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“Hey, Ron.” I let out a breath, relieved this is almost done. I glance down at Gwen, who now has an arm wrapped around my waist and is leaning into me. “This is Gwen. My girlfriend.”
“Hello, ma’am.” Ron gives her a wry smile. He looks to Karen. “I’ll take care of this.”
“I want to press charges. I’ll give my statement in the morning,” I tell him. I’m done dicking around and having this woman wreaking havoc. It was one thing when it was only me she was messing with, but now that she pulled that stunt in front of Gwen, I’m royally teed off.
“You think that’ll stop me, lover boy?” Karen interjects. “We’re meant to be together. You’ll see that, and I’ll be here waiting for you when you do.” She looks at Gwen, her expression grim and angry. “That woman has twisted your head. You’ll see I’m right.”
Ron pulls her out of the house before she can continue. I’m about to apologize to Gwen about the whole situation when she says, “Is something burning?”
I race out the back door, lift the lid off the grill, and find two charcoal briquettes that used to be thick, juicy steaks. Standing in the doorway, Gwen listens to a string of expletives leaving my mouth.
She starts to laugh. I give her a dirty look. She laughs louder and harder.
“You think this is funny?” I throw my hands out.
“Well, kind of.” Now I’m staring, bewildered. “Big bad Caleb Thorne, attacked by a girl,” she sputters, while trying to hold back a giggle and failing miserably.
If Gwen’s all right, I decide that I’m fine too. I let out a sigh and face her. “I saw Karen twice. It didn’t end well.”
“You don’t have to—”
“Yes, I do. We’re in this together.” I lead her inside to the old leather armchair in the corner of the living room and sit, settling Gwen on my lap. The whole episode has left a sour taste in my mouth. My first thought is to toss out my couch and get a new one, but that thing cost me a mint. My mother and Sandra chose it, and they both have expensive taste. “I dated a lot. Some nice women, well, most were good women. Karen started off all kinds of sweet, but that faded pretty quick. She was looking for constant attention, and the very first time I had to leave because of work, she lost it. I knew then that it was all an act. She told me never to call her again. I didn’t. Then she started calling me every damn day. I kept telling her it was over, and one day, the calls stopped. I thought it was the end, finally.”
“But it wasn’t.”
“No. She took it to the next level and went to see my mother. Thank God, Dad was there, and he saw right away that something wasn’t right with her. He called me, and I got a restraining order barring her from my home, my parents’ place, or from seeing my family and friends. Haven’t heard from her in months, then this happens,” I say, exasperated.
“Do you think she’s been watching you?” Gwen asks.
“I don’t know, but I don’t like it. If you see her around or she comes near you, you call me immediately,” I tell her. “I’m pressing charges. Hopefully, the message will hit home with her.”
“Caleb,” Damian calls out as he struts through the door. He looks around. “She gone?”
“Ron was on duty. He took her to the station,” I tell him. Damian looks at Gwendolyn on my lap, sizing up the situation.
“You doing okay, Gwen?”
“I’m fine. A little shocked at first,” she admits.
“The woman needs professional help.” Damian’s mad. He paces across the room. “What’s the plan, man?”
“I don’t know yet,” I answer honestly. I don’t want to ruin Karen’s life. I just want her out of mine, but if she persists, there’s no way I’m letting her near Gwen.
Gwen slides off my lap. “Why don’t I go and pick up some Chinese, and you guys can talk.”
I stand, setting my hands on my hips. “So much for me making you dinner.”
“I’ll take a rain check.” Gwen plants a kiss on my cheek, then smiles and walks to the door, where she stops to pick up her bag, moving it to the side, and the purse she dropped earlier when she first arrived. “Be back soon.” She leaves quietly. No muss, no drama. She just keeps on going like she didn’t just walk in on a woman with her hands all over me like an octopus.
Damian watches along with me as Gwen shuts the door behind her. “Karen’s escalating, brother. Something’s got to be done about her before she comes in with a gun one night while you’re sleeping.” Damian’s been telling me for months that Karen wasn’t done with her brand of “love.” She convinced herself that we’re in a relationship and has selectively ignored anything contrary to her belief.
“I think it’s time I put in a more elaborate alarm system.” Not that it would have helped this time since I left the door unlocked and basically invited her in. I completely fucked up my chances of a breaking and entering charge, but I still have her on going against the restraining order. It’ll be a slap on the wrist, but if this keeps up, it’ll be another nail in the coffin.
“I’ll get Zeke on that. He’ll be happy as shit you’re actually doing it this time,” Damian says, raking a hand through his hair.
“I thought for sure Gwen was going to walk out of here and never come back after witnessing that bullshit scene,” I admit.
“It’s not every day a girl comes in to see her new boyfriend lip-locked with some skank,” he teases. “Boy, you sure know how to pick ’em.”
