Chapter Seven
The sun boreddown as Raven schlepped the groceries from her car into the house. The garage door had broken the previous day, and when she’d phoned the management company to report it, Deanna was snippy and demeaning. She really couldn’t figure out what the witch’s problem was with her. Not wanting to call Muerto after their encounter at the pool hall a couple of nights before, she figured she’d try the management company again on Monday morning and hope Jay answered the phone.
Muerto had been on her mind since Thursday night. She’d purposely given him a hard time, and he’d seemed madder than hell at her when she’d walked out with Dave.He must sorta be interested in me if he got that pissed off.Her face flushed a pinkish red when she recalled how much raw sex radiated from him whenever he came up to her. She’d had to force herself to act stoic around him when all she wanted to do was press her body close to his hard one and kiss him deeply.
She placed the perishables in the refrigerator and closed the door.I’m thinking way too much about him. It’s Saturday night, and I should go out.
When she came back out on her porch, she grimaced; Brent stood against the brick pillar with a stupid grin on his face. She swept away some strands of hair on her face. “What do you want? I’m busy.”
“I was just in the neighborhood. How’ve you been?”
“Good. Bye.” She rushed past him and went to her trunk, took out a couple more bags, and slammed it shut. “You’re still here,” she said as she walked up the stairs to the porch.
“Let me help you with those.” He reached out and grabbed the bags.
She resisted. “I’ve got them. You need to go.” She placed them down.
“I wanted to tell you that my wife and I have finally split up. It’d been shitty for a long time. I never loved her like I did you. I want to try and make things work between us now. When we were together, we were real happy, weren’t we?”
“Until I found out what a lying, cheating piece of shit you were.” She rubbed the back of her neck.
“My marriage was practically over when you came into my life. I just stuck around for the kids. I never cheated on you. You always had my heart. Things were so fucked up between my wife and me for a long time.”
“A real man would’ve owned up to it. Told me he was married and let me decide if I wanted to get involved with a cheat. You played me and her. I don’t respect cowards.” Bending over, she picked up the bags.
Brent took a few steps toward her and grasped her arm roughly. Surprised, she dropped the bags and looked up into his narrowed eyes. “Don’t fucking pretend that you didn’t love me.” His voice filled the small porch.
“I’m not. I did love you and that’s why your betrayal was so much worse. I’m over you now, so don’t think you can come over here, sweet-talk me, and when that doesn’t work, manhandle me. I’ve moved on. Get the hell off my porch. I want you to stop contacting me. I know it’s you e-mailing me those lame-ass love sayings. I don’t want to hear from you or see you. It’s done. Over.”
Yanking her to him, he tried to kiss her as she struggled to wriggle out of his arms. “You don’t fool me. You know you want me,” he growled as he wrapped his fist in her hair.
“Stop it, Brent. You’re hurting me.”
“Leave her alone. Now.” For the first time since she’d moved into the rental, Walter’s voice brought her a sense of relief.
Releasing her, Brent stared at the other tenant. “Who the fuck are you?” He glanced at Raven. “You fuckinghim?” Stepping away from him, she went toward the screen door. Brent glared at Walter. “Butt the fuck out. This isn’t your business.”
“I heard her tell you to leave. She doesn’t want you here. Leave. Now.”
Is Walter fuckin’ insane?She took in his chubby thirty-eight-year-old body and compared it to Brent’s fit, thirty-two-year-old one, knowing he could decimate Walter. “It’s okay, Walter. I’m good, but thanks.”
“I’m not leaving until he does.” He pointed his finger at Brent. “Get out.”
“You fucking asshole,” Brent replied through gritted teeth. “You’re dead.” He walked away from Raven.
With her phone in her hand, she said, “I’m calling 911 right now.”
Brent paused for a moment but then jumped off the porch, his jaw clenched as he glanced at Walter. “This isn’t finished yet,” he said to her neighbor as he walked to his pickup. Whirling around, he caught her gaze. “I’m not buying your shit, Raven. I know you. You’re still in love with me. I’ll be in touch.” He got into his truck and sped away.
Raven watched the pickup until it vanished into the distance. Walter was still standing on her lawn in front of her porch. “Uh… thanks for helping me out. He’s an ex-boyfriend.”
Walter squirmed in place, shoving his hands in and out of the pockets of his pants. Peering at her, he cleared his throat. “If you’d dress less provocatively, you wouldn’t have these kinds of problems.”
“Believe me, he wasn’t bothering me because I’m wearing a simple sundress. Thanks again for the help.” Bending over, she gripped the plastic bags and straightened up.
“Do you ever read the Bible?”
For a split second she wondered if she’d made a mistake in letting Brent go; at least she knew what to expect from him. Walter was giving her a major case of the willies. “I’ve read it before. I gotta go before my groceries spoil. See you.”
