“You must be confusing me with someone else because all of Luna’s toys are accounted for. Go waste someone else’s time.” Jameson tried to shut the door, but the stranger’s hand thumped against it, keeping it open.
“I’d be careful how you speak to me, Mr. Beck.”
Every piece of me that had been warm from Jameson’s touch froze over.
I knew that voice. I knew the arrogant face and the sneer that had uttered it.
I shifted in my chair enough to see over Jameson’s shoulder.
It was Ben.
It had been four years since I had last seen him, but he still looked the same. Same cocky smirk, same carefully arranged blonde hair, same standard stuffy suit. The only change was the slightest trace of wrinkles around his eyes.
Dang it. Why couldn’t he have at least gotten ugly?
Like the coward I was, I clumsily slid out of my chair, intending to hide under the table. Of course my knee knocked the table leg, and the dishes rattled.
Silence. Then—
“Elsie?”
Jameson
Elsie?” my neighbor, Benjamin, with a last name I couldn’t remember, asked with his mouth agape.
I’m sorry, what?
How did my terrible, nuisance of a neighbor know Elsie’s name?
I glanced over my shoulder, and every protective instinct in my body went on alert. Elsie was crouched by the table, chest heaving, all the color drained from her face. It was clear she knew this guy, and based on her reaction, that wasnota good thing.
“Elsie?” he asked again, his tone changing from surprise to slimy arrogance. A smirk tilted his lips, and my hands clenched into fists to keep from punching it off his face.
He attempted to take a step inside, but I slid in front of him.“I don’t recall inviting you in, Benjamin.” My voice was cold, void of all the warmth it held for Elsie moments ago.
“What are you doing here, Elsie?” Benjamin completely ignored me, and my vision went red. If it were possible, smoke would have been leaking from my ears like I was in a cartoon. My neighbor eyed me with disgust before spitting, “And with him.”
“I don’t believe that’s any of your business,” I snapped, putting a hand on his chest, giving him a little shove. It took all my restraint to keep from hitting him harder, fromforcinghim to leave.
Elsie’s shoulders drooped as she stood. Over the past couple weeks, she had slowly started to come out of the hard shell she hid behind. Her confidence had grown more in the time we spent together, and a light that hadn’t been there before filled her eyes. But now…now she was shrinking, curling in on herself because of this pathetic excuse for a man. The spark that had been growing within her went out in his presence, and I hated it.
“Are you dating this guy, Elsie?”
“Once again, I don’t see how that’s any of your business.” My patience was a thin string about to snap.
Benjamin sneered at me, and my nails bit into my palms to the point of pain. Who did this guy think he was?
“Go away,” Elsie muttered, and Benjamin cocked his head.
“What was that?”
“I said go away, Ben.” Elsie’s voice was quiet, pleading. It reminded me of an injured animal. Her palms pressed into her sides, trembling, and her eyes glistened, fighting back tears.
Benjamin’s brows lowered over his eyes. “You told me you didn’t wantanyone,Elsie.And now you’re withhim? You little—”
Okay, that’s enough.
“You heard the lady,” I snapped, giving him a hard shove. “Time to go.” The guy’s chest was bony, void of muscle, as I pushed him outside and slammed the door in his face, twisting the deadbolt for good measure.
