"I want you, Sally."
She moaned a little bit as he pressed his erection forward, nudging her sex. She lifted her hands up and placed them on his chest.
And gently pushed him away.
"I can’t, Donnie. I'm sorry."
He stepped backwards, breathing heavily. He squeezed his hands into fists to keep himself from reaching for her.
"Don't you like me, Sally?"
She crossed her arms over her chest and looked away.
"I just- I just want to be left alone. It's easier that way."
He stared at her for a minute, hoping she would relent. But she wasn't even looking at him. She looked small, like she was trying to shrink into herself and become invisible.
"Please, Donnie."
He cursed under his breath and grabbed his shirt and jacket. He didn't wait for her to come and unlock the door. He clicked open lock after lock until the door opened. It was beautiful out- a perfect balmy afternoon in late spring. But he didn't care.
He didn't care about anything.
Chapter 18
Sally
Sally had finally cried herself to sleep a couple of hours before she had to be at the diner for the morning shift. She was working a double for the third time that week. She needed the money in case she had to run again.
Not if. When. She was getting that itch again. The need to run.
Besides, if she was at the diner, it was a little easier not to think about Donnie.
Or Carl.
She had hated him before, feared and despised him. But now she was even angrier than she'd been when he hurt her, when he stripped away her self esteem and stole her country music career out from under her boot heels.
Because now he'd robbed her of a chance at something real. Something good.
He’d stolen her chance with Donnie.
No, Donnie was just a nickname. His name was Donahue. She didn't even know his real first name. And she was unlikely to ever get a chance to. She's sent him away time and again.
There was no way he would want her now.
At the diner she was like a shark; in constant motion. If a shark stopped moving it would die. Sally felt the same way. If she stopped moving she'd have to face the mess she'd made of things. She'd have to face the prospect of being alone. Always running.
Forever.
She looked around Mae's after putting the mop away. The place was clean when she'd come in earlier that morning, but now it was cleaner. Spotless even. She sighed.
It might be just a diner but she'd miss it when she left town. Mae was always kind to her and had given her a job even without ID or experience. Charlie, the line cook was a sweet older guy. And Kaylie was a real friend.
Oh God, Kaylie!
With all that was happening with Donnie she'd forgotten all about her friend. At least she'd be in this afternoon so Sally could find out what was going on with her. Maybe she'd made a decision about Devlin and his impromptu proposal.
It would be good to talk to a friend. She kept feeling her eye straying to the clock, waiting for Kaylie to start her shift.
She hoped her friend was alright.
Chapter 19
Donahue
"Throw it!"
"Donnie…"
"Come on man! Throw the little bastard."
"Alright…"
Mike the prospect wound up his arm and threw a full beer can. Straight at Donnie's head. Donnie held his fist up and punched the can out of the air, spraying his whole body with beer.
He laughed.
"Do another one!"
"Donnie, man I got to get inside and run the bar. It's starting to get busy in there."
Donnie had a moment where he debated pulling rank. Or just beating the shit out of the prospect.
"Okay, Whisky Beard. But when I come in, I expect chilled tequila in a glass."
"Chill the tequila? Or the glass?"
"Both man! Jesus."
Mike shook his head and walked inside. Donnie looked around for something else to break. He'd been drinking and breaking things for days now. He was almost starting to enjoy himself.
Almost.
After she'd kicked him out he'd come to the clubhouse. That was five days ago. He hadn't been home since.
The guys were all giving him a wide berth. Nice Donnie was gone. Mean Donnie was in full effect.
Mean and pent up. Frustrated as hell. Sally had primed the pump and sent him packing.
The worst part was, she was the only one he wanted.
He hadn't taken any of the sweetbutts up on their constant offers to lay or blow him. He hadn’t even been tempted but maybe he should try and make her jealous. Maybe all she needed was some competition to get her to appreciate him.
But he didn’t want chicken mcnuggets when he could be having steak and sweet homemade apple pie.
He frowned. She probably wouldn't care if he was with someone else but if she did… well, he didn't want to make her feel bad. Or ruin his chance with her. He didn't want to roll around with one of those skanks anyway. Not after he'd had her sweet perfection in his arms.