Page 89 of Barefoot Lake

I look up at him, holding that snakelike gaze and resisting the urge to vomit on his shiny shoes.

“I’m not here for you, Reid. Please go away.”

His expression turns sour. He looks twisted and nasty. I don’t know how I never saw it before. I really thought this man was attractive?

He looks up and down the street.

“Where’s your bodyguard, then? He going to jump out and sucker punch me again?”

Sick of Reid literally talking down to me, I get to my feet.

“He defended me against an ambush outside my home,” I snap at him. “Don’t rewrite history.”

Unlike when Reid showed up in Wilcox Grove, I’m not afraid. I’m furious that he is trying to bully me again, and that he seems to be coming for Jake. I’ve lost too many battles today, and I will not lose to Reid, too. I squeeze my hands into fists when I feel my fingers start shaking.

Reid steps forward and points a finger in my face, but I hold my ground.

I can feel his breath on my cheeks when he hisses, “You’d better watch your fucking mouth. Because I remember your little boy toy attacking me, and I’d bet the police would love to hear all about that dangerous brute. You’re lucky I haven’t already said something.”

“Alice?”

Both Reid and I turn and see Piper approaching us, her phone in her hand. She makes a face like she smells something nasty when she sees Reid is the person in front of me.

Reid lowers his hand, and I move to stand with Piper. Her eyes dart between us.

“You remember what I said,” he snarls.

I spin back toward him.

“No. You remember what you’ve done. You treated me like shit for years and couldn’t handle it when I left your sorry ass. You came to my house to bully me into coming back, and you failed. You’re pathetic, Reid, and your threats are bullshit. We both know it.”

“You’re lucky I took pity on you as long as I did. I was slumming it with you.” Reid’s voice rises as he steadily loses his grip on his temper. Some people on the street have turned to look at us.

“Crawl back in the hole you came from. I’m done being torn down by you,” I practically snarl.

Reid steps toward me again and raises his hand like he might grab me.

“I wouldn’t.” Piper’s voice is like ice.

Reid slowly turns to her, and she’s holding up her phone screen. 911 is already dialed.

“Give me a reason to call. I dare you.”

Reid’s eyes dart to the screen, and he seems to be considering whether Piper would follow through on her threat.

He steps back, and his arm falls to his side.

“You’re not worth my time,” he hisses.

“Tell yourself whatever you need to, buddy.”

I loop arms with Piper, and we walk away together. I keep my head held high, and I don’t look back.

Once we’re a few blocks away, Piper slows and pulls my arm to stop me. I’m still shaking from anger, and I’m sure she can feel it.

“Alice, what was that? Are you ok?”

“I’m ok.” I take a deep breath. I’m ok.