Neighbor Dearest(56)

“If I want to get in his car…if I want to let him fuck me tonight…that’s my decision.”

A vein popped out of his neck. “Don’t say that.”

“You can’t handle even a little of your own medicine? You mean to tell me you’re not gonna take her back to your apartment tonight?”

“Actually, no. I don’t even like her.”

“Isn’t that the point?”

“It used to be. It doesn’t feel right anymore. This was the first time I’d gone out in a very long time. I forced myself because I desperately needed a distraction, since I’ve been trying like hell to stay away from you.”

“You really shouldn’t have followed me here.”

“I swear to God, it wasn’t my intention to let you see me. And it definitely wasn’t my intention to let you see me with her.”

“I bet,” I said, crossing my arms.

“I just wanted to check things out. When I saw the way you let him touch you, I fucking lost it.”

“Do you have any idea how badly it hurts me to see you with that fucking bimbo? You didn’t need to follow me here with her.” I muttered, “Stop hurting me.”

Again, he started to move in close to me, prompting me to back away.

“I’m sorry, Chelsea. I know I fucked up. I didn’t handle this well, but I don’t want you getting in his car again.”

“How am I supposed to get home?”

“I’ll drive you.”

Laughing angrily, I chided, “I’m sure your date would love that.”

“I don’t give a fuck what she thinks. I just want you home safe.”

Now, I was getting in his face intentionally. “You’re insane. You’ve lost your mind, Damien.”

“I don’t trust him. I’m telling you, he’s dangerous.”

“I think you’re the dangerous one tonight. Please stay out of my life. I don’t want to ever see you again.”

I turned around and never looked back. After entering the theater, I bypassed my seat, instead exiting out an emergency door to the parking lot.

As I passed Damien’s parked truck, I noticed he’d added three decals to the rear window: a man and two dogs.

My heart clenched at the sight. I missed him so much, yet I couldn’t deal with being in his presence anymore.

Replaying the night repeatedly in my head, I walked a couple of miles then hopped a bus home.

Damien sent me one text sometime after midnight.



I didn’t mean for shit to go down like that. I really was just trying to make sure you were safe. I fucked up. I’m sorry. Please just let me know you got home okay.



I never answered.







The more I thought about the movie theater incident over the next week, the angrier it made me.

The more I thought about the movie theater incident…the more I missed Damien.

I was still so confused.

I told myself I was going to his apartment that day to give him a final piece of my mind, to have the final say, since I never answered the text. That was a lie. I was going to his apartment because I missed him and the dogs, but I would tell myself otherwise to justify it. The truth was, I was satisfying the intense urge to see him.

An unusual sight greeted me as I approached the building. A crowd was gathered outside. Had the fire alarm gone off?

When I spotted The Double Ds with Murray, it made me wonder where Damien was in the midst of this chaos. Dudley and Drewfus were both chained to a fence.

The dogs had almost no reaction as I bent down to rub their heads. Looking up at Murray, I asked, “What the heck is going on?”

“It’s Damien.”

“What about Damien?”

“He collapsed. Ambulance just took him to the hospital.”

I had to ask the question again, because the answer he gave me wasn’t possible.

My heart and head were pounding in synch. “What? What happened?”

“The dogs were banging themselves against the door, scratching against the wood, barking like crazy. When I knocked, he didn’t answer. I used my key and found him on the ground unconscious, called 911.” He shook his head. “Poor Boss.”

If I weren’t already crouched down, I might have collapsed myself.

“Is he going to be okay?”

“I don’t know.”

“Where did they take him?”

“I don’t know.”

“I need to know!”

“Memorial and General are both equally close. It has to be either one of those.”

I felt dizzy because I stood up so fast. “I took the bus here. I need your car.”

Murray gave me his keys, and I took off before realizing I didn’t even know which car was his.

He followed me and put his hand on my shoulder. Sensing my disoriented state, he said, “You shouldn’t drive like this.”