15 Chapter 15

“You have no idea what I did for you, mother trucker.” Frank shoved Robin hard, causing him to stumble and fall back over the gnarly coffee table, almost onto the leather chair, but not quite. “You were my sweet, sweet subordinate.” It was almost tender that time, like a sexual pet name, since Robin had bottomed. “And I had to have you forever.”

But Robin knew what was coming as he looked up from the floor.

“And now…you’re nothing,” Frank told him.

“I can’t live like this, Frank. Not anymore,” Robin said.

“You leaving me? You saying you’re gonna desert me?” Frank was right there, leaning too close, his breath still smelling of Marlboros, and now also whiskey. “Can’t live?” He jerked Robin up, not helpfully, but roughly. “You want out?”

“No. Yes. I don’t know, Frank.” Robin pulled away. He circled the small room, stopping at the picture of the cabin on the wall. “I just can’t stand the way things are.”