Sanctuary by Joshua Ingle Read Free Book Online Page A

great place to raise a little kid.”
    “And it’s true that it has no retirement options,” Heather added. “That’s why it’s good to have a plan. Trust me, I’m going on thirty-five. I won’t be in the biz much longer either.”
    Crystal would rather be working any number of other jobs, but as a twenty-two-year-old high school dropout who’d been unemployed for six months before meeting Cole, this was the best paying work she could hope to get. Plus, Cole might not even stay with her if she quit. Besides , she supposed, someone has to do it. Crystal didn’t like porn, but in a way, she thought it was a necessary part of society. Online videos of Crystal gave hundreds of men a safe escape at their computers before returning to their wives and girlfriends. She sometimes imagined all the different guys who watched her online, and though it was definitely creepy, it mostly made her sad. Wasn’t real connection better than a lifeless computer screen? Even Cole knew that. Even Brandon, in his own sick way.
    “Just don’t try to save him,” Heather said. “Been there, tried that. Never works. Just leaves you miserable.”
    “Cole? Save him from what?”
    Heather carefully placed the wine bottle back at the end of the blue ruler and glanced toward the picture of Cole and Brandon.
    •
    “We’ve been fucking around these past few weeks, man,” Brandon said to Cole.
    He wished that Cole had the sight to see the early videos of Brandon and Crystal’s sexual exploits. Brandon had gotten her to do some hardcore shit with him, and most of it was on tape. If Cole hadn’t been blind, Brandon might have used that footage now, but since he couldn’t, he’d done the next best thing.
    “I’m so sorry, man. Crystal wanted it, and I know I shouldn’t have done it, but I wanted her too. I’m really sorry. It was a dumb move, and it won’t happen again.” Unless you don’t get rid of her.
    Cole just stood there, staring into the curtains that concealed his bedroom window. Brandon had always been able to keep Cole under his thumb before, but Cole’s earlier outburst added a nervous edge to this silence. Just when Brandon was getting ready to provoke him further, Cole finally spoke.
    “How many times?”
    “Every few days since we met,” Brandon said. “Sometimes more often.”
    “When was the last time?”
    “Earlier tonight. Check the sheets if you want.”
    “And it’s always consensual?”
    “Yes.”
    Cole nodded, turned, and spoke firmly. “Don’t you ever do this to me again.”
    Brandon stood, but was unsure whether to leave or to give Cole a conciliatory embrace. Having to lie to his friend like this made him uncomfortable, and his usual charm failed him.
    Cole spoke first. “Send her in.”
    •
    When Crystal entered Cole’s spacious bedroom, he was standing by his nightstand, his back to her, running his fingers over the braille in the book she’d given him. She couldn’t guess what he wanted, but since Brandon had come to get her instead of Cole himself, it had to be bad. Had Heather been right? Was he leaving her now, and her lack of a backup plan would send her back to joblessness? To her mom’s dilapidated house?
    “Hi,” she said guardedly.
    “I want you to get rid of it,” Cole said.
    “Get rid of what?”
    “Of the baby.”
    Whoa. Speechless, Crystal took a few more steps toward him, her shoes clacking against the wooden floor. Cole had never been excited about the baby, but this? No. Please, no, no, no, no, no. The baby was the one promising thing she had in her life right now. Getting rid of “it” was not something she’d be willing to do.
    She sidled up behind Cole and wrapped her arms around him. “I don’t want to do that.”
    “Then you’re out of a job.” He didn’t even hesitate before saying it. That hurt. Please, no. How will I take care of a baby on my own? She didn’t have enough money to be a single mom—not by a long shot.
    Cole slammed the book shut.