AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But it’s not her fault, the same way it wasn’t dad’s fault after mom died, the way he withdrew, the way he sunk into himself.
Callie leans into me. “At least it’s nice out here.”
I look around the courtyard. There are trellises on the side of the building, controlled creepers moving up the walls, and flowerbeds that show multicolored blooming petals under the fluorescent lights. There’s a gate at the far end, which leads to the street, with more plants interwoven around the railings.
A growl escapes me when I see her standing at the gate, her hands wrapped around the railings.
I’m too far away to tell for sure, but I’m pretty sure she’s smiling, that sickening grin that causes flames to spit and hiss in my stomach.
“Where are you going?” Callie asks when I start toward the gate.
“To talk to the person who set the fire alarm off,” I growl, unsure if she hears me.
Alexis has no damn right to show up like this, not when I’ve finally found someone I want to spend the rest of my life with, not when I’ve finally found the woman everybody thought was a myth. The building manager says something about staying within the assembly zone, but I ignore her, striding toward the gate with my fists clenched at my sides.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I snarl, throwing it open.
Alexis titters and spins out onto the sidewalk. She’s one of those women who think she’s dazzlingly attractive, tall and lean with dyed hair and a thick layer of makeup, yoga leggings, and a tank top meant to display her body.
But she’s never done anything for me.
No one has apart from Callie, my woman, and Alexis is trying to threaten that.
“Did you enjoy my little game?” She giggles. “Come on. Let’s have a chat.”
She gestures at a nearby alleyway, as though I’m going to follow her.
I shake my head. “How did you get into my building? You don’t have an access card.”
“Oh, because it would be so hard to seduce someone who lives there… and steal theirs, wouldn’t it? Aren’t you proud? I went through all that effort for you, you know.”
I snarl, clenching my fists so hard I feel my nails digging into my skin.
“Alexis, you need to stop. I have a goddamn restraining order against you. You’re in violation of it right now. I know you’re clearly not well—”
She lunges forward, trying to put her hand on my chest.
I leap back, glaring at her. “Don’t fucking touch me.”
She pouts, a sickening sight. I don’t wish this woman any ill will, but I want her gone, out of my damn life, especially now that I’ve found my Callie.
“Don’t be like that, Connie.”
“Don’t fucking call me Connie,” I growl.
She folds her arms, deepening her pout. Everything about her turns me off, makes me sick.
Why can’t she understand I’m not interested?
Is it because she’s so used to ensnaring men that when a man says no she just can’t accept it?
“Who was that girl you had your arm around?”
I laugh, shaking my head. There’s no humor in the laughter, just the need for her to get the fuck away from me. “We’re not going to discuss my personal life.”
I almost add you psycho bitch, but I don’t have it in me to talk to a woman like that. If she were a man this would be going very, very differently.
There would be a war brewing between us if she was capable of defending herself.
“I’ve never seen you with a woman before.”
She looks sick under the streetlamp, ghoulish with the street dead quiet behind her. I can still hear voices raised behind me, beyond the gate, but out here it’s like a horror movie.
“Alexis, you need to leave now. Or I’m going to call the cops.”
“Call them. I don’t care. I’ll be gone before they get here. Unless you restrain me. Hmm. I think I’d like that.”
I growl and step forward, the thought of touching this woman – anyone but Callie, perfect sweet beautiful Callie – sends a maelstrom of rage swirling through me.
But this is what she wants.
She looks up at me with bright wide eyes, eagerly anticipating whatever I’m going to dish out.
I step back, gritting my teeth. “That woman is everything to me, Alexis. I’m going to spend the rest of my life with her. You need to get it into your head… I don’t want you. I’ve never given you any reason to think I wanted you. We’ve never kissed. We’ve never had an intimate moment. We’ve never even done anything. Why can’t you understand that?”
I only want Callie, just her, forever. For the rest of our damn lives.
I’m shaking as anger pumps through me.
For a moment I think my words have had an effect. Tears brim in her eyes.
Maybe this is what I needed to do all along, forget about being nice and hammer her with some cruelty. It brings me no pleasure to speak to her in this way, but if it’s what it takes…
