Getting in my truck, I make my way to her place and see she is already there. She had to have known I was coming. I’m surprised she didn’t go to my sister’s.
Guess she knew I would have gone there too. I also haven’t talked to Brenda much in the past two weeks, since the news of my real job and what I did was also new information for her. She felt betrayed but told me she just needed time.
Going up to the door, I twist the knob and find it’s locked. At least she’s persistent and safe. I knock.
“Kick rocks, Theo!” she yells from inside, and I can’t help but smile, missing her sass.
“Baby, I can pick locks. Open the door.”
“Nope. That’s breaking and entering.”
“I’m sure Ares will let that go.” She doesn’t say anything back, and I shrug. “All right.” I head back to the truck, grab my tools, and return to the door. Seconds later, I’m in the house.
“You jerk! Can’t you just leave me alone? Why do you keep doing this to me?” she bitches at the top of the stairs.
“Because I love you, and I told you I wouldn’t let you go once I admitted it.”
She huffs, groaning annoyedly, then walks to the bedroom, slamming her door shut. I make my way to the kitchen and start cooking us dinner.
A few hours later, I hear the bedroom door open after she ignored me trying to get her to eat. I stand in front of the sink and wash the dishes, waiting for her to enter the kitchen. But when I hear the front door open and close, I shut the water off, dry my hands, and run to the door. The hell she think she’s going? Opening the door, I see my sister’s car take off, and I curse and grab my cell to text her.
Me: Where the hell are you going?
Hanna: To burn down a house. Calm down. I’m going out dancing with your sister, and it’s not like it’s your business. I don’t have to answer to you anymore.
Me: The fuck you don’t, puppet. You’re missing the whole point. You will be mine. Actually, fuck that. You ARE mine, and you better stop with this shit.
Hanna: Or what? You’ll break my heart again?
Me: I deserve that. But I’ll do you one better. I’ll smack your ass red and leave you cuffed to the bed, where I can fuck my apologies into you until you can’t help but want me back. Try me.
Hanna: Maybe tonight, after I’m done dancing in this dress, with the body I learned to love right before you lost it, I will let another man do things like that to me.
I see red. Pure, burning red. Like an inferno.
Me: What did you just fucking say to me? You think I’m just a simple man who wouldn’t do anything, don’t you?
Hanna: No. I know you’re a man very capable of secrets and breaking something that didn’t deserve it.
I laugh sinisterly.
Me: I’m also a man who will empty a clip into a man for ever touching you the way I do.
Hanna: You’re a psychopath.
Me: Yeah, puppet. Your psychopath. And I will find you tonight. Watch me.
Hanna: Sure, good luck. Hopefully, I’m not gone and at home with a man who picks me up by then.
Instantly, I put on my leather jacket and boots, grab my keys, and head out. The only place they would go here is Dean’s, and I know they wouldn’t be dumb enough to do that. So I head to the next city over. There is a new club opening, and Brenda let it slip that she had an in with the owner. I’ve never driven so fast in my life with so much rage coursing through my body.
I find the club, pay the valet, and go to the door. There is a line, but I hand the bouncer a hundred-dollar bill. He lets me in, seeing that I don’t look like I’m staying long. People are dressed up for a nice dance club. I’m wearing jeans, a tee, a leather jacket, and boots. I came for one thing and will leave with her in minutes, freeing up two spaces in this new club.
I walk in and search the bar first, seeing if they’re ordering drinks, but find nothing. Next, I eye all the booths quickly and come up empty-handed. But then, bullseye. In the middle of the dance floor, wearing a strapless skin-tight dress ending midthigh with a thick black choker around her neck, Hanna is dancing with my sister.
She doesn’t see me, but I watch her, take in the sight of her actually loving her body, feeling free and sexy in her skin for the first time. I watch men attempt to touch and hit on her, but she turns them all down.