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“He’s not what?” I urged Mickey to continue.
His blue eyes darted back to mine, and then to the truck. “Nothing. You’re smart. Just be careful with him.”
And there it was. Written all over his was fear. He was afraid of Rhett or Callum, more than likely both. But why?
“I’m gonna go. I have Em waiting in the car.”
“Right. You’re okay though? The house is good? You’ve got a way to get food?”
“Everything’s fine in that department.” His concern was sweet, but not necessary. My dad left me enough to get by on for the time being. I’d have some type of plan in place by the time my cash flow ran out. It helped our house and the store were paid for.
“Alright, I’ll text you in a few.”
I told him bye and then went back to the car. I debated telling Em what had just happened, but then that would mean telling her about Mickey’s pill problem. I kept my mouth shut, adding another secret to my vault.
They say flaws make us human, our weaknesses can make us strong. Take a tragedy and make something beautiful from it, like I did with my art.
I’d added some more details to the painting I’d been working on the past few days. The setting was a forest of dead trees and broken branches, they represented the feeling of fear and desperation my rabbit felt as it tried to run away.
Bite marks pierced its spine, turning pure white fur red. Far away was an open field, above it a stormy, lightning-lit sky.
It was an illusion of hope. The rabbit would never reach it, for the wolf had come running.
He was a new addition, not yet finished. Needing a break, I hit the pause button on my wireless headphones and sat them on my stool.
I grabbed my cell from its charging dock on my way downstairs. One text from Em, another from Annika inviting herself other. Three from Rhett along with two missed calls, fifteen minutes apart.
I hit send on his number and put the call on speaker so I could pour myself a nice mixed drink. It rang twice before he sent me to voicemail. I waited five minutes, wondering if he’d call back before I went back up to my studio.
A knock on my front door had me abandoning both the phone and my glass.
The shape I could make out through my stained window was large, male.
“Who is it?”
A gruff, “Me,” came in reply.
I undid all three locks and opened the door, leaving him room to come in.
“I just tried to call you back.” I heard the door shut behind me and then the sound of his heavy boots following me back into the kitchen.
“You were painting.” Another observation. At least this one was more obvious since I’d told him just the other night that I painted, and my fingers were currently stained with black acrylic.
“Yeah. That’s why I didn’t pick up. I lose track of time when I’m really into what I’m doing.”
“I see that. I saw you with Mickey today too.”
His tone didn’t sit right with me. I turned to face him, almost wishing I hadn’t. His eyes were rigid, cold and hard like two pieces of solid steel.
“I saw you too.”
“Did you?”
“Yeah. Do you have an issue with that?”
He came a little closer, stopping just out of reach. “Isn’t Mickey your ex?”
“Why are you asking me something you already know the answer to?” I crossed my arms over my chest and shifted on my feet, wondering where this conversation was going. This was new to me, a path untrodden.
“Were you trying to make me jealous?”
I laughed in disbelief. “I’m not that kind of person. If your jealous of–.”
He tisked at me, shaking his head slowly from side to side.
“I don’t get jealous. I don’t waste my time or repeat myself either. So, I think we need to establish a few things.”
“Or you could just leave,” I suggested. “I’m sure there’s some other girl you can spend time with for the next few weeks.” The words felt like sandpaper on my tongue. I was trying to be the bigger person and offer an olive branch. When the tension between us became tangible, I knew I’d failed.
I took a small step back and he advanced. The look in his eyes dared me to run, that’s when I knew. I was that bloody white rabbit, and he was the wolf.
“When did I say I would be done with you in just a few weeks?” he questioned, now a hairs breadth away.
“You’re leaving.”
“What does that have to do with us? I could go to the fucking moon and you’d still be mine.”
“You’re insane.”
“I know.”
I went to move away, finding myself pressed against the wall before I could blink, caged in on either side.
“I’m even more unstable when it comes to you.”
