“Didn’t I tell you how relaxing those mud baths are?” Sadie said as we dried off after a truly soul-soothing mud bath.I was on the first week of my indefinite time off work and Sadie had convinced me to go for that spa day we hadn’t been able to due to… reasons.“I should never have doubted you. It was amazing!” I gushed. The whole time, it was as if my whole body was wrapped in an all-encompassing warm hug.“Right? Now if only I can convince Tristan to join me,” she replied, looking deep in thought.My phone started to ring and I took it out of my assigned locker, quickly diverting the screen so Sadie couldn’t see the caller ID.“Hello?” I said, trying to appear as calm as I could.“Haven’t gotten into any trouble lately, have you?” Deandra asked.“No,” I mumbled, trying not to get Sadie’s attention.“I hope so. Phase two is a go. Since you’re so riled up and primed for action, I have a task for you. Ready?”“Yes,” I muttered under my breath.“Are you busy or something?” She asked
I parked right across the street from Oscar’s place, looking in the rearview one last time to confirm my guardian angels were still behind me. Hugo and Mikel had followed me, considering it was Rachel who brought a biker gang member to a simple meet and greet between her husband and I. “Hello?” I said into the receiver. “Hey, Remi. Are you here yet? I have a little problem but nothing I can’t fix. Just come over,” Oscar pratteled on. I simply hung up and watched the show play out. His front door burst open and out came Celia, Oscar behind her, pushing her forward. “Just go okay?” Oscar said. “I have an important meeting from home and I don’t want any disturbance.” I couldn’t miss this for the world. I hopped out of my car and walked down to his driveway. Seeing me, his eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. If looks could kill, Celia would have turned me into a frozen sculpture with the icy glare she was giving me. “What’s she doing here?” she spat before her gaze slowly
He wasn’t letting me up. I struggled and hemmed and hawed but he was resolute, face twisted in a mixture of lust and desperation.“Get the hell off of me, Oscar,” I snapped, but the fear in my voice was evident. “Come on, baby. You know you want this,” he said, gripping my restrained hands tighter, reaching one hand down and undid my top button.I didn’t know where it came from but I had a sudden rush of strength. My rage boiled over and I started struggling even more, twisting and jerking under his weight.“Goddamnit Remi, stop fucking fighting me! We both know why you came here. Why you told me to get everyone out of the house. Why are you making this difficult?”His face loomed closer, hot and sour breath hitting my skin.“I’m warning you, Oscar. Let. Me. Go,” I seethed through gritted teeth, feeling my emotions brimming, angry tears threatening to spill any second. “Or what, Remi?’ he scoffed, sneering at me. “What are you going to do?”I hadn’t planned for this at all. I had un
It felt like I had a jackhammer in my chest. Thump, thump, thumping away.I couldn’t think. I knew I had to but the thoughts weren’t crystalizing.My hand gripped my gun tighter, the closer he got. His face… he meant business if business was putting me in the ground.“Get her, Jack,” Rachel shrieked.I felt air whoosh past me and Oscar came to stand before me, holding his arms up to try and stop Jack.Idiot. We both knew the futility of that. The next thing I knew, Oscar was on the ground, nose gushing blood.“Stay out of my way, pussy,” Jack spat at Oscar’s prone figure before his gaze locked on to me again.The shock of seeing Oscar get laid on his back jarred me awake. I needed to do something or Rachel’s hired muscle would do much worse to me “Remi, your gun!” Oscar yelled.I tried to pull it out but Jack was right on top of me. He slapped the purse out of my hand and grabbed me by my hair.An ear-piercing scream rang out. Only when he threw me to the ground by my hair did I r
One rented, nondescript car later and we were off to the races. As I parked on his street, a safe distance from his house, I couldn’t believe I’d agreed to this.My nerves were on the fritz and every sound jarred me, and I glanced around like a thief trying not to get caught.“This feels so wrong,” I muttered, gripping the steering wheel like my life depended on it.“Oh, relax, Remi,” Sadie chuckled, waving me off. “We aren’t doing anything wrong. Even if we get arrested, what would be the charge?”I instinctively turned my head to face her, making her burst into laughter. “Why would you say that?” I asked, the tension I was feeling rapidly rising, making my heartbeat go haywire.How was she so calm? Why was she so confident nothing would go wrong? I was literally shaking. This was ridiculous, childish, crazy! It was a lot of things and most of all, it was something I shouldn’t have been doing. “Maybe we should leave,” I said, but my voice lacked conviction and I know Sadie picked u
“Hi Sadie,” Ashley said cheerily to Sadie who gave her a tight-lipped smile before glancing back at me. “So, what are you doing here?”I was lost for words. How was I supposed to tell her I was there stalking her cousin?“Umm… I– was coming to say hi?” Even I didn’t believe my own words.“Try again,” Ashley said, skeptically shaking her head“Fine,” I huffed. “I thought he was going out with Petra,” I confessed, feeling my cheeks burn from embarrassment.I was the CEO of the company she worked at but I felt like a child caught doing something wrong.“Really, Remi?” She threw her head back in laughter, further deepening my embarrassment.“I mean, she has been snooping around here for a while but you don’t have to worry. Jesse doesn’t see her like that. In fact, I think he’s starting to get annoyed by her persistence.”Why was I so excited? I mean there was nothing going on between us, right?“Between you and me,” Ashley started, leaning closer. “I think he’s pining for you.”“Really?”
“I was so scared. And then she got mad at me! Like I obviously did the right thing, right?” As I paced around her office, Deandra started to laugh at me. First, it was a chuckle, a rumble from deep within her chest that eventually escalated into a full-blown, mocking laugh, each note going up a crescendo that rang in my ears. “It’s not funny!” I exclaimed. How could she be laughing at something like this? Maybe I was missing the joke but with how much I mulled over it, I can guarantee that there wasn’t any. Deandra tried to compose herself but failed miserably, resuming another bout of uncontrollable laughter. It was beginning to get on my nerves. I had half a mind to walk out. Then she asked me a question that I wasn’t quite sure how to answer. “Why exactly are you telling me this, Remi?” Deandra asked, wiping the tears from her eyes. I was stumped. Why was she telling her? She wasn’t a therapist who could help me work through my issues, and neither were we friends. So why…
“You did what?” I asked, blinking rapidly in disbelief.“You heard me,” Deandra replied, matter-of-factly, raising an eyebrow at me as if I was the crazy one. “Don’t pretend like he didn't have it coming. Are you getting soft on me, Remi? You wanted this so what's the problem?”I couldn't believe what I was hearing. “Look, Remi, it had to be done. Don't stress about it too much. I sent Mike and Hugo so it will never be traced back to you.” Her voice was cold and calculating, “Are you out of your mind?” I shrieked, my voice trembling with anger. “You're taking this way too far, Deandra. That's illegal!”Tristan was right. She was a wildcard. Once upon a time, my alliance with her was a thing I cherished. Now… Now it was an anxiety-inducing association.“Oh please, grow the hell up. You came to me for help, remember?” She shook her head, her gaze still fixed on me. “I don't blame you. Daddy's little girl who got everything handed to her. You never needed to get anything you wanted for