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Oxygen Deprived

Page 47

by Lani Lynn Vale

Both of us stayed where we were.

My cat, Urchin, shot past both of us like a missile, scaring the crap out of both of us.

“Jesus,” Naomi gasped. “Do you think she heard that?”

“I can hear you in there. Just open the door, you husband stealing bitch!”

My mouth dropped open and I stared at the door in surprise. “Did she just call me a husband stealing bitch?” I asked. “I imagined that, didn’t I?”

Naomi slowly shook her head.

I picked up my phone, the one I’d been staring at for two days since Drew had left my bed, and dialed the number he gave me if I ‘needed anything’ while he was gone.

I’d given mine as well, but where I wasn’t calling him because I didn’t want to come off as sounding needy, he didn’t call me because he was at work.

He’d flat out explained that he didn’t get on his phone while at work. He was a firm believer that phones shouldn’t be used as much as they were, and I couldn’t say I disagreed with him.

Now, though, I called him.

And he answered on the second ring, surprising me.

“Are you okay?” Drew asked immediately.

I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. “Yes, but your wife just called me a husband stealing bitch.”

There was a long moment of silence, and then he started to curse. “I’m about five seconds away from my house. Stay put. Don’t do anything rash.”

I hurried to the door and opened it, then came face-to-face with me…only better dressed.

“Can I help you?” I asked Drew’s ex-wife.

“You can keep your hands to yourself,” she said. “And stop talking to my husband.”

I looked at my hands, then back up at her.

“I don’t know what…” I started, but she interrupted me.

“I don’t care what you do or don’t do…with yourself. You just need to keep your filthy hands on your side of the road and stay away from my man,” she hissed.

“Mom,” a girl’s voice came from behind her. “What are you doing?”

“That’s what I want to know, too,” Drew’s voice sent chills down my spine.

His voice didn’t sound unsure like the girl’s, though. His sounded pissed.

Out of habit, I bit my lip and stared at Drew staring at his ex-wife, a look of contempt written all over his face.

My eyes moved over to his daughter, and I smiled at her, even though her frown would’ve deterred lesser people.

I, however, had to deal with my younger brother.

If I could handle Jonah’s surly attitude, I could handle this girl’s.

She had nothing on Jonah.

Thankfully, Jonah wasn’t all that bad anymore.

He was actually quite a sweetheart ever since he’d found his calling in life, or so he called it.