Tortured

Chapter One: Wish You Were Here

Perry

Present Day

Staring at the small box, my hand begins to shake in anger. I don't have a choice not to check it. I grip the pen so tight the tips of my fingers turn white and the words taunt me.

#14. Have you ever committed a felony? If so, explain below.

Really? Like explaining why I did it is going to make any fucking difference. The short answer-I'm not getting the job. With a frustrated grunt I throw the pen across the room and crumble the paper in my hands. This earns me a sideways glance from Rob, the other mechanic I work with at my dad's auto dealership, as he walks into the break room.

"Tough day already?" he remarks with a smirk while pouring a cup of coffee.

I force a smile. "Nope, everything's perfect." After stepping around him, I stomp into the parking lot for a smoke. Granted, I've only been at work for about thirty minutes, but when your dad is the boss you tend to stretch the boundaries a little. In my case, I stretch them a lot.

Just as I'm taking the first drag, I hear a familiar voice behind me.

"Working hard, eh son?"

I close my eyes tight and release an angry breath through my nose. When I turn around he's adjusting his tie and waiting for a response.

"What's with you people today? Can't a guy just take minute to himself? Fuck."

My father raises an eyebrow. "Geez, what's your problem?"

"I don't have a problem."

His expression softens a little. "Is this about Sloan?"

My nostrils flare. I saw the engagement announcement this morning while looking for jobs I'll never get. "No, it's not about her."

"You sure?" he pries, stepping closer. "It's okay if it is. You two were together for a long time and I always thought you would end up together."

Clenching my jaw like a vice grip, I hold my tongue. Instead, I take another drag. The look of disgust is evident on his face. He never did like this habit of mine. Actually, he never likes anything that I do.

I swallow hard. "Yeah, well things change."

His warm brown eyes squint into the sunlight for a moment before directing back down at me. "Is this about Walker's memorial..."

That's when I lose it. I toss my cigarette to the ground in anger. "Jesus, dad. What are you trying to do here?"

He shakes his head quickly, clearly affected by my mounting rage. "I didn't mean anything. I'm just trying to figure out what your problem is lately."

I throw my arms out. "I don't have a problem, okay?" I let them fall against my sides and then motion to the back door. "Can I get back to work now or do you want to continue to list all of the things that are fucked up in my life right now?"

He takes a minute to compose himself, and speaks in a softer tone. "It would be nice if you expressed an emotion other than anger for once. It's like I don't even know you anymore."

This causes me to laugh. "You never fucking did." I don't wait for his reply before I stalk in the back entrance and slam the door behind me.