“What was so urgent? Did you hit her again?” Tim plopped on the sofa while I laced up my boots.

“Not exactly. I showed her a photo of that boyfriend of hers and the blonde.”

“You mean the private detective he hired to find her?”

“She doesn’t know that. She thinks it was a date. She’s stayed in bed all afternoon because of it.”

“You’re not going back out there. How dumb do you have to be to put yourself into the path of the private detective?”

“I’m keeping my enemies closer. Don’t worry about me. Just make sure the house doesn’t burn down with her in it.” I took a step out of the room and turned back to him. “And don’t go up there unless she buzzes. I don’t want her to know I’m out again. Listen for the sound of breaking glass, though. I removed the board from the window.”

“Why would she break the glass?”

“I nailed the window shut so she couldn’t open it. She’ll get the sun she needs, but she doesn’t need to try to jump out of the window to escape.”

“You’re getting soft on her.”

“Fuck off. She’s too pale. I didn’t expect her here this long.”

“Then let her go.”

“Fuck off.” I stormed out. I was sick of his constant whining about letting her go. He didn’t get it. He never would.

I’d just pulled out of the driveway, and my phone rang. I expected it to be Tim, but it was Joshua Mosley. I should’ve expected the call. I debated about letting it go, but I didn’t want him to call all night.

“You’ve got thirty seconds before I hang up. I’m busy.”

“Are you? Well, too fucking bad. I want some results, Michaels. I’ve heard nothing from my daughter and nothing from you that says this is working. What the fuck are you doing?”

“I’m doing what you couldn’t do, asshole. Now get off my fucking back and let me do it.”

“You have two weeks. Two weeks and she comes home no matter what.”

“You don’t write the rules. She’ll come home when I say it’s time. And if anyone asks, you’ve never heard of me. Is that fucking clear?”

“What the fuck are you doing, Michaels? Who’s going to come around asking about you?”

I hung up. He didn’t make the rules. He liked to think he did, and he could in his world, but he stepped into my world, so he’d play by my rules or learn my consequences.

I was driving to the house Laney and Bryce shared. If Bryce was home, I’d sit and wait on him to leave. If he wasn’t home, I’d let myself in with her keys and have a look around. I didn’t make it to their home before I spotted his car at a bar.

I turned around and pulled into the parking lot, cussing the location. I wondered if they’d still let me in. I did a lot of damage when I was doped up and drunk the last time I was there. It was time I made peace with this part of my past anyway. And, it was a good cover.

I opened the door and saw a new bouncer. I was grateful for that. Half of the battle was going to be getting through the door, but I made it through without incident. I knew the bartender would be the same since he owned it, but I wasn’t sure if his wife was still a waitress or not.

I made my way to the bar and took a stool close to Bryce. I left a one stool gap, but I didn’t want to leave much more than that. I didn’t want to be obvious and sit next to him, either.

I looked around for the bartender and waited until he finished up with the customers at the other end of the bar. I glanced toward Bryce and saw he was drinking what looked like whiskey. What I wouldn’t give to knock one of those back.

“I thought I told you to never come back here again.” Ted, the bartender, was in my face.

I didn’t back down, but I did back up. “You did, but as part of my sobriety, I’m here to own my mistakes and ask for forgiveness. I was wrong to cause the damage I did, but more importantly, I’m very sorry for how I treated your wife.”

“Are you fucking playing? Now? You want to come back now and own your mistakes? It’s been years!” He narrowed his eyes as he looked me over when I didn’t respond. “You look sober. So, what now? I’m supposed to offer you a beer to bury the hatchet?”

“Please don’t offer me a beer. I’d like to buy a soda, though.” He didn’t move. “You didn’t seem to have a problem taking my money when I paid you for the damages. Why won’t you sell a straight up soda to me?”

Bryce had turned his head and was listening to the conversation. I waited until the bartender walked away to get the soda before I turned to Bryce. “Damn, people have to make it hard on you to right a wrong.” I motioned toward his drink. “That used to be my favorite. Along with a side of whatever I could shoot up.”

He didn’t say anything and went back to his drink. I thanked Ted for the soda and sniffed it before taking a drink. I would’ve deserved the spike if he’d done it, but I wasn’t risking my clean record.

I didn’t look at him when I spoke, but Bryce knew I was talking to him. “It numbs the pain, doesn’t it?”

He took another drink.

“All it does is create another pain you can’t get rid of.”

“I don’t think anything is worse than what I’m feeling right now.” He finished the drink and motioned for another.

“Are you driving?”

“What’s it to you?”

“The fact I’ll be out on that road, too. You want to kill yourself, be my guest. Just don’t take out innocent people with you.” I let that thought sit with him a moment before I continued the conversation. “What’s with the long face, anyway? Your girl break up with you?”

“That’s what people are saying.”

I looked at him as if what he said didn’t make sense, but I understood every word. “You haven’t heard it from her?”

“I can’t find her.”

Ted walked back over with his drink. “Leave him alone, man. The last thing he needs is an asshole harassing him.”

“I can’t deny the asshole part, but I’m not harassing him. I want to make sure he won’t be driving home tonight.”

Ted nodded and walked off to help other customers. I looked at Bryce as he took another swig. I moved over to the seat next to him and slapped him on the back. “You drink up as much as you want. I’ll make sure you get home safe.”

“I’ll take a cab.” He slammed back the rest of the drink.

“Suit yourself. I won’t cost you anything, you won’t have to wait on me, and I’ll make sure you get inside your place instead of letting you sleep on the lawn. It’s your call, though.” I took another drink of my soda.

* * *

Bryce snored as he lay against his passenger door with his face pressed against the window. He lived close enough that I decided to drive him home in his car and walk back to mine. If he threw up, it wouldn’t be in my car, so I didn’t mind the walk. I remembered drinking so much that I didn’t care what happened to me, either. I was usually so high before I hit the bar that alcohol didn’t seem like alcohol to me.

I never remembered the events after three drinks when I was high, and I thanked my lucky stars every day for that, too. I used to want to know what happened. I used to crave that knowledge to fill in the blanks, but when I saw other people remember the insane things they did while fucked up, I no longer wanted that knowledge. That could tear you up and give you something else to work through.

Living as an addict and the memories I did have were enough to keep me clean and sober. I didn’t need to pile on more bad memories. The future was my focus. I just didn’t have much of one to focus on.

I pulled into his driveway and took a deep breath before I got out of the car and walked over to his side. He wasn’t a small man, but he didn’t have the muscle build I did. It would make him lighter to carry up the steps.

I pulled him out of the car and hoisted him over my shoulder. If he threw up, I hoped it missed the back of my pants. We made it up the walkway and steps without any vomit, but my hope to make it through the house was short-lived when he threw up in the entryway. I looked to the ceiling and shook my head. At least it was tile and easier to clean.

“Where’s your bedroom?”

He pointed up and fell back to sleep. Of course, it would be on the upper floor. I tried to walk the stairs without jostling him too much. If he threw up on the carpet, that was going to be his mess to clean.

I walked into a few doorways before I found the right room and plopped him onto his bed. He didn’t wake. I shook my head and pulled the covers from the other side over the top of him.

“Lane? Is that you?”

“No, Bryce. Go back to sleep.”

“Laney, come home, baby. Whatever I did, I’ll fix. I promise.” He drifted off again.

I grabbed the garbage can and set it next to the bed. He’d probably need that. He also needed to get off his back. I turned him onto his side to face the edge of the bed and moved the garbage can directly under the path if he leaned out of bed to throw up. I wished someone had done that for me just once.

As soon as I made sure he didn’t fall out of bed or roll onto his back, I went to the bathroom for other things he’d need. I opened the medicine cabinet and looked for some aspirin. I found it, but I found a lot of other drugs. I found common things like antacids and allergy medication, but I wasn’t sure what one of them was for. I wouldn’t have cared, but it had Laney’s name. I needed to make sure she wasn’t missing something important.

I took out my phone to research it, but didn’t expect the results. Clomiphene was a drug used to treat infertility. It may have had Laney’s name on it, but it was an older bottle. If she wasn’t taking it anymore, why hang on to it?

I looked out the doorway to make sure Bryce was still sleeping and looked through the rest of the bathroom. There was no birth control compact for pills, but there was a box of condoms. It didn’t look to be that old. If she wanted to get pregnant, why keep condoms?

I grabbed a glass and filled it with water. I placed it onto the nightstand with two aspirin and put my card underneath the glass. I wanted him to reach out. I needed to befriend him to build the wedge between them.

I opened the drawer to the nightstand, but there wasn’t anything unusual in there. I walked to the other side and smiled when I saw the sex toys and lube. Bryce was a lucky guy to have had her as long as he did, but it was my job to see he never had her again.

I checked him over once more before heading down to leave. I wanted to get to the bottom of the infertility drug, but I wasn’t sure how to approach that. I stopped and shook my head when I reached the entryway. One last thing to do before I left.