"Don't you dare make it sound like everything is my fault. You f.ucked that bitch. You f.ucked everything up just like you always do, not me." I spoke in a harshly tone.
Andrei raised a hand as if to strike me and I didn't flinch. If he hit me I'd be on him like a f.ucking bulldog. His eyes never left mine as he lowered his hand and used the back of it to wipe the dampness of the rag from his cheek. He took a step closer making my butt press against the countertop when I took a step back.
My brows scrunched together in confusion when I saw a mischievous glint suddenly dance into his eyes. My eyes widened and I dropped the rag onto the tile flooring when he pounced on me bringing his large hands to my face. His soft, demanding lips smashed down onto mine making my eyes widen and heart pound violently in my chest. That sly asshole.
✥Jade✥
I made a groaning noise that he must have taken as a moan because he hoisted me up onto the counter and plunged his tongue into my mouth. He explored my mouth and mashed his lips to mine as if I were a cool glass of water and he a man who'd been living in a desert his entire life. My hands that were on his chest shoved him back as hard as I could sending him back into the counter where the sink was. He braced himself with his hands so he wouldn't fall and gave me a shocked look, his mouth hung slightly open and his breathing was uneven.
"If you ever do that again," I wiped away the dampness from my lips with the back of my hand,"I'll shove that shard of wood back in your f.ucking leg." With that, I jumped off of the counter and stormed towards the kitchen doorway only to come to a halt when I nearly ran into Mrs. Danby.
"I've finished speaking to the children, Ms. Soto, and I must say that I've heard only good things." Mrs. Danby smiled and looked down at her clipboard. "I will, however, stop by later on in the future to do a follow up of course." She pushed her thick glasses back up along the bridge of her nose with her index finger.
"That's fine." I stated and ran a hand through my hair.
"It's a lovely home you have, Ms. Soto, and you seem to be providing for the children rather well. I hope you continue to do so." Ms. Danby finalized.
"Thank you, I'll show you out." I followed Mrs. Danby to the front door and opened it for her.
"I plan on stopping by real soon." Mrs. Danby smiled and adjusted her large glasses on her small nose once again.
"I'll be looking forward to it." I replied.
"Good evening, Ms. Soto." Mrs. Danby gave a small nod then began walking off of the porch. I gave a small sigh when I saw her get into her little red car and drive off disappearing down the road that led out of the woods. I don't know why I felt so relieved. I guess I was expecting them to say how I was a bitch and everything, but I suppose they didn't.
I leaned against one of the columns of the porch near the steps and lay my head against it as I looked out scanning my eyes over the woods. It was quiet, peaceful, and isolated just how I liked it. Even if Andrei was right they wouldn't know where I lived. Did those people who went after Andrei and the others really kill my father and his team like Andrei claimed? He wasn't even sure, it was just a hunch.
Hector would know. He'd know what was going on if there was anything. If anyone knew something it would be Hector. I made a mental note to call him later to see if he would have any information.
A gentle breeze swept through the trees causing the loose hairs around my face to tickle the side of my face. The tendrils of a breeze stirred up the dead leaves on the ground sending them towards the front steps. The old seashell windchime that I had made when I was a kid still hung from the porch and made a small twinkling sound as the breeze made the shells dance against each other.
The windchime had been a gift to my dad for father's day and I remember how proud he had been when I showed it to him. It was so damn ugly, but he said it was beautiful. He wasn't the monster Hailey saw him as. I had become a monster. I became what she feared about werewolves. I was that half-breed bitch that they'd sick on weres who couldn't keep themselves in check, who couldn't handle that primitive side in them.
"JJ?" Poppy's small voice called out from behind me after the sound of the front door opening could be heard. I turned around finding her standing on the porch with her little hands clutched in front of her. She looked up at me with her big sea green eyes that seemed to sparkle with radiance in the sunlight.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Are you going to come back inside?" She asked with her big doe-like eyes staring up at me innocently.
"I will in a little while. I'm just going to stay out here for a few minutes. Why, did you need something?" I replied. Poppy shook her head.
"Go on inside, I'll be in soon." I added and turned away from her to lean back against the post, my eyes returning to the trees that danced in the breeze. The dead leaves that were lifted up by the wind tumbled and danced around along the ground reminding me of how I used to play in the leaves with my dad. I swallowed, feeling my throat constrict. I wouldn't cry, not now. I wouldn't cry because Jade Soto didn't cry, not since I put my dad to rest.
I straightened up when I was startled by something pressing up against my side. I looked down to see Poppy laying her head against my thigh while she clutched onto my shirt with her small fist. She looked out towards the woods where I had been staring and I felt a small smile tug at the corner of my lips.
I placed my hand on her head to run my fingers through her hair and smooth it down with my hand. Poppy looked up at me with her big eyes then closed them and nuzzled up against my thigh. My smile fell and I continued to stoke her soft hair, my eyes returned back to the woods. If Andrei was right then I'd have to let them go, I'd have to send the kids back into the system where they would probably end up being split up.
I needed to speak with Hector first before I started jumping to conclusions. I didn't want Andrei to be right, however there was an unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach and a nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I couldn't shake. ✥ ✥ ✥ ✥ ✥ ✥ ✥ ✥ ✥ ✥ ✥ ✥
