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Beth

I NEVER THOUGHT A PHONE call could change my life

Clothes are flying everywhere as I ransack the bedroo it into the open duffle bag on the bed I don’t care how ht now I don’t care if every article of clothing is wrinkled beyond recognition I don’t want to stay here another second, and now, I don’t have to

“What are you doin,’ baby?”

I look up at Rocco, standing in the doorway of the bedroohteous smirk in place

“What does it look like I’?”

“It looks like you’re boltin’”

Genius

“Yeah, I’m boltin’ I should’ve never come here in the first place”

He grins and leans his shoulder against the doorfrao, huh? Back to sleepin’ in your car? You ain’t got nobody, Beth No family”

“I do have fains to tremble It ceases with the sharp breath I take in “Turns out my momma has a sister, and she told ”

He shakes his head slowly through a laugh and I look away, grabbingit on top of my balled up T-shirts

“You takin’ that with you?”

I freeze withmy head to meet his icy-blue stare

I’d never beg for anything fro for

“Go ahead,” he says, pushing off the fra up “What the fuck would I do with it?”

“Thank you,” I reply sincerely, as he turns and heads back down the hallway

I aiven me Food, shelter, money when I wanted a nice headstone for iven s I wish I could leave behind

Zipping up the duffle and securing it over rab my keys off the dresser, and tuck my cell phone into my back pocket

I’m almost to the front door when Rocco puts his body in between me and the only family I have left

“Where you goin’?”

“None of your business”

His chest shakes with silent laughter Mocking Alwaysback through this door eventually”

I reach up and adjust the strap on my shoulder, just as the whore Rocco picked up froles from her spot on the couch I don’t need to look to know she’s naked Rocco is, so ouldn’t she be?

“I’h a clenched jaing down my emotions “You said you would never keep o”

“Beth,” he says in the softest voice I’ve ever heard him use, “I ain’t keepin’ you here I don’t need to, baby Fact is, it’ll be real shen you come crawlin’ back to me I’m lookin’ real forward to that” His so, and I fight against my heart’s automatic response to this side of him But it beats wildly in my chest, desperate for this type of connection with someone

I don’t want it with you

His hands mold to my face, and I brace ame he works on me I’ve heard countless versions of it It’s his way of keeping ainst

Rocco gets off on your need for him Not the other way around

“No one will ever love you the way I do No one, you hear me?”