Page 5 of Blaze

Revving my bike, I roar down the road, hoping the faster I go, the knot in my chest will disappear, but something deep down is telling me it won’t, and that claiming her will be a massive mistake.

Chapter 2

Blair – Age Twenty-Four Years Old

I shake my head at Ms. Hallows as I go through her finances while she sits opposite me, sipping her tea, scrutinizing me as always.

“You’re too thin,” she mentions, and I bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from laughing as I add up her numbers. Apparently, in her words, her accountant is screwing her over, claiming she owes more to the IRS than she believes to pocket the money himself, which is a serious claim. I agreed to look through her accounts during our weekly lunch date.

“I’m just fine, Mama,” I reply, and she melts at my term of endearment as I continue to add up her spending for her store, which is booming.

After my sister forced me to move in with her a day earlier than she said, I never stopped contacting Ms. Hallows, my mama. She kept to her promise, which I didn’t think she would and ensured I saw her at least four times a week for dinner. My sister didn’t care about it and just after my seventeenth birthday, after Poppy was told for the hundredth time that she cannot access my trust just because I’m living with her for necessities, she decided to kick me out without a second thought. She only lasted five months, and Mama took me straight back when I showed up bloody and bruised at her doorstep. She adopted me before Poppy could even blink, but of course, the money isn’t the reason why she told everyone she couldn’t parent me. No, she told everyone I was a disgrace, a liar, that she couldn’t handle me because I lashed out and she didn’t want her now husband’s reputation to be anymore tarnished than it already was after he illegally accessed my parents will for her.

His dad is good at getting him out of trouble, but not good enough to keep him from breaking the law publicly, so he couldn’t hide it.

Mitchel lost any chance of becoming an attorney like he wanted after he helped my sister, and when I lived with them, he blamed me for why he couldn’t have his dream job.

He blamed me for every little thing before he snapped.

“What have I told you about leaving your shoes out!” I hear Mitchel shout just as I pull my top on, and my eyes widen in shock when he bangs into my small room. I quickly pull my top down, and I scowl as his eyes go to my chest like a perv.

The guy is a grade-A asshole and right up my sister's alley.

“I didn’t leave my shoes out, I only have one pair, and they are on my feet!” I snap back, angry that he just barged in here.

When my sister picked me up, she didn’t give me a chance to pack everything, and honestly, I’d prefer everything to stay at Ms. Hallows. At least then I know she can’t sell it, using the excuse that she took me in when I didn’t ask her to.

He curls his lip as his eyes go to the skirt my sister told me I had to wear today for some fancy dinner and he sneers, “This is your fault, why no one will hire me,” and I lock my jaw as I turn and grab my jacket but before I can put it on, a strong grip on my arm yanks me around. I swallow my scream as I come face-to-face with a very angry Mitchel, his dark brown eyes looking black.

“I think I deserve payment for allowing you to stay here after you ruined my life!” he snaps before his hand slaps between my legs, then cups me, and I instantly shove him away and slap him across the face causing him to growl. I ignore him and go to rush past him, but he grabs me again and shoves me into the wall and I scream, “No, get off me,” as my heart pounds with fear.

He chuckles, “Like I said, you owe me,” before he grabs me by my hair and I try to slam my head back, to stop him. He smashes it forward against the wall, and I cry out at the pain before I feel him quickly pull up my skirt. Despite being dazed, I fight against him, refusing to let him do this, all while panic hits.

He wants to rape me.

“Go on, keep fighting,” he chuckles just as his fingers rub over my dry entrance before he shoves it inside me, groaning, “Fuck yes, you’re tighter than your sister,” and bile hits as I twist and bring my fist around, refusing to let this happen to me. I hit his face and he grunts as he stumbles back before suddenly, his fist is coming my way. I cry out as I fall to the floor by the hit to my cheek bone and suddenly he’s gripping my legs, trying to spread them apart and I cry out as I try to kick my legs, to dislodge him.

I blink before grabbing my water and taking a sip, then look at the numbers again.

I thankfully managed to dislodge Mitchel’s grip before I kicked him in the nose, breaking it, and my sister stormed into my room, demanding to know what was going on. When I told her he tried to rape me, she called me a liar and kicked me in the face before telling me to pack my stuff and get out.

As soon as I knocked on Mama’s door, she let me in, then called the police, but obviously Judge Leen couldn’t have his son known as a child rapist. He offered to give Mama money, but Mama denied. Instead, she demanded my adoption, and I instantly agreed.

I dropped all charges, my sister didn’t contact me, and I was happy with a woman who ensured I finished college, then helped me look for a job, or in my case, two.

Not only am I a nurse at Hill Crest Medical, but I’m also an accountant at Norman’s Accountants on Fridays and Saturdays.

I do work with Clark and Belle from high school, but I don’t speak to them, and honestly, I don’t think they recognize me.

We used to be friends, along with Kodi and Alexiana, well, Clark, Alex, and Kodi. Belle hated everyone other than Clark, but once I lost my parents and began homeschooling, I kind of blocked everyone out. It’s best that way so I keep to myself, doing the jobs I love, hopefully making my parents proud. Although I still like being alone in my one-bedroom house with my dog, Snow, I love my mama to pieces.

“Okay, he’s stiffing you,” I confirm as I lean back in my seat, and Mama growls, “I knew it!” and I chuckle.

“He’s overcharging you by at least a grand a month, so what I’m going to do is refile your taxes and report Merchant Accountants, and what you are going to do is call Norman and tell him. Even though you love him but won't date him, he’s going to become your accountant,” I state, and she glowers at me.

“I don’t love Norman,” she denies, but doesn’t make eye contact, and my lips twitch.

“Whatever you say, Mama,” I sass, and she snips, “You are not too old for a spanking, young lady!” and I grin.