Page 16 of Blood & Honey
“She’s not.She’s on my phone plan.I can check who she’s messaging at any time.”
“What about social media?Kids use that shit all the time.”
His calling Ashley a kid has me feeling even more like shit than I already do.
“What is it?”
“Nothing.”I take Ash off his hands and put him down in his crib for a nap.
“What aren’t you saying?I know that look.”
Goose does know me better than anyone, and has never judged me, but if I tell him what I did, he may kick my ass himself.
“Nothing for you to worry about.”
“You got any beer?”
“In the fridge.I need a cigarette.”I swipe the pack he brought me off the coffee table and go out to the deck to light one up.I take a long drag, relishing in the fire burning through my lungs.My headache immediately dulls to a low ache.
“Nothing for me to worry about,” he complains, slapping the marriage license against my chest.“Is this shit legit?”
“Looks that way.”I take another deep drag of my cigarette.Saying it was a mistake leaves a bitter taste on my tongue, but there’s no way I can justify my actions.It doesn’t matter that I was drunk.I’m in a position of power when it comes to Ashley.
“How long has this shit been going on?”
“It’s not like that.”
He looks at me like ‘yeah right,’ and I can’t blame him.“Then what’s it like?Because from the outside it doesn’t look good.”
“I’ve never touched her until last night.Not that it makes it any fuckin’ better.”
“She’s eighteen, but if people find out, they may think you’ve been fucking her all this time.Is it serious?”
“I was drunk and pissed off.Had Shelby on my mind and Ashley put some shit in my head about marrying her being the perfect revenge on the cunt.”
He shrugs.“Did it make you feel any better?Make you hate Shelby any less?”
“No.”But it made me love Ashley in a way I’m not ready to.In a way I’m not willing to admit.Not to my closest friend.Not even to myself.
“Bummer.”
“I’ve gotta find someone to annul it.”I need to put this behind me.She may hate me for it, but it’s for her own good.I’ll ruin both of us if I don’t.Hell, I’m already fifty shades of fucked up.
“You’re not married until you file the license, but let’s think about this.If Shelby is out there and fucking with you, what better way than to draw her out?If she finds out you’re with Ashley, she’ll come out of the woodwork to kill you.Or at least try it.”
“What are you thinking?”
“You’ve said you don’t want an ol’ lady, but hear me out.I’m thinking you should make this shit official.Use it to do what we should’ve done from the start.We find this cunt and take her out before she becomes a real problem or does something stupid like try to take Ash.”
“She’s in high school, man.”
“For a few more weeks.She’s about to graduate, and it’s not like she isn’t legal.”
Barely.
“I file that license, and everyone will know.It’ll be in the paper.”
“Exactly.Shelby will see it if she’s sniffing around.”
