Chapter 25 Rust
RUST
“I’m on fire! Fuck, this actually hurts!” I holler.
Tally snorts in amused horror as she grabs the metal waste bin and runs into the bathroom. She returns moments later to dump a load of cold water over me, the flaming pillow, and the remains of the scorched magazines on the singed carpet.
That’s the end of my battle with ‘Gossip Grove.’
Tabloid: 1. Rust: 0.
But I swear I will have my revenge. Once I’m not sopping wet and burned.
“Thanks, Trouble,” I choke out breathlessly. Dripping, I brace myself on my knees, one hand clutching the blackened pillow.
Putting out a fire was far more exhausting than I expected. It’s a whole workout.
Tally giggles. “Attempted arson? Badly attempted, I should say. I didn’t know you were taking your new bad boy image so seriously. Are you tryin’ to keep up with the infamous Bubblegum Outlaw or are you just burnin’ for me?”
“You got it.” I give her the ol’ finger guns. It’s a maneuver I reserve for the gravest, most cringe-worthy emergencies. “I’m on fire for you.”
She rolls her eyes but I’m positive I catch her trying not to smile. While she puts the waste bin back, I salivate at her towel riding up. Purple bruises bloom on the skin of her thighs from where I held on to her when I fucked her in my truck yesterday.
Tally returns to inspect the hole in my shirt and the reddened skin underneath. Her lips purse. “It doesn’t seem too bad. I got a first aid kit in my bag, but we should probably stop by the drugstore before we grab lunch and buy some burn cream. You don’t want it blistering.”
I only manage a nod. Tally caring for me like this feels like my chest is still on fire. I double-check to make sure it isn’t. Nope, now it’s my endless affection for her.
“Wanna tell me what happened here?” Her head tilts expectantly.
“They said mean things about you, so I killed them.” I wince. “I mean it. The… the magazine. I killed the magazine, yeah.”
Lord have mercy on me!
What am I saying? That didn’t sound half as reasonable as it did in my head. And talk about a Freudian slip cause I’d wring that reporter’s neck if I ever had the chance. Guess I gotta put another name on my kill list right after Rex Dalton.
Night Wolfe, your days are numbered.
“You killed the magazine?” Tally asks, rapidly switching between held-back laughter and utter disbelief.
I shrug. Her saying it like that makes it sound like I overreacted.
“Cause they wrote a mean article about me?” she adds.
“I didn’t want you to see it. Just lies and bullshit.” I stomp on the magazine for good measure. “Do these people have no shame?”
She puts a hand on my arm and that simple touch is enough to make my pulse flutter.
“You’re fucking crazy, Rust,” she says quietly but it doesn’t sound like an insult. To me, it sounds like a compliment, though it could also be that I’m in shock from turning myself into a human torch.
“These articles will never stop,” she says calmly. “People tell me to ignore them. They’re right. It was hard at first and I admit, sometimes it’s still tough. But it’s part of the price I pay for makin’ a living with my music. Everybody knows tabloids exist.”
“I knew they existed, but I didn’t know how bad it was,” I grumble.
“You can see it all over the internet. Most gossip is on there now and don’t get me started on anonymous comments on social media. The trolls are the worst.”
“I don’t really use the internet and I don’t even have a computer.” I grab my phone from my pocket. “Only this.”
“Holy—That thing is ancient!” Tally takes it, turning it in her hand like the eighth world wonder. “Does it work with that huge crack in the screen?”
“Like a charm. If I give it a smack now and then.”
“No wonder I couldn’t find you on social media! I bet this relic doesn’t even run modern apps.”
I scratch my jaw. “You mean like the Facebooks? Naw, I don’t need no apps. I only text with Cal and customers can come down to my garage if they want something.”
Tally shakes her head, laughing. “You know what? Good for you. People are assholes online and your future girlfriend won’t have to worry about you slidin’ into some gussied-up floozy’s DMs.”
DMs? I have no idea what she means.
“My future girlfriend won’t have to worry about nothing cause I won’t have one. Unless you’re willing to apply for the position.”
“Nice try.” She gives the phone to me.
I grin. “Alright, then can we get back to you looking me up online?”
“Nope. But I’ve never had anybody be so fiercely and recklessly protective of me over a tabloid.” She rises on her tiptoes and kisses my cheek. “Thank you, Big Guy.”
It feels like I’m gonna vomit butterflies. Wait, wait, wait. That kiss felt caring. Sweet. Nothing like the no-feelings rule she went on about. But maybe it was more of a friendship kiss? She did say we’re friends with benefits, which would imply friendship is part of the arrangement so—
“Ugh, it’s one of his pieces,” Tally says, looking down at what’s left of the article on the soggy, scorched page.
“You know the asshole who wrote this? Tell me who he is and I’ll break his fingers at every joint. Then I’ll set him on fire. I have practice now and can confirm it fucking hurts!”
She giggles at my threat of violence. “I appreciate the enthusiastic offer, but no, I don’t know him. Not personally. Everybody in the industry knows his pseudonym, but nobody’s ever seen him or found out his real name. He’s secretive. Guess that’s smart cause he’s made a lot of enemies.”
“No wonder with the blatant lies he writes,” I grumble.
Tally sighs. “Believe it or not, but from what I can see, this article is almost mellow compared to some of his other pieces. And that picture is from three years ago.”
“Then why would he print it again?”
“The press loves to dig this one up. It was taken when some girls from my record label convinced me to go out. I didn’t drink much, but suddenly I couldn’t even walk straight. The others called Rex and he picked me up. I told him somebody must’ve spiked my drink, but he didn’t believe me.”
Every muscle in my body tenses and I grind my teeth. It’s the only thing I can do to stop myself from punching a wall. At this rate, I’m gonna need anger management therapy and I should have Dalton foot the bill.
What an asshole to not believe a woman when she says her drink was spiked! I would’ve turned that goddamn place inside out until I found the guy who did it.
Tally taps the page with her bare foot. “And of course this Night Wolfe guy was there at the right moment to snap a picture. Just my bad luck. Since then, everybody thinks I have an alcohol problem.”
“For fuck’s sake, Tally. I’m sorry. I should’ve been there to take care of you.”
“That’s sweet, but to be frank: you were dead to me until I killed that drifter. I wouldn’t have wanted you there.”
I grumble, unable to argue with her point but feeling no better. What else has she gone through alone that I should’ve protected her from?
Sorrow creases her face. “Once, Night Wolfe wrote a piece about a rising country star. His accusations of drug abuse and a secret felony charge ruined her career. She tried to end her life.”
My stomach clenches. “Was she a friend?”
“No, we met a few times.”
“It’s still horrible. Somebody needs to stop this weasel!” I start pacing, wet socks squelching in my boots. “Ain’t there something we can do?”
“Your heart is too big for this cruel world.” Tally catches my wrist with a gentle smile.
“Ignore the drivel he calls writing. Readin’ about the great Dolly Parton has taught me many things about fame.
One of her most important lessons is that people are always gonna have opinions and criticism.
Not everyone gets me. That’s something I had to learn to accept. ”
She picks up the soggy magazine and drops it into the waste bin.
“Maybe this world is just too cruel,” I mumble.
“That might well be true, but there’s no point wastin’ our breath on things we can’t change.” She pats my arm. “Now get in the shower. I’m starving.”