Future Husband: Oh, Sweetheart. I have no doubt you can be nice... with the right... motivations...
Heat pools in my stomach as I picture all the ways that Kash can motivate me to be nice. His hands on my body, my legs on his shoulders.Nope. Not going there.I don’t bother to reply. Instead, I put my phone on silent, ignoring it for the afternoon. I have too much work to get done. I don’t have time to flirt with myfriends.
Well, I guess my Kash problem is solved. Cora showed up to Thanksgiving with just Noah, looking like her hearthad been broken. After she told Mara and I what happened, we convinced her to stay here with us. Mara is seething and threatening to cut off body parts when Noah isn’t around. I don’t think Cora’s told him what happened yet. I don’t envy her.
I’m disappointed for my friend. She was finally starting to move forward, and I thought Atlas was good for her, but maybe not.
We’ve been trying to keep her mind off things and help where we can, but Cora has always been independent.
“Do you want me to grab you anything from your house?” I ask her as we watch TV. I know she isn’t really watching it. She’s been staring off into space for the last ten minutes and didn’t even notice when I muted it. Mara decided to go into the shop for a bit, but I wanted to hang out.
“No. I’m fine. Matt is going to get me a new lock, and then I’ll head home after I get done shopping for Noah.” She sighs. “I need to get back to normal. It was a pipe dream, Mils.”
Pulling her into a hug, I say a prayer that, somehow, it’s all a misunderstanding and that Atlas will pull his head out of his ass, but who knows. She just seemed so happy, and if someone like Cora can’t find happiness, I doubt there’s any hope for the rest of us.
“I’m good, Mila. I promise. I’m going to head out though. I want to be able to grab some stuff for Christmas before I get Noah from school. By the time I get done, I’ll meet Matt at my house with the new lock, and then I’ll just keep going.”
“Do you want some company? I probably still need a couple things for Mom and Dad,” I offer, hoping she takes me up on it. Cora just seems so sad.
“Nah.” She stands. “I’m good. I’ll text you later.” Heading out the door, she hollers out, “Bye, Willa! Bye, Daniel!”
Heading into the kitchen, I watch my parents washing the dishes side by side. The way they love each other is always something I wanted for myself. I don’t do hookups, and maybe I’m just not as experienced because of it, but I’d rather have something meaningful than something that makes me feel cheap.
They’re whispering to each other at the sink, and Mom starts giggling. The way my dad looks at her makes me cringe a bit inside. I mean, I’m happy they’re happy and in love, but they’re my parents... it’s a bit gross. They didn’t have an easy time when they struggled to conceive, and it nearly ended them, but here they are, happy as ever.
Deciding not to bother them, I quietly grab my coat and keys. Maybe I’ll just take myself down to the hardware store and get the pipe fitting I need to fix my sink. I found a video that should help with the repair. I don’t need a man. I can do things on my own.
Chapter Thirteen
Kash
“Damn it, Bri!” This is the last fucking thing I need. The single regret I have in my life just got done smashing the shit out of my SUV with a bat. She ran off before I went outside. Taking in the remains of my car, I want to scream. I worked so fucking hard to get this. To get to where I am. For all of it.Damn it!
The windshield is fucked. There are multiple spider splinters where her weapon of choice smashed into the glass and even a hole where it totally went through. I walk around the vehicle and take in the multiple dents, scratches and hits my baby took. I spent months saving for this.
Raking my hands through my hair, I fight the urge to scream. Atlas is pissed at all of us and still on the warpath. At least he’s not destructive like Bri. He just gives all of us the silent treatment. He’s really losing his shit. The crazy bastard is heading over to Cora’s house, yet again, in hopes of talking to her. Our fuckup means that my progress with Mila is tainted. He needs to fix this, and if he can’t, well, I’m still going to talk to Mila. I’m not losing my girl because Atlas lost his. Although he’s too far gone for Cora to let her get away forever.
After Seth calls the cops, he stands beside me, surveying the damage. “Fuck, man, she’s really pissed at you.”
Glaring at him, I point at what’s left of my car. “You fucking think so?”
“Leave it to you to drive the girl to madness. I had no idea you were so talented.” He smirks.
“This isnotmy fucking fault. I never wanted a relationship with her, which she knew. The way she responded is not on me; none ofthis is. People just don’t stalk you at work, your home, and smash your car when you don’t like them,” I shout.
Shit. I kind of do that to Mila, but my methods are different. The way I stalk her is with love, nothing else.
Seth’s phone ringing cuts off my tirade. Listening to pieces of his conversation with Atlas, I know shit has really hit the fan. I need my phone so I can start taking pictures before the cops get here, and even though I’m pissed Bri didn’t stick around, we have CCTV, so it won’t be an issue to tell them it was her.Damn it.
As I get closer to the building, I hear glass breaking. Shit.Heading toward the back door, I fling it open and run through the small hallway leading to the front. If I thought my car looked bad, it’s nothing compared to what I’m looking at now.
Bri is destroying everything in sight. Her dark hair wildly flies around her as she takes the bat to my station, sweeping everything off the stands and onto the floor. Our front window looks much like my SUV’s does, and I have to remind myself a dozen times that no matter what, I don’t hit women.
“Bri! Stop!” I shout at her.
Turning her hate-filled eyes toward me, she swings the bat and knocks more things to the ground. She’s already destroyed my station and is moving onto the others.Hell no.Moving forward, she swings the bat at me with an animalistic battle cry.
“This is your fault! You fucking bastard! I gave you everything!” she shouts, swinging wildly at everything.
