Control Ch. 02

The jingle of the door chime shook Michele out of her reverie. She glanced up at the clock. 4 AM. Thoughts of what just happened and what she needed to do swum around in her head but she couldn't focus or make a plan. A doctor. The police? Forget it. She had gone with him willingly, and that's all they would consider. She was a slut anyway they'd take one look at her and laugh, knowing her for the trash she was. Lost in her swirling thoughts, she was barely aware of the activity around her.

***

Gene opened the door to Denny's, thinking he'd just grab a quick cup of coffee before calling it a night. It was very late and he was tired, but he had been restless ever since he'd seen the silly girl leave with that scumbag from the bar. Maybe he was worried. He'd seen Vincent many times before, and knew what he was. He always came alone, leaving with someone, but he never returned with the same woman. Occasionally, Gene had seen Vincent show up with a woman, and they all had the same look cringing, cowering - subservient. Gene never understood the dynamic that went on there, only that he felt sorry for the women and despised the jackasses that did it to them.

He strode up to the counter noting the rather sad looking case slumped there, then did a double take it was Michele, only she looked much different from when he'd last seen her. Her hair was a matted mess. Her stockings were torn and where the hell were her shoes? Fuck, that bastard. He sat down beside Michele, signaling the waitress for a couple cups of coffee. When they came, he turned the sugar dispenser over one of them, letting it run, then added a couple of creamers. He touched Michele on the shoulder gently, and pushed the coffee over to her.

"Hey darlin'," he said softly, "Thought you could use this."