Lieutenant Commander Stud Read online

  “Hi. I’d like to get a cab to ... hmm, I don’t even know where I am. Just a second, let me look around.”

  Molly looked up and down the street for a familiar building, and saw a gas station sign not far from where she was.

  “I’m walking to the Gas Goose on Main St. Right across from the grocery store. Could you send a cab there?”

  Molly hung up the phone and started walking again. The pavement was hot under her feet, but she didn’t care. The physical pain numbed the emotional agony, and Molly welcomed any distraction from her thoughts of Xander.

  Since leaving the driveway, Molly had lost count of how many car horns and cat-calls she had heard. Nothing could make her feel worse right now than this kind of attention.

  I just want to be home. In my bed. I wish I could take it all back.

  Shaking her head, Molly knew that those kind of thoughts would only bring her more pain.

  Be strong. If there’s anything you can do right now, it’s keep your strength. Keep your head up and look forward.

  Molly’s father had said those words to her when she was younger. In grade school, Molly had been bullied time and time again for being a teacher’s pet and getting good grades, when the rest of her peers were more concerned about being the coolest kid.

  Lifting her chin, Molly looked up to see her cabbie waiting.

  “Ah, are you Molly Tompkins? Ordered a cab to this location?” The cabbie was a middle aged man, and had a thick accent that made it hard to understand what he was saying.

  “Yes, that’s me. Can I get in?”

  Molly had never taken a cab before, and she wasn’t quite sure whether to sit in the front seat or the back.

  “If you plan on paying. Yes, get in my girl. You look like you need a rest.”

  Molly laughed so only she could hear.

  “More than you know.”

  Chapter 13

  Molly arrived back at her dorm a half an hour later. Opening the door, she saw Elodie sound asleep in bed.

  “El, you wouldn’t believe—” Molly stopped. A lump in the bed beside her told Molly that Elodie hadn’t come home alone either.

  Starting to undo her jeans, Molly stopped at the thought of them waking up. At this point, Molly didn’t want anyone to see her naked ever again.

  Molly snuck past Elodie’s bed and into the bathroom. The door creaked loudly, and Molly quickly stepped in, shutting it tightly behind her.

  Molly looked directly into the mirror. Oh my god. Who am I?

  The girl staring back at her might as well have been a stranger. Black mascara had smudged all around her eyes, and it looked like her hair had been back combed.

  You look like a hooker, Molly.

  Molly unzipped her jeans, pulling them down to her ankles. She twisted the corset so that the laces were in front, and quickly unfastened it just until she could slide it down past her hips. Exploring her legs and stomach, Molly pulled at her skin. It felt different, like she had been switched into someone else’s body overnight. Her usual soft, porcelain skin felt sticky and stained under her fingers. The soreness between her legs had downgraded into a dull ache. Removing her underwear, Molly felt the folds where Xander had been the night before.

  A knock on the door surprised Molly, and she quickly pulled her underwear up.

  “Just about to shower El. Be out in a minute!” Molly yelled through the door, turning on the water.

  I need to wash this filth off of me. I don’t want to smell him on my skin anymore.

  “Just let me in Mol, I won’t look. Seriously, I have to pee so bad.”

  Molly wrapped the only towel she could find around her and opened the door.

  “Thank you, thank you, thank you, I thought I might piss my pants.” Elodie looked at Molly and her jaw dropped.

  “Molly Tompkins, did you have your first walk of shame?” Elodie asked, in disbelief.

  Molly turned away from Elodie, dropping her towel and stepping into the shower.

  Closing the curtain, Molly turned the temperature up until it was so hot it burned.

  “Molly, tell me! Did you? You little tramp! I love it! I knew it would happen sooner or later!”

  Elodie stuck her hand into the shower and playfully slapped at Molly’s leg.

  “So, how did it go Mol? Did he live up to his name?” Elodie waited for Molly to laugh, but there was nothing.

  Elodie heard a whimper and pulled back the curtain.

  Molly was sitting down in the bathtub, head between her legs, letting the water beat onto her back.

  “Oh my God. Molly, I’m so sorry. I’m being a complete jerk. What happened? You can tell me, Mol. I won’t judge you. Not now, not ever.”

  Without thinking twice, Elodie pulled up her pants and joined Molly in the shower, clothes and all.

  Molly wanted to tell Elodie what happened, but she couldn’t stop crying long enough to get the words out of her mouth.

  “Mol, take a deep breath. Everything is going to be okay. Did he hurt you? I’ll fucking kill him if he did, I swear to God, Molly.”

  Elodie lifted Molly’s head from between her knees.

  “He didn’t hurt me. I mean, last night was so perfect and he was nothing but kind, and gentle. I thought we could really be something, you know?”

  Molly looked at Elodie, and Elodie couldn’t help but cry with her.

  “Oh babe. Guys are never what they seem.” Elodie stroked Molly’s hair, pulling it behind her ears.

  “I know you said to watch out for that kind of guy, but I thought he was different, El. He said things that made me feel comfortable. He opened up to me and I thought… I just thought…” Molly put her head onto Elodie’s shoulder.

  “Did you guys, uh—” Elodie began asking.

  “Yes. We had sex, El. I lost my virginity to some guy I met at a club, in the back of his pickup truck, in the middle of a fucking hayfield. I stupidly thought he was going to be ‘The One’ or whatever, and then when morning came he dumped me like trash on the side of the road.”

  Molly cried harder now.

  Taking a few deep breaths, Molly calmed herself down. Looking up, she noticed for the first time since getting in the shower that Elodie was fully dressed and soaking wet.

  “I can’t believe you got in here with your clothes on. That’s what I call a best friend.”

  Elodie took a look at herself and laughed.

  “I didn’t even think about it, I kinda just jumped in. I guess I really am like a superhero.”

  Winking at Molly, Elodie stood up and pulled Molly to her feet.

  “Come on Mol. Let’s get you washed up and then we’ll go out for breakfast. We need to take your mind off of this shit bag.”

  Molly wiped her face with her hands.

  “Okay El, I’d like that.”

  Elodie smiled, “Well, maybe you can do the washing up and I’ll deal with last night’s baggage.”

  From the bathroom, Molly could hear Elodie kicking her date out of their dorm. She felt bad knowing that this poor guy was catching the brunt of Elodie’s anger over what had happened to her. Although she felt bad for him, Molly couldn’t deny a tinge of satisfaction and smirked thinking of how nice it was to have the roles reversed.

  Once she had dried herself off, Molly wiped the steam from the mirror and looked closely at her reflection.

  You are still beautiful and you are precious, remember that. Now go out there and be the best you can be. He can’t take that from you—no one can.

  Chapter 14

  Molly and Elodie sat down in their favorite breakfast spot in town. It was a grungy cafe where you had to bus the tables yourself, but they had cheap breakfast and amazing coffee.

  A waitress covered head to toe in tattoos walked up to the booth where Molly and Elodie were sitting.

  “Anything I can get for you?” the waitress asked flatly.

  “I’ll have the Happy Breakfast Special. But can you substitute the bacon for sausages? I like my eggs sunny-side
up. Whole grain toast with a shit load of butter if you can swing it.”

  Elodie always ordered the same thing every time they came here. She could have just as easily said ‘the usual’ and they would have known just what she meant.

  Molly was scrolling through her phone, looking at photos she snapped from the night before.

  Elodie snatched the phone out of Molly’s hand.

  “Breakfast, Mol. You need food. Come on, order.”

  Molly quickly glanced at the menu before putting it off to the side.

  “I’ll just have what she’s having. Coffee too, please.”

  The waitress looked at Molly as if she had two heads, and walked away without saying anything.

  “Molly, I know what you’re doing because I’ve done it a thousand times. Take my advice and forget he ever existed, okay? The shitty truth is, he’s already done that with you. I’d be surprised if he has thought about you once since he left you behind.” Elodie took Molly’s hands and held them in hers.

  “I know El. It’s just ... I can’t stop thinking about him.” The desperation Molly had tried her hardest to avoid was now the very thing plaguing her.

  “You have to. You have no choice. He’s a loser and you deserve better. You know that.”

  Molly knew Elodie was right, but this kind of rejection was new and she didn’t know how to handle it.

  “So, what do I do, El? How do I start forgetting about him?” Molly genuinely wanted to know, because it seemed like every effort she had made to stop thinking of Xander only made her think of him more.

  “Well, you can start by turning off your phone. Or at the very least, every time you go to look him up, tell me and I can pinch you or something. I hear associating bad habits with pain is a surefire way to stop them dead in their tracks,” she said, only half sarcastically.

  Their breakfast came and Elodie finished hers in record time. Molly hardly touched any of hers.

  “Is that all you can eat?” Elodie asked, pointing her fork at Molly’s food.

  “I guess I filled up on coffee,” Molly said, taking one last sip from her mug.

  “Okay, I’ll go get the bill.” Elodie got up from the booth and walked over to the waitress.

  Molly looked down at her purse. One message.

  Her heart raced as she unlocked her phone and opened the text.

  Did he get my number last night? I can’t remember if he did or not. Maybe he was just stressed out this morning. I bet it was nothing. Maybe I’m just over thinking everything.

  Molly looked at the name on the message and frowned. It was just her mom wondering how school was going, of course. I really should just forget about him already.

  Elodie returned to the booth with a big smile on her face.

  “Alright! All paid! And the waitress even gave us a 5% discount. She said it’s called the ‘Heart Break’”

  “Was it that obvious?” Molly asked.

  Elodie put a hand on Molly’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. We’ve all been there.”

  Elodie made her way out of the cafe and headed to the bus stop.

  “Oh shit. Mol. I’m supposed to go meet up with a girl from my Bio class to do some studying. Do you think you’ll be okay? I won’t leave you alone if you don’t think you’ll be alright.”

  Molly didn’t want to be alone, but even more so, she resented the idea of having to be babysat.

  “El, I’ll be fine. I’m just going to go back to our room to try and get some rest. Guess it goes without saying that I didn’t get much sleep last night. I’ll see you later.”

  Elodie got onto the next bus, but not before giving Molly a big hug.

  “You’re the strongest girl I know, Mol.”

  Molly shrugged, “Takes one to know one.”

  Chapter 15

  Xander looked in his rear view mirror and saw Molly screaming, holding up her middle finger.

  For the next month, focus on the fight and only the fight. He thought of Tommy and the promise he had made him.

  All you had to do was stay sober and not pick up any chicks. Now look at you. Hungover and leaving that poor girl all alone. You asshole.

  Xander pushed the guilt to the back of his mind. His biggest fight to date was next month, and he couldn’t afford to think of anything but preparing to win. His whole life had been building to this moment and any distraction could cost him a contract worth billions, as well as a real spot in the international ring.

  Xander felt his phone vibrate in his back pocket. Pulling it out, he saw that it was a text from Johnny.

  Hey Xan, I forgot you took my truck until I went to go get in it and realized it wasn’t there. Where y’at?

  Xander raised his knee to the steering wheel, and grabbed his phone with both hands to text.

  Just leaving. Be there in fi—

  While Xander had his eyes off the road, he drove straight past a two-way stop without slowing down. A semi-truck driver going full speed through the intersection noticed Xander, but he was a little too late. With a loud crunch, the truck had smashed into right into Xander.

  The semi-truck driver ran over to Xander’s vehicle, waving his hands for oncoming traffic to pull over and help.

  “Somebody call 9-1-1! We gotta see if he’s alive or not! Help me! It’s gotta be bad.”

  Within five minutes police, fire trucks, and an ambulance had all arrived at the crash site. A crowd of bystanders surrounded the scene, watching the men as they used the Jaws of Life to pull Xander from the truck.

  Xander, disoriented and confused, looked at the men approaching his vehicle.

  ¨What is happening?” Xander mumbled, but no one could hear him.

  “Sir, you’re going to be okay. You sure are lucky to be alive. That truck must have been going at least 30 miles an hour when it hit you. Sit tight, we’ll get you out of here.”

  Xander looked around and saw debris from the crash scattered on the pavement. The windshield had been broken into a million pieces, and the door was now shaped into a sharp V and digging into his side.

  He felt blood trickling down his forehead, but before he could wipe it away, he passed out.

  Chapter 16

  Xander woke to a light flashing in his eyes.

  “There you are. We were wondering when you’d come back to us.” A large, gray haired nurse with a small flashlight and a clipboard was leaning over Xander.

  “What? Where ... where am I?” Xander tried to sit up but the nurse gently put a hand to his chest.

  “Now, now, kiddo, you better just lay right back down. Listen, a pretty bad traffic accident landed you here with a nasty concussion and a few scratches. You’re some lucky guy. I’ve seen much worse from much less of a crash!”

  A crash? What is this crazy lady talking about?

  “You’re looking a little confused. Don’t worry if you can’t remember. You’re most likely suffering from a bit of amnesia. That’s just a fancy way of saying that you won’t remember most of what just happened, so let me just cut to the chase for you, okay there sweetie?”

  Xander braced himself as he listened to the nurse tell him what she knew about the accident. By the end, Xander felt sick.

  “Why didn’t I stop at the intersection? What was I doing?” Xander asked the nurse, hoping she would tell him it was a brake failure, or a problem with the traffic signals.

  “We’re not sure, exactly. It looks like you just kept on going. Not to worry, the police will sort all that out. It seems like everything is going to be taken care of.”

  Xander looked behind the nurse and saw someone standing in the doorway.

  “Who’s that behind you?” he asked.

  “Oh! That’s right. You have a visitor here. We looked for a spouse or parent to call, but the only person we had on file for you was someone by the name of Tommy? He’s been here since the minute you came through those emergency doors.”

  The nurse turned to welcome Tommy to Xander’s bedside. Leaving the room, she shut the
door to give them some privacy.

  Tommy looked Xander up and down, completely silent.

  “Tommy, I ...” Xander began to apologize.

  “Save it, Xander. I don’t want your apologies. This will be punishment enough.” Tommy shook his head, putting his hand on Xander’s arm.

  “Enough punishment? What are you saying, T?” Xander pulled his arm away from Tommy’s hand, pushing himself up to a seated position.

  “What I’m saying is that there’s no way in hell you’ll be fighting next month now. Doc says that there’s still swelling in your brain and getting knocked around too much could turn you into one of those… vegetables. What happened, Xander? What the hell happened?”

  Tommy waited for Xander to respond.

  Xander, unsure of what to say, looked out the window on the opposite side of the room. The sun was setting behind the mountains, and Xander imagined being a bird flying to the top of the rocks, looking down on everyone else. Freedom to go where ever he pleased.

  “I just wanted to have one more night of fun before it was all work and no play, Tommy. I know I made you a deal, but all I ever do is make deals. I just wanted to be a normal guy and have some fun, without so much responsibility. I had a few drinks and I hooked up with someone. I didn’t mean to do this. I’m sorry Tommy. I fucked up.”

  Tommy rose out of his chair.

  “You’re lucky Xander. Lucky in more ways than one.”

  Xander didn’t understand.

  “More ways than one?”

  Tommy walked over to the table where the nurse had put out water and glasses. He poured himself a cup, and took a drink.

  “Right after I got here and found out what happened to you, I phoned the reps over at Street G. They were absolutely devastated. I told them that you just had a concussion but couldn’t fight next month. After a few phone calls back and forth, they told me that they’re still very interested in you. Only problem is, their next big fight isn’t until three months from now.”