Chapter Three
Mya
My stomach lurched from sugary snacks and too much coffee, but I was eighteen hours away from Jacob and counting. Yes, I was counting. I’d crossed three states and, with every welcome sign, I relaxed just a bit more.
The crazy thing was, why was I scared? He insisted I was worthless and useless and stupid. Could do nothing right and I’d let my looks go.
So why in the hell would he want me to stay, or now, to come back?
Because it threatened his image. His ego.
A man’s ego was the greatest threat to a woman. He would do anything to protect it. Even if it cost her sense of worth. Her life.
I was proof of that.
My eyes fluttered toward closed and, despite having pulled off here and there for catnaps, I needed to stop and get some real rest. The next exit, miles down the highway, would be a town called Sunshine, and the name called to me.
It sounded like the perfect place to find somewhere to rest. I hated to spend money on a motel when I had limited funds, but I wouldn’t be any good to myself if I fell asleep at the wheel.
Miles later, I got off the highway and found myself in a large town, maybe a small city? There were people walking on the sidewalks. Some had grocery bags. Others were in a hurry.
I didn’t see any signs for a motel. Man, my phone would’ve come in handy right about now.
There was a library up ahead. I turned into the cobblestoned parking lot and let myself relax for a bit. There were so many things I could drown myself worrying about, but right now, all I needed was a place to lay my head.
A place where Jacob couldn’t wake me up for a grilled cheese in the middle of the night or have my alarm be his dick pressed against my ass while he humped me awake.
I got out of the car and walked into the library, thankful it was still open this late at night.
A quick check of the large clock outside told me it was near seven.
My stomach sickened thinking about Jacob, already awake and wondering where I was.
Probably destroying his house in a rage fit and cursing my existence.
Good. It was his turn to curse my existence. I had been doing that to myself for months.
Once inside the library, I took a deep inhale. Libraries smelled the best, and it had been years since I was in one. Jacob thought reading was stupid.
He was stupid.
“Excuse me,” I said, walking up to the long, wide counter. “I am looking for a local motel, but I don’t have a phone.”
“A young person without a phone? That’s rare. But no problem. Sunshine has two motels. Personally, I recommend only one.”
That was usually the case. Every town and city had a seedy motel. “Where is it?”
“It’s the Good Night Motel.”
She proceeded to give me directions, but they were townie directions. Left at the water tower, right at the Presbyterian church. If I got to the blue house, belonging to Nellie, apparently, then I’d gone too far.
“Okay, well, thank you.”
I left with vague directions, but at least there was one nearby. First, find the motel. Second, try to find something cheap for dinner. Something halfway decent.
I took the left at the water tower and then found myself at Nellie’s house, which meant I’d taken the wrong turn somewhere but who knew where, since the librarian gave me vague street instructions.
After turning around in Nellie’s driveway, I started in the other direction and got about three more houses down when my car decided enough was enough.
Honestly, I expected this sooner but prayed to the Goddess it wouldn’t.
“No, no, no. Come on, baby. You’ve gotten me this far. Just to the motel. I’ll let you rest. I swear it.”
She didn’t believe me.
The sputtering continued while I freaked out and then accidentally turned too much to the left and slammed into a mailbox. The car spit and hissed, and smoke came from the hood.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
I got out and could do nothing but watch as disaster struck and had already stricken. I had taken out someone’s mailbox and couldn’t even flee the scene. Not that I would flee. That was wrong.
That would make two crimes in one day.
“You can’t do this.” I cursed life and the car and breathing.
Anything within reach. “I just got away. You fucking can’t do this to me.
Look where I am. Some person’s house. They’re gonna come out here and cuss me to hell and back.
Call the fucking Sunshine cops. I bet they’re a delight to deal with.
Small places like this hate newcomers and people passing by and that’s me. ”
I kicked the tire and it felt so good to have a concrete thing to take out my frustration on, so I kicked it again.
Okay, that didn’t feel so good.
“Come on. We’ve come this far. You can’t do this to me.” I leaned on the roof of the car but didn’t cry, not surprisingly. I’d learned not to let it show when I was frustrated. Weeping made Jacob furious.
I couldn’t figure him out. I’d tried endlessly.