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The sound of flesh slapping against flesh turns my blood cold. A deafening whoosh fills my ears. Each step out the door feels sluggish. “Stewart?” I call, the name sounding pitifully weak.
omg
“Anna—” “It’s my birthday,” I blurt out, as if that means anything now. He rubs his eyes, blinking repeatedly, as if he can’t believe this is actually happening. That I’m here. That I spoiled his plans. “It’s my birthday, and this is what you’re doing.” I will my voice to remain steady, hard. The cold weight in my hands is a reminder that I don’t have an open one to smack him across the face. “Three years wasted on you.”
literally fuck him, he's a fucking gross cheater
“Only now it was an accident? What about the first fifty times?” she asks him. Betrayal morphs into rage. My body overheats with it. “How long has this been going on?” I ask through clenched teeth. “Months!” the woman screeches. Finally, she shoves him away from her, and I glance at the sky when they separate. “For months, he’s been taking me here!” “She’s lying,” Stewart blubbers.
i fucking hate him and i just met him
“Crazy?” The laugh I let rip through the space between us is anything but sane. “Yes, crazy! You’re freaking me out. Relax before you do something stupid.” “Do something stupid,” I echo, stroking the side of the fire extinguisher. “Like fucking someone who isn’t your fiancée? Who isn’t the woman you’re about to marry in a year? The one who has already bought her dress and told everyone she’s marrying a good man? You don’t get to call me crazy. You don’t get to tell me to relax.”
My hold on my emotions is faltering. I’ve always been bad at remaining calm when I’m upset, but this . . . this isn’t some small fight or misunderstanding. This is so much more than that. There’s no going back from this. It’s that thought that has me pulling the pin on the fire extinguisher and squeezing the lever, dousing the couple in white foam.
“Knock it off, Braxton. I would much rather you have been taking care of my sick nephew than dealing with my problems,” I chastise her. “Not to mention you were out all day with your in-laws.” She curls her fingers into fists. “Either way, I want to string that guy up a flagpole by his tiny balls!” Her husband, Maddox, winces from where he watches us from his position in the doorway.
WAIT BRAXTON IS HER SISTER IT'S SET IN THE SAME WORLD I'M GETTING MADDOX AND BRAXTON AGAIN
“Oh, don’t give us that look, Anna. You’ve never turned down the idea of dishing out a healthy dose of revenge.” Braxton tightens her stare on me. “There are ideas in that beautiful head of yours, I know it.” “Of course there are. I’m just trying to work out what I want to start with.” Maddox winces. “That’s never a good sign.”
“What am I supposed to do now?” I ask her, my voice little more than a whimper. “I think you need to get all your shit out of here and then start embracing the rage prowling beneath your skin. Once you’ve let it have its moment, you work on healing yourself. You repair the damage he caused while moving on with your life. You’re too strong to allow this man to stop you from accomplishing everything you’ve ever wanted in life. He was never worthy of you.”
“If he was never worthy of me, then why did you approve of him?” I ask her. “I never did,” Maddox puts in. The cheeky grin he gives us has my sister flipping him off. “You’re a no-good suck-up, Maddox. Go do something useful and keep watch for Ewie Stewie.”
Maddox lingers still, watching his wife toss hangers of expensive clothes on the bed behind me. “Are you sure I have to watch the door? I think it’s about to become incredibly entertaining to watch.” “The last thing we need is that piece of shit interrupting us. Can you please watch the door? If he shows up, you have full permission to get him out by any means necessary.” Like magic, Maddox darts out of the room.
Maddox shouts from the living room, “She’s vicious! Make sure all of your things are tucked away, Anna!” “Don’t listen to him. He’s just jealous he isn’t about to take part in this destruction. Take the jug,” Braxton orders, extending the bleach to me.
“Let it out. He deserves to feel your wrath,” Braxton coos. “My wrath?” I want to laugh, but it dies in my throat. “That’s right. The wrath of a scorned lover. A bad bitch’s revenge.”
“A new face!” I freeze, knees locking at the loud voice. “Don’t be so aggressive, Bryce.” “I’m not being aggressive! I’m being welcoming.” “If you’re so welcoming, then why does she look like she’s going to hack all over the street?”
Lol
17805559540: Yes. 17805559540: What do I have to do to get plus one approval?
Woah
“Well, this is a first for me,” Caleb finally utters. When Darren tries to look at the screen from over his shoulder, he angles the phone away and stares at me. “Looks like we’ve got an accidental text on our hands, guys.”
No wayyyt
By the time he finally tosses the phone toward me, I look desperately at the screen and feel my stomach turn hollow. He’s replied to her not once but twice. Me: Yes. Me: What do I have to do to get plus one approval?
16045557841: You didn’t like . . . keep the photo, right? I would appreciate if you removed it from your spank bank if you did.
16045557841: Desperate? DESPERATE? Alright. Leave it up to me to even accidentally text a world class asshole. How typical.
There’s no stopping my laugh, though. It tears free and fills the bakery, loud and strong. It’s the first time I’ve laughed like this in months. The realization of that is a sucker punch to the gut. My laugh slowly trickles off. Bryce halts her croissant tapping and instead places her hand over mine, squeezing. “No. Wherever your head went just now, the answer is no.” “A cheating man is not worth that frown. No man is, cheating or not,” Poppy adds.
17805559540: Ignoring a man’s apology is rude.
Me: I’m not the best talker. Texter either. I didn’t mean to be offensive. You looked just fine. 16045557841: Maybe I shouldn’t have bought that dress then. No woman wants to look just fine, stranger.
16045557841: What about banana? Me: Alright. You can call me Bo.
Banana: Hi Bo. You still haven’t told me if you’re an old creeper. Me: Would an old creeper actually tell you if he were an old creeper? Banana: No I guess he wouldn’t. He probably wouldn’t send me a pic of his hot bod though.
Banana: Well . . . do you? Me: Maybe. Banana: Prove it then.
Me: Are you trying to flirt with me? Banana: You wish. I’m merely trying to stay safe. Me: By looking at a rack of abs? Banana: A girls gotta eat.
Banana: Well howdy there farmer. Me: Nobody actually says howdy around here. Banana: Tough crowd. Did you get in a fight with a jug of oil today? God your clothes are dirty. Me: I’ve been dirtier. Banana: Kinky.
Me: Depends where you’re from. Banana: Nuh-uh. Just because you have a nice looking body doesn’t mean you aren’t old nor a creeper. Nice try. Me: Since a photo didn’t prove anything, the demand for it was just to get your rocks off huh? Banana: My rocks are still very much on, you filthy cowboy. Me: I don’t think I’ve been called a filthy cowboy before. I like it.
Banana: Twenty? Me: Three. They’re hats not underwear. Banana: You have twenty pairs of underwear? Me: Do you always turn everything into a question? Banana: I do when it involves conversing with a stranger.
Banana: No, but I’ve been contemplating getting a cat. Thoughts on them? Me: I’ve never actually had a cat as a pet. Banana: No offense, filthy cowboy, but your life sounds kind of boring. Me: Because I don’t have siblings or a cat?
Banana: Call it a gut instinct. It’s a shame we only agree to tonight, because I could have helped bring a little sparkle to it.
“I know I must sound pathetic.” “You absolutely do not sound pathetic. You sound like a woman who’s just gotten out of a relationship with a man who diminished her confidence. It won’t come back instantly just because he’s gone. You’ll have to grow it back up.” “Well, let’s hope that it doesn’t take forever because I can’t stand this feeling,” I admit. “You’ve got this. We’ll be here to shower you with compliments until you can start giving them to yourself.”
“Brody is all bark and no bite. Don’t worry about all the scowling.” I highly doubt that, but instead of saying exactly that, I look at Brody and smile saccharinely. My next words just explode from my mouth before I can think twice about them. “My sister’s a vet, so I’m not afraid of rabid animals.”
“What makes you say that?” I snip, my cheeks flushing red. Another look at my body, or my outfit, maybe. “You really want me to answer that, sweetheart?” Steam nearly shoots from my nostrils as they flare. “You’ve known me for five seconds.” “I only needed three.” My fingers curl as my lips twitch. “To finish? And that’s something you’re proud of?”
Lmao omg anna yes
The tequila comes next, and I crinkle my nose in anticipation of the taste of it. “Thirsty?” I jolt, hair flying as I turn my head and find Brody standing there, arms crossed over his wide chest. Up close, he’s really damn tall. Like I have to tip my head back to meet his eyes tall. I’ve never felt shorter in my entire life than in this moment. Great.
“I’ll carry it for you,” he grunts. “So you can dump the drinks over my head once I turn my back to you? Not a chance. I can carry them myself.” “I’m tryin’ to be nice.” “Well, you’re doing a terrible job. Leave me alone.” He closes his eyes, inhaling deeply before opening them again. “You’ll be lucky not to trip in those boots.” “I’d rather trip than be pushed by you. Seriously, go away.”
“Let’s chuff it up to a moment of weakness,” he snaps, not coming any closer than that single step. “Won’t happen again, sweetheart.” “Don’t call me that!” I demand, but he’s already walking away again, this time quicker than before.
“Oh, we went to Vic’s alright. After the both of you got ten shots of tequila deep and demanded we leave the bar. The moment we stepped outside, you started ranting about Vic and explained to Anna here about what happened between you. Then, we spent a solid half hour painting pink dicks all over her front fence before the devil herself nearly caught us,” Poppy explains, face red with the effort it’s taking her not to laugh.
Lmao
“Long story short, Vic tried to bring a third person into their relationship, and when Bryce said she wasn’t comfortable with that, she dumped her on the curb and dated him instead. The first time Bryce saw them together, she kicked the guy hard enough in the crotch that she cracked his dick like a glowstick. She spent the night in a jail cell until I came and got her. Luckily, Vic had the decency to feel guilty enough to convince him not to press charges,” Poppy explains. “I’d say the pink dicks were only fitting, then,” I declare.
Me: Hi. I know we said 1 night but I changed mi mind. Me: Sorry that was weiiiiird to say Me: Are u sleeping? Do u wear ur boots to bed? Me: I don’t.
Lmao
From the chaotic, misspelled texts I received from her last night, I knew she was either drunk or suddenly half-blind.
Lol
Me: Anytime you want to talk, try me before the alcohol. Your head will appreciate it the next morning.
Banana: I like it. Consider yourself my new therapist. Me: Do I get a certificate or something? Banana: No, but you can offer me the same job in exchange.
When she notices me coming, she glances at the ceiling and mutters, “Fuck.” When her brown eyes meet mine again, they tighten at the corners. “Are you here to make fun of me?” “I was going to help you, but I can leave.” “I don’t want your help.” “You look like you need it.” Rage makes her nostrils flare. “You’re arrogant.” “You seem to bring that quality out of me, sweetheart.”
“Is that what your problem with me is about? My boots last night?” she hisses. I shrug and drop to a crouch, gathering the rest of the cans. “If the boot fits.” “You’re hilarious. And a jackass. What a fantastic mix of traits.”
“How did you even knock all of these off?” “Changing the topic, are we?” she counters. “You’re impossible.” “That’s rich coming from you.”
“You’re welcome for the help.” “Considering I never asked for the help, I’m not thanking you.” She’s a stubborn woman, that’s for sure. Stubborn and somehow able to get on my very last damn nerve with little to no effort.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Steele.” “Mrs. Steele,” Grandma echoes, slapping my arm and returning Anna’s smile. “You have better manners than Brody.” “That’s hurtful,” I mutter. “It wouldn’t be if it weren’t true,” she sings. Anna’s smirk is just as nerve grating as I knew it would be. “I don’t want to say I agree with you, but you might be onto something.”
Anna waves me off. “I don’t mind.” I force a smile. “Great.” “Stop being rude, Brody,” Grandma chastises me again. I don’t think I’ve been given so much shit from her since I was a teenager. “He’ll warm up to me,” Anna replies smoothly. Grandma scowls at me while threatening, “If he doesn’t, you let me know.” “Will do.” Anna smirks.
“Are you really goin’ to make me walk back there and get her myself?” Without tearing my gaze from him, I shout, “You have a visitor, Wanda!” “I’m stepping out for lunch!” she shouts back. Liar. Pushing out my bottom lip, I tell Brody, “Seems you’re out of luck, big guy.” “Whatever,” he grunts, and then he’s attempting to move past me.
“You’re not dirtying the floors I just cleaned with your muddy boots. Take them off first. I’m assuming you want Wanda to cut your hair?” “She always does it.” His voice is deeper than usual, his annoyance with me blatantly obvious. “I’ll do it today. Take your boots off and sit at the last station.” I wave a hand at the far back chair. He doesn’t move. “You want me to trust you with a pair of scissors that close to my throat?” “It’s either that or you continue to grow out the mullet.”
