What the hell was happening to me?
I twisted the handle on the bathroom door so hard the lock snapped. It banged against the wall as I kicked it in. Instead of finding a couple passionately entangled, I saw the blonde leaning up against the sink, her eyes softening with relief.
My vicious intentions must have shown on my face. The woman rushed to explain, “I told him I was going to use the restroom. He misunderstood.”
The drunk roughneck was pissed, his shoulders tense, glare aimed at me.
It was a challenge if I’d ever seen one and I was ready to accept. The beast wanted blood.
“I know you roughnecks don’t know how to read, but I thought for sure you understood plain and simple English. The lady said she’s not interested.”
“Mind your own damn business, Barbeaux pretty boy.”
“No, I think I like minding your business just fine.”
Before I could make a move, my true quarry passed me, carrying with her a bursting floral scent that made my mouth water. She hurried down the dim hall and to the back exit, pushing open the door and disappearing into the night. I abandoned the roughneck to his drunk grumbling, my feet guided by an unconscious force.
The hunt was on.
Chapter 3
Dancing in the Moonlight
Tara
Countrymusicthumpedonthe other side of the door. Not the square dancing kind—not that I would know—but the my-wife-left-me-and-my-beer-went-warm kind. I’d lived in this state for three years but urban Texas was a lot different than rural Texas.
This was rural as shit.
After five days of hiding in a motel room with questionable stains on the carpet, I finally found my courage.
Whatever I thought I saw the other night, it was a nightmare. A waking nightmare after a traumatic event. I was hurt and full of rage, and my mind conjured a physical representation of that. I was no psychologist, but the vodka agreed with me and I didn’t question it.
I wasn’t going to spend the rest of my life scared that Jay would hunt me down.
I also wasn’t going to waste the rest of my impromptu vacation in a motel. I didn’t need a stay at the Hilton, but I preferred accommodations that didn’t look eerily reminiscent of a set froma scary movie. This morning I booked a quaint but clean rental house. I would check out of the motel tomorrow.
And tonight?
Tonight I was going to explore my newfound freedom. This wasn’t just a fresh start to my life. It was a clean slate for all the versions of Tara I was before.
Before Jay.
Before Texas.
Before all of it.
Looking over my shoulder at the destructive remains of my previous choices, I could see an obvious pattern. A dangerous pattern that led to being a prisoner in my relationship, captivated by the moods of a man that never loved me.
He wanted to control me.
To possess me.
They all did. I was a shiny object and they held me until I lost my luster.
The only way to change that was to change me. I was officially fun Tara. Unbothered Tara. Flirty but emotionally unavailable Tara.
Just declaring it made me feel better. Lighter, like my feet barely touched the ground.