Chapter 5: The Savage Urge

Wesley couldn't make sense of it. Whitney, always so put-together, had somehow ended up working as a Karaoke hostess. It was Whitney's betrayal that sent him off the rails last night, drinking himself into a stupor at some bar. That was where he ran into Katie Norman, and that's how things went down last night. "Two hundred dollars. Since you're a regular, make it eighty." That line kept replaying in his mind. Wesley's eyes burned red. The cigarette smoldered down to his fingers, and he didn't even flinch. Heat surged through his veins. For a moment, he could almost taste iron, and a brutal, unmatched ferocity seemed to radiate off him. In that instant, he wanted to kill, to tear the place apart. Whitney, standing by the nightclub door, seemed to sense it. She suddenly turned, shooting a glance in his direction, right where Wesley lurked in the shadows. "Whitney!" Wesley took two involuntary steps forward. He couldn't tell if she saw him. The corners of her perfect mouth curled, like a contemptuous little smile. She shot him a quick look, then turned and walked into the club without a pause. Wesley followed for a few steps, then stopped cold.  His whole body shook, a savage glare burning in his eyes.  The world around him seemed to freeze, as if the world itself had drained of color. After a long moment, a sigh drifted through the dark. "Forget it. If she doesn't care, why am I still hanging on?" he muttered. He crushed the cigarette between his fingers and ground it out. He flicked his fingers, scattering ash. Wesley turned on his heel and strode away. Once he left, the murderous tension in the air slowly eased. The next day, Wesley woke up late.  As soon as he opened his door, he found Tiffany standing outside. "Wesley!" Tiffany's cheeks bloomed pink as she looked up at him. "My mom and dad say thanks for chasing off those bad guys last night. They want you over for dinner." "Dinner, huh?" The Lynch family lived next door, and he knew them well, so he agreed right away. "See you tonight!" Tiffany called out, bouncing off. Watching the little sway of her hips, Wesley shook his head, then, feeling at loose ends, wandered toward the delivery station. By dusk, he showed up right on time at the Lynch residence.  He didn't see Tiffany, but her parents, Noah and Ariana, greeted him warmly. Figuring Tiffany hadn't gotten off work yet, Wesley sat with Noah on the porch, sharing a smoke, while Ariana got dinner ready. They had even set out a good bottle of liquor. After a cigarette, Wesley needed to use the bathroom. He crossed the narrow hallway, opened the back door, and headed for the bathroom. He came by a lot and knew the place well. He pushed open the bathroom door out of habit and stepped in, then froze. Through a haze of steam stood a tall beauty, her skin pale as milk, shower spray sparkling on her shoulders. "Aah!" The moment Tiffany saw Wesley, she screamed. Her small hands flew down to cover herself. Shame and panic lit her face, and something feral surged up in Wesley. That harsh edge inside him flared, his eyes burned red, and instinct nearly shoved him forward, ready to seize and devour this perfect body. He took a step, then reason slammed on the brakes. He stopped dead. Drawing a long breath, he forced the boiling blood to settle, turned on his heel, and left fast. Outside, he stood for a long moment before he could wrestle the savage urge back into its cage. Only once he had steadied himself did he head for the living room. Before he reached it, he heard the couple talking. Noah's voice carried. "Looks like Tiffany really likes Wesley. She didn't even buy me liquor for my birthday, and today, because Wesley's coming, she bought a bottle." "Don't get any ideas. Tiffany and that boy? Not happening," Ariana shot back. "Listen, don't forget who carried her home that night after her shift when she got into trouble. If it weren't for Wesley, she would be dead!" Noah retorted. "Yeah, I admit he saved her. So what? Tiffany's at a big hospital now. She's only an intern, but she'll be staying on. Wesley's just a delivery guy. How could he possibly be a match for her?" "You..." Noah swallowed the rest. He was clearly henpecked and didn't dare push further. Wesley cleared his throat and walked in. They cut off their talk at once.  Ariana called smoothly, "Come on, Wesley, have a seat. Dinner's ready. Hey, where's Tiffany? Why isn't she here yet?" Wesley said nothing and took his seat at the table. After a while, Tiffany came out of her room. She had changed into a plaid jumpsuit, her long black hair loose down her back. Fresh from washing, a few bright droplets clung to the strands. She looked poised and radiant. Her face was crimson, though. She kept her head down as she came over, unable to meet Wesley's eyes. "What's up with you? Wesley's here, and you're shy. Pour him some alcohol," Noah said. Blushing, Tiffany hurried over, poured for her father, then for Wesley. As she handled the bottle, her hand brushed Wesley's. She jumped like a spooked fawn. She shot him a glance, set the bottle down in a rush, and fled. Noah and Ariana exchanged a look. What happened to Tiffany? After a long minute, Tiffany came back out, sat at the table, and managed to steady herself. Noah could hold his liquor, and he kept urging Wesley to drink. Wesley's mood was foul, and he didn't refuse. After dinner at the Lynch residence, he went home and crashed. He wasn't even up yet the next morning when someone knocked. Bleary-eyed, he shuffled into the courtyard and opened the door. He blinked. On the threshold stood a tall woman with striking features. The longer he stared, the more familiar she seemed. It was Katie Norman. He recognized her and then noticed Ariana standing beside her. Apparently, Katie asked Ariana for directions and ended up walking over here.