Chapter 5
Brandon turned to me and said, “Man that guy is bad news. When we were in high school he knocked the shit out of my cousin Janelle when they were dating. Let’s just say I talked him into breaking up with her…well me and several of the other guys on the football team. I tried to tell Rhetta to stay clear of him but she refused to hear anything bad about him. Looks like he did something though because they been together for a long time now and she has never left him.” Brandon walked away like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. It makes me wonder, though if he ever hit Rhetta, which now that I know her name I no longer have to call her ‘kiss girl’. They say guys like that don’t change, but the chief would never put up with a man putting his hands on his little girl. Hell, we aren’t even allowed to breathe on the woman.
Rhetta POV
I woke up some time later to my phone ringing without so much as a glance to the screen I shut it off. Getting out of bed, I stretched my sore muscles my bones popping pleasant here and there. Maybe a shower will be what I need to reboot. After a long hot shower I finally forced myself out of the bathroom to find clothes. Opening the bag I brough,t I was pleasantly surprised that I had managed to grab some jeans and undergarments. After getting dressed, I decided to venture out into the world. I need to find a fulltime job now that I will need to save up to buy a house or apartment.
“Rhetta , you got a visitor,” Gunner said. As I started to answer him he grabbed my arm and pulled me close which was unusual. “What the hell happened to your neck?”
“Got into a fight,” I told him seriously as I was walking away I said, “Okay thanks Gunner.” Gunner just looked at me like I lost my mind. Gunner is an older fireman that I totally crushed on the whole time I was in high school. He is probably 40 and he is still a very handsome man with the body any 22 year old male would give his left arm for. Walking out into the firehouse I was met with Taylor waiting for me.
“Etta, what’s going on?” he questioned. Great I really don’t want to talk to him about any of this now especially not here. I noticed he looked at my neck but didn’t comment.
“Nothing I wish to talk about. What do you want Tay?” I asked impatiently. He gave me his million dollar smirk.
“Come on now I was just angry because let’s face it you let him take you away from me,” he said still smirking but his eye gave away the true sadness there.
“I know. I’m really sorry Tay. You know I love you,” I said feeling really guilty. He closed the distance between us and wrapped his arms around me. Taylor’s embrace was comforting and friendly.
Third person POV
Although to the firemen watching it looked like a makeup of a couple; especially to one fireman that seemed to be glowing green with envy of the stranger with his arms around the beautiful young woman.
“Man how come Taylor can handle all over that but we can’t even comment?” Garrett complained causing Alessandro to frown at him. The next thing Alessandro heard was the stranger asking Etta as he called her on a date to the movies. She said yes and walked out of the firehouse hand in hand with the guy.
Later that same day…
Alessandro was sweeping the firehouse floor when he all the sudden threw the broom down and cursed loudly.
“Man what the hell is your problem?” Gunner asked. Gunner was looking at Alessandro like he had lost his mind.
“Nothing,” Alessandro grumbled. In reality he couldn’t get a certain young woman out of his mind. The anger he felt when thinking of the stranger holding her hand, stroking her cheek, kissing her pouty lips, and laying her down on a soft bed made him furious. And the thoughts wouldn’t go away. The woman had been nothing but a pain in his backside. So why could he not get her out of his head? This jealous streak of his increased when Rhetta and her companion came back through the door laughing against each other about the movie they had went to. He couldn’t remove his eyes from the happy couple. Gunner caught him staring at them with an evil glare.
“So that’s your problem eh?” Gunner said pointing to the couple.
“What? No why would that bother me?” Alessandro asked.
“Oh I don’t know because every time that girl is in the same room as you, your eyes are plastered to her every movement,” Gunner teased.
“Screw you man,” Alessandro spouted back. The next few days the stranger whom I now know is Taylor has not missed a day of coming by to visit Rhetta.
Rhetta’s POV
It’s been so great renewing my friendship with Taylor. The guys here at the house seem to be getting use to having me around. They especially enjoy my cooking or at least that’s what they say. I have a feeling it’s just because it gets them out of doing it.
I was feeling much more like my old self lately. Things have been going well for me getting to know myself again. Who I am without an overbearing master. Today, I fixed a real spread for the guys for breakfast. Biscuits, sausage gravy, and bacon on the side was the meal I had prepared as they all came staggering sleepily into the kitchen. Alessandro has been pretty nice to me since he met me as the chief’s daughter. After all the guys came to the table and started digging into the food I couldn’t help but tease Alessandro about our post office meeting.
“So Alessandro I understand that you have a couple of days off,” without really giving me an answer he nodded as I smiled evilly.
“Have you ever thought about going camping?” I asked giggling. His head snapped up from his plate and his eyes widened. The guys all stopped eating and were now looking at him weird.
“Yeah man camping is great and if you have always lived in the city you need to experience that,” Gunner said smiling friendly.
“Oh and I know this great place too,” I said smirking at Alessandro. He glared at me and left the table. Oh man I didn’t actually want to make him mad I just wanted to tease him. It seems like he has been avoiding me since I moved in here. Walking out of the kitchen I followed him to his room and knocked.
“Alessandro I am sorry I was just trying to tease you I didn’t mean to make you angry,” I said and his door swung open revealing a very pissed Alessandro.
“Why in the hell did you think bringing that up would make me want to chat with you? It was humiliating when no one knew and now…,” he said.
“No one knows why I was saying it. I just thought it kind of like our inside joke,” I said feeling guilty now. As I looked up into his eyes I was locked in place. There was something there I couldn’t describe some emotion that was fierce. He started to walk toward me into the hallway. My back bumped into the wall there. He reached his hand out and traced my lips.
“The only thing that has me angry is the fact I have watched you all over Taylor every day,” he said then he turned and left with a bag. Feeling confused I walked back to the kitchen to have breakfast with the guys. Today, I am going to buy me some new clothes; kind of retail therapy and the start of the new old me.
My trip to the mall was incredible I found all kinds of clothes that actually fit me and they were cute too. With my hands full of bags from many stores I made my way to my car. Wow, I barely pack all of that stuff into my trunk. As I was unlocking my door I felt someone come up from behind I whirled around to come face to face with Brian.
“What the hell do you want?” I sneered.
“I want my woman back,” he said as if it was simple.
“Well I left her with you at the cabin,” I said.
“That little tramp isn’t my woman she is a play toy,” he laughed.
“Oh your romantic words make me want to fall at your feet,” I said sassily. A shocked expression passed his face before he masked it. He never liked for someone to have the upper hand on him. He reached into his coat and pulled out a little pistol pointing it directly into my stomach. I looked around for someone to help me. No one was even looking our way. Knowing I was defeated I walked to his car and got inside.
“I’m glad you didn’t make me hurt you baby,” he said in that charming tone that made my stomach clinch. Not saying a word I just rode beside him in the car until he pulled into the driveway.
“I have made a few slight improvements to the house for you,” he said. His changes were a pad lock system on our bedroom door. He put me in there and I heard the snap of the metal lock. As I looked around I realized I had to pee really bad and we have no bathroom attached to our room. I banged on the door for a long time. After a few hours I couldn’t hold it anymore so I did the only thing I had left. This was to open the window and pee out the window. If we weren’t on the second floor I would just climb out the window and run for it. A couple more hours later I heard the front door slam.
Eventually, I heard his footsteps and the key unlocking the pad lock. He came in looking energized and happy which was bad for me.
“I couldn’t wait to finish at the office today knowing I had my love waiting for me to come back to her,” he said as he strode across the room and crushed his lips to mine in a failed attempt to be passionate.
30 minutes later…
I laid there crying once again after his lovemaking. I have to get out of here somehow. Looking out the window again I decided that I had to make a run for it whether it killed me or not because if I stay here I will die anyway. Sliding the window up, I listened and could still hear the water running in his shower. I lowered myself as far down as I could still holding onto the window sill and finally dropped to the ground. My ankle twisted as I fell but I don’t think it broke, but I cannot run with it sprained so I can only drag it behind as I walk.
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Our girl is in a right mess this time...COMMENT