Page 32 of Small Town Beast

“Her name is Cyrie. Could you drop me off at the drug store, please?”

“You got it— it’s on my way.”

They listened to the radio on the way down. The lottery was now at nine hundred million dollars. Tanya couldn’t wrap her head around all that money. What would she do with nine hundred million dollars?

Find Amari.

Then go to Miami. Or Jamaica.

She was lightheaded from eating so little, and could barely keep up small talk with Mister Simpson. He apologized for not being able to offer her a job at his chicken joint and offered to put a word in with his friend who was starting up a small grocery store.

Tanya thanked him but she wasn’t sure. She sometimes made tips at Appletree. That was alright. And she knew Gwen and Rory, and she liked them. What if she went to a new spot and it was trash?

Well, she couldn’t stay at the Appletree forever…right?

Mr. Simpson dropped her off and asked when she was planning to go back up the mountain. Tanya declined his help even though she had no idea yet how she was getting back up to Florin. She didn’t like to trespass on other folks’ kindness. Maybe that was how Bee felt. It was a hard thing to have nobody to rely on. You never wanted to ask too much from anybody. There was pride, of course, and there was the fact that nothing lost you friends quicker than asking for a handout. Tanya would have helped anyone in need, but like many kindhearted people she would have rather swallowed pins than put anybody out of the way for her.

Mr. Simpson drove off, and with some relief Tanya walked into the drug store. The situation had been weighing on her mind. The last thing she needed was a baby by Mister Bailey’s crazy ass. She speed-walked to the family planning section…

And found it empty.

Empty-empty.

There wasn’t even a condom in sight. The tags were still on the displays, but it was all gone. Not so much as a pregnancy test left.

This couldn’t be right. One of the workers was passing by and Tanya stopped her. “Miss, where’s all the stuff?”

“Huh?”

“Thestuff. You know, the condoms and all that,” she whispered. “Do y’all have more in the back?”

“No,” said the young lady. “Don’t you watch the news? Like, they pulled all the family planning stuff because of — something about the government. I don’t know.”

“That can’t be right. Could you check the back for me?”

The girl shrugged. “Ain’t nothing in the back. I was just there.”

“I don’t believe this.” Tanya rubbed her eyes. “This is just crazy.”

“That’s why I’m glad to be a lesbian,” The girl sighed, then plodded on to the next aisle.

It was ten o’clock. Before Tanya went across the river to hunt for the pill— any pill, at this point— she had to stop at the Private Investigator. After all, paying the PI was the whole reason she’d gone to the Turnkey…

That man.

Bailey.

Every time she thought about him, a mix of confusion and anger overwhelmed her.

Confusion, anger… and something else.

Still a newcomer to Florin, Tanya knew about the McCall family from Gwen’s gossip and vague whispers that crossed her way now and then like seeds on the wind. Only later did she put together who this person was.

He’d come after her with the hunger of a wolf.

Mr. Bailey’s hands had been strong, powerful and rough. He was so damned tall she got dizzy looking up at him.Go home to your son.His compassion had touched her…until he turned on her like an angry bear, his eyes bright and insane in his scarred, ugly face.

But she was attracted to him deeply. He smelled so good. Hefeltso good. Before those bad men pulled up, he’d been almost sweet, and she sensed he was fighting some deep inner pain nearly as bad as her own. And it had been so easy to wrap her arms around him and pull him close, throw her self control and caution to the wind and just indulge in a wild passion that could make her forget, even for an hour, the grim reality of life. When he’d laid her down in the bed of his truck and pushed inside her, Tanya had felt his whole body tense up.Oh, darlin’...

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