“I’ll be right back. Gotta take this. It’s the tattoo studio,” I lie.
“Bring with you the pumpkin cookie tray when you come back.”
“You got it,” I say, already heading inside.
Not wanting to risk Dad overhearing, I run upstairs to my old room and close the door.
“What are you doing calling me?” I demand as a greeting.
“Baby, what the fuck? I can’t find you anywhere. You really moved out? I thought that was you being difficult and bullshitting me.”
I swear, this fucker is so delusional.
“Brian. I left Silver Lakes. I told you that. Also, you and I have been over for years.”
“Baby, just tell me where you are.”
My veins grow cold. I can hear it in his voice. He’s high.
“I’m blocking your number. Again. Please, get yourself proper help, Brian. And leave me out of your trouble with the MC.”
“Baby, baby, baby,” he slurs, my stomach cringing at how it sounds coming from him. Feels wrong having anyone other than West call me by that endearment.
“Listen,” he lowers his voice. “They’re all talk. Don’t pay mind to that.”
“Brian, they shot my tires, drove me off the road, attacked me and almost…” The memory sours my stomach. Only the satisfaction of shooting that fucker’s dick off takes the edge away. “These were not people to fuck with, damn it. I want nothing to do with this. You hear me. You tell them the truth. We haven’t been anything for years,” I emphasize.
“Your brother’s Forsaken. You’re fine, protected,” he dismisses. “I need them to watch out for me, Camille. Tell your brother to stop being stubborn and help his girl’s man out.”
“For fuck’s sake,” I rub my forehead. “The fact you had the balls to approach Styx,” I don’t use my brother’s name around Brian. Never. “Just tells me, you have a death wish. He knows we’re not together.”
“Stop fucking saying that!”
His scream is guttural. I even hear the spit that I know came out of his mouth. My chest grows hot and tight as anxiety palpitates.
“You owe me, Camille,” he growls. “I own that pussy, and you owe me it. If I find out someone else touched what’s mine.”
“You don’t own me, fucker. I swear, if you dare come near me again, you’ll wish Black Feral took care of your ass. My brother would skin you alive and only wait to kill you.”
Feminine rage at being spoken to, my body threatened in such a way only a woman could understand the fury when a man thinks he owns you and deserves anything of yours without consent.
“So, you did go back home,” he says so quietly, eerily. “See you soon, baby.”
Dead air.
I check the phone and confirm, call ended. My eyes well up. Not from fear but anger. I have tried getting rid of this asshole for over four years. His ass is lazy. I was confident that two hours and a mountain between us would finally keep him away. Too confident, maybe.
I pocket my phone and shake out my trembling hands.
I’m being watched, day and night. Even if he came to Eden Ridge, he’d never get near me.
I close my eyes and take deep breaths and exhale slowly before I put on a happy face and rejoin my parents downstairs.
“You didn’t tellme you made your loaded potato casserole, Ma.”
Styx’s voice booms through our hallway before he and West exit to the backyard. Mom and Dad gave up after carving onepumpkin. I’m on number three. They sit, cuddled by the fire pit with more tea.
“You already made yourself a plate before saying hello?” my mother teases. “I see where I stand when it comes to food.”
