Jason Deas - Benny James 02 - Pushed Read Free Page B

her gin and tonic and held it in front of Benny. “A toast,” she announced.
    “A toast,” Benny parroted.
    “To the alleviation of my sadness,” Lizzy declared.
    “Let your sadness be gone.”
    The two clinked glasses and both took long drinks. As Lizzy tilted her head back to take a second drink, Benny took the opportunity to sneak a peek to solve the mystery of the possible missing bra. Case solved—no bra. Flustered by a sharp shift in his hormones when faced with the undeniable beauty of this young woman, Benny downed the rest of his drink.
    Now, let’s get one thing straight—Benny never in his mind accused alcohol for his undoing and poor choices. Benny blamed himself, his lack of clarity and focus, and his boy parts.
    Seeing his drink finished, Lizzy popped up and slinked over to the silver cart from room service. She too, needed a refill and played bartender with her back purposely to Benny so he could study her without detection. And study her he did. Of course, at one point in the making of the drinks, Lizzy dropped something and had to bend over to pick it up. Benny almost passed out.
    Delivering the drinks, Lizzy asked him if he would like to make a toast.
    “To your happiness.” Benny held up his beverage.
    “Do you mean it?” Lizzy asked.
    “Of course,” Benny answered. “I want you to heal from this terrible tragedy and live a happy life.”
    “Do you want me to be happy right now?” Lizzy asked.
    “Yes.”
    “Promise?”
    “Promise.”
    Lizzy pulled her thin white summer dress over her head and tossed it onto the floor. She still had on the pink panties Benny had touched twice. She sat in Benny’s lap without rejection.
    “You promised,” she said, rubbing a hand against his chest.
    “I did promise,” he answered, fully under her spell.
    Benny touched Lizzy’s panties for a third time, and the rest as they say is history.
     

Chapter 3
     
    Brother Jim woke up in Room 14 of the Tepee King motel in St. Augustine, Florida. He wasn’t sure how he had arrived in the city and didn’t remember checking in to the dive. There was a lipstick smudge he noticed on the white oxford he slept in. He imagined a struggle; he saw in his mind a beautiful young girl’s face scraping his chest.
    Jim ripped the shirt off, snapping the buttons as they popped across the bed and onto the floor. He removed his belt and pants and struck each of his naked legs with violent whips. He repeated the actions until the feeling in his legs turned from pain to nothingness. He fell to his knees and prayed.
    Jim prayed for guidance, strength, and foresight. He prayed he might make his daddy happy. He prayed for the blackouts to end. After the prayer and self-punishment, Jim turned on the television and found a 24-hour news station.
     He wasn’t allowed to watch television. His daddy said the devil created television for sinners. Jim scanned the ceiling for cameras and looked under the bed. He checked behind the shower curtain and peered out the peephole.
    Once he felt the room was free of suspicious surveillance, he turned his thoughts to the tube. The anchor spoke of a young girl’s death, and the screen flashed the last picture taken of her in a beauty pageant dress. Jim thought she was lovely. Something about her seemed familiar, and he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was. As he reached for his Bible, the news station played a clip of her, which included her voice. Déjà vu he thought. I’ve heard that voice before .
    He turned off the television with a jerk, thinking he heard footsteps outside the draped window. Jim froze and listened. His heart pounded in his ears. Once he was sure the sounds and threat had passed, he relaxed.
    Jim’s eyes scanned the room searching for an item to fill a need. He grabbed the comforter off the bed and tried to tear it, but the material was too thick. The sheet was almost old enough and with a few more tatters he might have been able to rip the fabric.
    Between