“How old are you again?” I’d said to her, voice laced with the anger that simmered below the surface.
“Old enough to go out when I want!” she’d shouted back.
“You’re mine,” I whispered to myself, remembering what I’d said and the reply that came next.
“And hers. And hers. And hers. Your hands on her breasts. Your mouth on them, too.”Then she snatched a framed picture of us from Fiji and flung it at my head. “I’m a little too scrawny for you, Fausti!”
I’d pinned her against the wall after, arms braced above her head, not letting her squirm out of my hold. My eyes fucking saying the words that refused to leave my mouth.There’s only one woman for me. The one who’s mine, who belongs to me. You.
I sighed, standing, going to the picture that lay with the glass pieces scattered on the floor. I set it on the mantle, in front of the star maps, and then collected all of the shards, not wanting her to step on glass when she woke up. I fucking hated mess. Especially the ones we created in our mania for each other.
I paused halfway to the bathroom, staring at her sleeping in the bed. Her hair fanned out behind her, deep chestnut in the soft fade of night, half of her naked body uncovered. Bruises and marks from my mouth and hands stood out against her skin, just starting to come up from how rough we were fucking. It was like war between our bodies.
“Nothing scrawny about you, baby,” I said to her. “Not a damn thing.”
After brushing my teeth and dressing in a thermal top and sweatpants, I went downstairs and poured a cup of coffee. Rocco had texted me—meet me in the middle of the block in fifteen minutes.It had only been five.
Eunice met me in the kitchen, yawning, but her hair set, winter dress on, ready to meet the day. Apart from her hair thinning, I couldn’t see much of a change in her. I had known her when I was still losing teeth. The slow hand of time on her appearance somehow made me feel more secure.
“How was the fight?” she asked, pouring herself a cup of coffee. She took it black, the same as me.
I grinned into my cup. “Intense.”
“Oh, those are the best! You get your money’s worth.”
“Yeah,” I said, stretching my shoulders. The fabric rubbed against my skin, setting fire to the claw marks my wife had made on me. “I got my money’s worth, all right.”
“Let’s see,” she said, rummaging through the fridge. She removed cartons of eggs, milk, ham, and a whole bunch of fruit. I watched her work, the routine second nature.
We both looked up as Scarlett padded into the kitchen. Her hair was all over the place, standing in stiff flames around her head. She had on an oversized sweater and thick socks that came up to her knees. Ado not trifle with melook was plastered on her sleepy face.
“Morning, baby,” I said, going in to kiss her head.
“Hmph.” She bypassed me, leaving me hanging, going straight to the coffee pot. Rose and mint wafted off her body. She’d brushed her teeth and applied cream to her skin.
“Hmph.” I repeated the snooty sound, sipping my coffee.
Her shoulders stiffened. She didn’t like being mimicked.
“Here,” Eunice said, pulling out a seat from around the bar. “Sit down and let me get you something healthy to eat.”
Scarlett eyed the seat. “No, thank you. I’d rather stand.”
I grinned. “A dancing princess shouldn’t be on her feet all of the time.” I patted the seat. “Sit.”
She narrowed her eyes at me. Her knuckles flexed against the cup, turning them white. She wanted to strangle me.
“I’m fine,” she snapped. Then she mouthedassat me.
“You should know. You have the best one.” I winked at her.
“Ooh,” Eunice practically sang. “Someone is being a cranky monster this morning. I’ll feed that cranky monster and turn her into a smiley monster!”
Sometimes Eunice talked to Scarlett as though she were the five-year-old she clearly remembered. I laughed so hard that I had to put my cup of coffee down.
Scarlett moved her head back and forth, opening and closing her mouth to the sound of my laughter. Mocking me.
Yeah, she gave it back, all right.
