Page 38 of Doubting Hearts

Chapter Eleven

TOBY

I SLAMMED the door to my apartment, locking it. I wanted no unwelcome visitors. I was shaking with both irritation and frustration. I knew everyone had meant well, but sometimes it got too much when everyone wanted to try and help. The phone calls from Neil and his cronies had gotten to me more than I wanted to admit. The whispered threats, the disgusting things they said, the constant barrage of insults—all of them I’d heard one way or another before, and I was heartily sick of it. I’d changed my mobile phone number twice, but still the threatening voices found me. So, I couldn’t be bothered to change it again. Instead I no longer answered it, preferring to call people back.

I slumped down onto the bed, lying back, my hands behind my head. I had a few more minutes before I was due back on shift. Perhaps I could do some deep breathing and try to calm down. I’d left my last foster home at age fifteen, and the circumstances were something I wasn’t proud about. Rain thought he had something to be ashamed of? I snorted. I think I might win hands down on some of the things I’d done.

I was staring up at an uneven dirty patch on the ceiling, wondering whether it looked like an elephant with a raised trunk or a pair of balls with an erect penis, when there was a knock at my door. I ignored it. The knock came again. I hoped whoever it was would go away.

“Toby?” It was Tammy. I lay there quietly, hoping she’d leave. “Toby, you tosser, open this bloody door and let me in.” Her voice was loud, and I winced. She wouldn’t be above making a scene if I didn’t let her in.

I snarled, standing up to open the door. “What? I’m on my break. Can’t everyone leave me alone just for a bloody few minutes?”

She pushed past me. “I need to talk to you.” I shut the door and waited. She turned to me, and I was horrified to see the tears welling in her eyes. She looked at me with such despair that I couldn’t bear it.

I reached over, pulling her to me. I was a sucker for crying men and women. “Hell, Tammy, is everything all right, sweetie? I’m sorry I was such a bastard earlier, but I was just feeling a little stressed.”

“It’s all my fault,” she sobbed. “I should have listened to you and not got involved with Neil. Now he thinks you’re the one who made me break up with him, and you’re in danger.”

I smiled. “Tam, I’m not in danger. Neil’s a bully, that’s all. And it isn’t your fault, darling. He’s disliked me from day one because he and his dad are thick with that guy, Landon, that I clobbered in Lincoln, and he’s just looking for an excuse.”

Her face was pale. “And now Lucas might be in trouble too, all because of me. I don’t know what to do. Lucas says he’s not worried, just like you he can handle himself, but I’m really scared, Toby. I don’t want either of you to get hurt.”

“I pity the bugger who takes on Lucas,” I said drily. “He has a black belt in karate, and they’ll have to get up very early to get close to him.” I smiled. “I almost hope they try.”

She looked up at as she sniffled. “I didn’t know that. That makes me feel better.” She looked turned on about the fact Lucas did karate, and I grinned. I thought I’d just increased his chances of getting lucky. “Still, Neil’s being such a complete prat. There has to be something we can do.”

I shook my head, moving away to get tissues from the bathroom. “It’ll blow over,” I called out as I unwound toilet paper. I had no more tissues. They’d all been used in post-sex cleanup operations between me and Rain the other night.

I came out and offered the toilet paper to her. She blew her nose loudly. I kissed her forehead. “Better?”

She nodded.

I sighed. “Honest, Tam, this is just them getting their bit of fun. It will all blow over as long as we don’t rise to the bait.”

“Are you sure?” She sounded uncertain.

“Yup. Now stop your blubbering, woman, and give me a hug.” She hugged me and stepped back. “You’ll be careful?”

I sighed dramatically and crossed my fingers over my heart. “Scout’s honor. I will be careful.”

She turned to leave, then turned back. “Toby, Rain was only worried about you. Don’t give him a hard time.” She raised a hand to her mouth as she realized what she’d said and that, of course, I would jump on that bandwagon. I was nothing if not predictable that way.

“Darling, he counts on me giving him a hard time, and I him. Now bugger off and let me finish up here, and I’ll be down in a jiffy.”

She left, looking much happier. I pottered around a little, then went back to work.

The rest of the day passed sans any more emotional events. Rain let me be, and I didn’t see him the whole afternoon.

He’d obviously decided to give me space, but now I’d calmed down, I was a little miffed at that.

Surely boyfriends are supposed to be pushy and try and make you see sense even when you’d asked them not to?

I worked and kept an eye on the door, and when by 7:00 p.m. my shift was ending and I hadn’t even seen him, I decided to mosey on down to the Canterbury. It was locked up, dark, and there was no one there. I felt even more put out. The bastard hadn’t even said good-bye.

I flounced—yes, I do flounce occasionally, as camp as that might appear—back to my room and once again slammed the door. I scowled down at my sedate and snoozing cock. “See what happens when you play prima donna? Your boyfriend doesn’t even kiss you good-bye, and you end up all bloody alone with no chance for a bit of nooky. And it serves you bloody right.”

Mr. Cocky was silent, no doubt commiserating on my lack of nooky.