Page 3 of Small Town Beast

Fuck that.

He reached to turn it off, but his hand fell slowly from the knob, and the voice of the country legend poured over him like unstoppable rain.

You hear that lonesome whippoorwill?

He sounds too blue to fly…

He turned towards the bad side of town. Since he had failed to shoot himself, the only option now was to get drunk.

Three

Chapter Three

“This is the worst idea you’ve ever had.”

“Do you have a better one?”

“Pray about it,” said Bee helpfully.

Tanya sighed, more from guilt than her best friend’s suggestion. She felt bad dragging Bee into her story tonight. Bee was a Christian and what Tanya was about to do violated her beliefs on basically all levels.

“I can get you the money,” said Bee.

Tanya knew what that meant. “You arenotgoing to steal for me,” she told Bee firmly.

“It’s my husband’s money. It isn’t technically stealing.”

“You know damn well he won’t see it that way, and it’s still a sin.”

Bee bit her lip; checkmate. “It doesn’t matter,” she decided. “Tanya, this is worse than stealing. It’s selling your soul.”

“All you have to do is drive me home, okay?”

“No!Listen to me, Tanya— don’t think about the money. Durk makes a lot of money. I’m sure he wouldn’t even notice.”

“Well then take that money and get a lawyer so you can divorce his abusive ass.”

Bee stiffened. “We’ve been talking to our pastor. There hasn’t been an incident in weeks.”

“I’m just saying, you have options–”

“I don’t,” Bee snapped.

Tanya knew it was Bee’s business at the end of the day, but she had to say something. How could Beestilldefend the man who put her in the hospital for overcooking chicken wings? Bee was out here living like it was 1942.

Hell, like it was 1842.

Tanya said in a gentler voice, “You can stay with me ‘til you get on your feet. Didn’t I tell you that?”

“It’s been getting better, Tanya. A lot better.”

From her place in the passenger’s seat Tanya could see the inside of her best friend’s wrists. It did not look like it was getting better.

“You want me to shoot him?” she offered helpfully.

Bee sighed. “I can’t believe you talked me into doing this. You’re sellin’ your body. It’s a sin, not to mention dangerous. We’re not even supposed to be on this side of town like that.”

Bee had a point, but all her logic didn’t change the fact that Tanya needed a thousand dollars by tomorrow— or at least half of that. She could negotiate with half. Probably.

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