I hear Skye’s cry from outside.

I was debating whether to come in or not. I pushed Skye pretty hard today. Fuck, my head is kind of screwed up lately. It has been, since the mess with Carrie. Something about Skye throws me off kilter, and I just got tired of waiting. Now, I’m starting to have second thoughts about pushing her.

Why should Skye give me a shot? She sure as hell deserves better than me. I’ve been a fucked up mess for so long now, I’m not sure I remember who I was before. Dragon feels guilty over the attack at Dancer’s. He shouldn’t. That’s on me, it’s all mine. I was drunk. If I hadn’t been, the fucker never would have gotten the drop on me. I never told my brothers that, and I got Melissa to help bury the toxicology results the hospital ran. That’s my dirty little secret. Fuck, it seems like I’ve been searching for something to get lost in forever now. The bottom of a bottle, pills…women. I disgust myself.

And what if I’m wrong? What if I backslide? I’ve been clean for six months, sure—but it’s been a fucking hard ride. That’s the main reason I haven’t pressed Doc, but today I snapped. I couldn’t stand the waiting anymore, and I went caveman on her. She probably thinks I’m a desperate fucker who has to chase women down. God, is that who I am now? I should just tell her goodbye, find my motherfucking balls, and walk away. I shouldn’t have to force her to spend time with me. That’s really why I’m here, and I had every intention of telling her that—until I heard her scream.

I open her door to find Walter-boy and Skye standing way too close together. Skye looks extremely pissed and more than a little scared.

“What the fuck is going on here?” I’m trying to stay calm, but I notice the top of Skye’s shirt is torn. I go off.

I grab Walter by his scrawny throat, and wrap my hand around it. I’m going to end this motherfucker. What would have happened if I hadn’t been here? I’m going to choke the life out of this miserable fucker. Nah, that’s too easy. I’ll cut off his dick, force-feed it to him and then choke the life out of him.

I slam him up against the wall and hear something fall. Then there is the sound of glass breaking. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a picture lying on the floor beside me.

“Who the fuck said you could put your hands on my woman?” I yell at the asshole, ready to tear him apart. Skye hits my bad arm with a…Fuck! She hit me with a bible! And not just any bible, it’s a hardback and looks like it belongs on an altar at church or something.

“Fucking hell, Doc!”

“Let go of him! What are you doing?”

“Teaching Walter-boy some manners, so he’ll know to never put his hands on you? You’re welcome by the way.”

“I had it under control! What in the hell are you doing here?”

“I wanted to see you.”

Her head snaps back like I slapped her. Then she looks back at Walter-boy.

She touches my arm and quietly says, “Let him go, Bull.”

Now normally, I would have ignored her, but she did something good here. She touched me. That makes me feel charitable, so I drop him.

“What are you doing?” she cries, bending down to help the asshole to his feet. He pushes her away and stands up.

“You said to let him go. Maybe you should ask him what he was doing?”

“I was kissing her, you moron,” he says, adjusting his suit.

Yeah, there went my generosity. I introduce his lying mouth to my fist. He falls back down with a thud.

“Kissing doesn’t involve a woman screaming no, asshole,” I tell him, and I’m congratulating myself on being so calm.

“Bull! I’m so sorry, Walter. Perhaps it would be best if you leave. We can talk about this tomorrow when…”

“What the fuck are you apologizing to him for? You weren’t trying to force yourself on his sorry ass. There will be no talking about it tomorrow. You’re going to stay away from Skye, and treat her with the utmost respect from now on, right, Walter?”

“Real classy guy you’ve aligned yourself with Dr. Walker,” Walter says.

“You remember that before you try anything else, or even try to talk to her, asshole. I can bury your body in places no one will think to look. You get me, right?”

“Bull! Walter, he’s not serious. We’ll discuss this…”

“I’m deadly serious. Try me, Walter. Try me, one time,” I tell him, crossing my arms.

He looks at Skye, then back at me, then leaves, slamming the door hard.

“I can’t believe you!” she huffs at me, and goddamn she looks beautiful, even if she wants to kill me right now.

“I can’t either,” I tell her.

“You just can’t come in here…wait… what?”

“I can’t believe I let that asshole walk out of here. You got me going soft, Doc.” I let my hand go down and adjust my dick. I grin as she watches the movement, and when her eyes come back to mine, I wink. “Well not all of me.”