Three Years Later, He Came Back Begging novel Chapter 176

The guy Abbot took to the police station was a petty thug with a history. He claimed he'd stumbled across Bonnie’s info online, swore up and down that he hated homewreckers, and decided to play hero. He’d tailed her from the mall, just waiting for his chance to make a move.

He was slick and street-smart, clearly no stranger to the cops, and for now, nobody could get anything useful out of him.

Lawrence left the mess for Abbot to sort out. All the trending topics about Bonnie vanished from the internet right after. He took a quick shower and changed, barely sparing a second to tend to his own burns before heading out to Fairview Estates.

He’d bought apartment 1207, so there was no one to stop him at the garage. He took the elevator up, heart drumming in his chest, growing more restless with every floor.

Not even on his toughest hikes with a pack had he ever felt this breathless.

He stood outside Bonnie’s door, hand raised to knock, but it kept dropping back to his side. He didn’t know what to say, didn't know if she’d even listen, but there was no way he could just walk away.

Shoulders hunched, forehead pressed against the door, he tried to steady the spinning in his head and the nausea rising in his chest.

Inside, Bonnie sat on the floor, stubbornly drinking in silence. Her cheeks were bright red, already more than a little drunk, but she blinked back her tears, forcing down another burning mouthful.

Right now, alcohol was the only thing numbing enough to save her from everything else.

It blurred the pain, made it easier to forget, just for a while, about the mess from three years ago…the agony she’d barely survived…the image on TV of Hannah, happily talking about her wedding date.

It even helped her ignore the memory of being yelled at by strangers in the street, or the helpless rage when her own defenses sounded weak and pointless.

There was the memory too of something wet and stinking hurled at her, and someone stepping in just in time to shield her.

Everything piled on, squeezing until she couldn’t breathe. If not for the alcohol, she felt like she’d have been crushed.

She opened another can, letting the sharp crack snap through the room. Her vision blurred as she hugged her knees tighter on the carpet. With every swallow, her throat burned and her stomach twisted.

But the memories and pain faded, slower and softer, letting her mind drift further from everything that hurt.

At least tonight, Bonnie thought, tonight she might finally get some real sleep.

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