, I’m too far into the darkness to see her. She wouldn’t understand and I don’t know what to fucking say.

“What if it’s true?” Willow says and I shrug. “Even if it is, he’s where he belongs.”

“But Penny…”

“Will back the fuck off if she knows what’s good for her,” I growl, an image of her tear-streaked face passing over my vision.

Her pain and grief punched at my chest like a fucking weight while at the same time, I dissected it for the phenomenon it was.

What did true grief feel like? Or love? All the emotions were like a kaleidoscope of colors but for me, being color blind meant it was blotted.

Still, when her mom died, I couldn’t see her grieve without doing something and I did what I assumed a normal person would. She didn’t protest so there’s that.

Now I’m hoping she doesn’t see this as a gesture of anything but my desire to shut down the waterworks and move fucking on.

Willow shakes her head and I laugh, spreading my arms wide. “What’s the problem?”

“Oliver,” she says, and I shake my head.

“No, you can keep your damn mouth shut.”

“Oliver,” Ramsay barks and I raise a brow.

“Yeah bro?”

He cocks his head, but I see past the veneer. The Ramsay who vowed to take on our piece of shit parents is gone and, in his place…a fucking pussy.

I guess it’s left to me to end this. Isn’t it always how it was going to be?

Chapter 15

Penny

I haven't heard from Oliver since our altercation outside of Ramsay’s house. I can’t say I’m surprised by his distance, but I am once again wishing I hadn’t dropped onto him like a desperate whore.

I could blame temporary insanity because it seems to run in the family but there’s no one here to ask, so whatever.

I did go back down the rabbit hole of Dixie’s secret dark web life and this time, I made a list. It doesn’t exactly pinpoint anything that sticks out to me but it’s a start.

The first and most creepy fucker in the chat room was Charming Charlie. I was unable to find anything indicating they ever met up but it’s possible they communicated via platforms I’m not aware of. Although their exchanges were not innocent, toward the end, Charlie seemed to be more of a confidant and sounding board for Dixie than anything else.

Of course, we have Dr. Love. It burns my skin to see the messages going back and forth between Dixie and Oliver. I knew the fucker was good in bed and dirty at that, but this takes the cake. Was he putting on a persona or is he a sick fuck just like the rest of them?

There’s Manny_the_Eater, stupid name and gross, who kept contact with Dixie, but it was sporadic at best. I have dates and times for this guy. Dixie met up with him and if the exchanges are anything to go by, she fucked him several times too.

Ray loved to talk dirty but refused to meet up when Dixie suggested it.

A slew of others came and went from her DM’s but didn’t stand out.

There was one that I re-reviewed after my conversation with Bone and Manny, who finally relented although seemed to be talking in code.

It seems obvious looking at the handle now but, before it was just a name—Hunter. It could be a coincidence, but I have to assume there are none until I’m proven otherwise. Per the messages Dixie exchanged, he was a filthy motherfucker with an eye for pretty, young girls. Dixie met up with at least once and then refused his overtures after. As a matter of fact, she declined to speak to him at all.

The last one that piqued my interest was someone who goes by the handle Need 4 Speed. I suspect the way the person writes that it’s a woman because I don’t know of any dude who would refer to Dixie as fresh faced and admire the pink tipped ombré in her hair. Why the pretense though?

I attempted to connect with Hunter a while back, but he never responded. Ray seemed like a waste of my time. Charming Charlie turned out to be an asshole. Since I’ve already asked Manny and I’m circling the bottom of the barrel, I go ahead and send a message to Need 4 Speed.

After, I click into Dixie’s conversation with Hunter and read through it to see if I can find any clues as to who the fucker is.

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