she was freaking out about. She led me to the guest room where I spotted my old bedside table drawer open. In her hands was a stack of photos that I’d taken of several women I’d slept with. It was a horrible discovery for my mother to find. She looked up at me with disgust. “What in the hell is this, Joey? Please tell me that you’re not part of some sick group.”
I chuckled, but quickly calmed myself. “I’m not. It’s not what you think, mamma.”
She tossed them on the bed and I leaned over stacking them and putting them in my back pocket. “You weren’t meant to see them. They’re private.”
“Did you sleep with all those women, Joseph? Tell me.”
I sat down on the bed and waited for her to sit beside me. She crossed her arms and refused. I knew I had to lie to preserve the image she had of me. “I didn’t sleep with all of them. They sent them to me through a online datin’ site that I used to be a member of.”
“Why would you keep them? Do you know how disgraceful they are? Those women are someone’s children.”
“They’re all adults and willingly posed. It’s not like I secretly taped someone. Calm down. I’ll throw them away.”
“How long have you had them?”
Another lie was coming out of my mouth. “Years. Stop worryin’ yourself. I’m not some creep. Just because I don’t have a girlfriend, don’t mean I’m on there takin’ advantage of helpless women. The one’s that I do choose to be intimate with are treated respectfully.”
She was still crying, but seemed to relax a little bit. I stood up and hugged her until she finally reached her arms around my back. “Please throw them away, Joey. I don’t want to ever see them again. Do you hear me?”
“Yeah. I promise.”
I took the photos and stuck them underneath some shirts in my dresser. It wasn’t like I s at in a room staring at them while beating off. Sure it was a collection of sorts, but I liked having them to remember the good times that each woman gave me. Her finding it couldn’t change the way I was. It wasn’t like I was some kind of monster. I had arrangements with a few women and we kept each other satisfied without strings. Why was that so hard for people to understand?
My mom stayed busy getting ready for the party, while I tried my best to put on a happy face and pretend that all was well with the world. The guest s had started to arrive and I was itching to see what Lacey had put on for the occasion.
A short while later I saw her getting out of her car. She looked amazing as usual. I walked outside and met her before she could get to their door. “You’re invited to the after party tonight. It’s bein’ held in my bed.”
“Flattering, but I think I’ll pass.” She started walking again.
“The back of you looks just as good as the front. Tell me, Lace, are you wearin’ panties or just airin’ it out?”
She slapped me with her purse before going inside leaving me standing there.
A while later, when both houses were full of family and friends, I wondered what Lacey was up to. My mom had made it clear that I was to stay and show everyone my new place, but I was too curious not to check things out. I only had weekends to work my magic, so I had to make the most of it.
I grabbed a case of beer and used it as an excuse to go over to their place, but just as I was walking out of my apartment, I spotted Shayne walking in theirs. I waited a couple seconds to see if Ford would actually throw him out. When nothing happened, I knew it was safe to proceed inside.
I spotted Lacey almost immediately and winked at her, even though she was standing with Shayne. After seeing him up close and personal, I had to wonder what she saw in him. He looked like every other lifeguard type that I’d ever known. Apparently, he’d seen me and Lacey locking eyes and wasn’t too happy with it. He started on her immediately, and for some reason, it really pissed me off.
“You’ve got a lot of
Learning to Kill: Stories