Page 65 of Hunt for You
The temptation was there to ignore the email and just go get drunk or something, but I knew Jeremy didn’t make empty threats. I had to know what he was saying, so I made myself click into it and read it quickly, my heart banging harder and faster with each of the brief sentences that boiled down to one, hard fact: Unless I started keeping contact every day, he was walking.
Fuck!
I tapped out a quick message pointing out that Ihadreplied to his emails.
It took him seconds to reply.
--
FROM: Asshole (Jeremy Haines)
TO: Bridget
SUBJECT: RE: No more bullshit or I’m pulling the plug
I’m not doing the back and forth anymore, B. We need to meet. You name the time and place, and I’ll be there.
--
Nonononononononono. Shit. Fuck.Shit.
I hated that he had this kind of control over me. Absolutely despised it—and he knew it. Usually he was pretty good about not using it. But when he did, like this, it made me want to run. Just take what I had and go and never see him or anyone else I knew ever again.
But then, that would mean losing Cain. And I wasn’t prepared to do that yet.
My fingers trembled as I tapped out another reply, taking a little bit more time with this one because I couldn’t push him, but I needed more space than he wanted to give.
--
FROM: Bridget
TO: Asshole (Jeremy Haines)
SUBJECT: RE: No more bullshit or I’m pulling the plug
This isn’t back and forth. I can’t meet. Not yet. But we will. I just found out yesterday my old Chaplain from high school died. I’m seeing Gerald tomorrow, then have a meeting with the priest the next day. I can’t really focus on anything right now. Please. I’m not saying no. I just need more time.
--
FROM: Asshole (Jeremy Haines)
TO: Bridget
SUBJECT: RE: No more bullshit or I’m pulling the plug
How am I supposed to know if I can trust you when you don’t give me anything? For all I know, you’re out there rage-fucking some dude and hiding him from me.
--
I shrugged to myself. I mean, he wasn’t wrong. That had been my modus operandi since I was fifteen. Until a couple years ago, at least. But I was growing up now… or growing cynical. I wasn’t sure which. But the end result was the same, and Jeremy had been around long enough to know I was changing things now. Even though he was an asshole, he was logical. He would listen to sense. Usually.
–
FROM: Bridget
TO: Asshole (Jeremy Haines)
SUBJECT: RE: No more bullshit or I’m pulling the plug