Page 7 of Beast Mode Todd

“Oh hello.” He gave me a squinty ‘I’m trying to place you’ look.

“Hi, I’m your new neighbor. Just thought I’d come over and introduce myself.” His face broke into a smile as he held out his hand. “Welcome to the neighborhood, come on in. We were just about to sit down to dinner but I’m sure my lady made more than enough to share.”

This was too fucking easy. Where the fuck does this guy think he is? For sure we were in the middle of bumfuck nowhere, but still. Didn’t he own a television set? You’d think with that welcome I’d take pity on him and put the brakes on. He seemed so damn nice. Not a chance.

“The name’s Todd, Todd Rogers.” I took a risk putting my name out there to him like that, but there was no recognition in his tone when he answered.

“Bryan Gopher.” You have got to be fucking kidding me. I’d never got the last name before and now I know why. I followed him into the kitchen where she damn near had a heart attack when she turned from the stove and saw me trailinghim.

“Honey, this is our new neighbor, Todd. Todd this is my fiancée Mallory.” Her eyes spoke volumes. I could fuck her shit up right here and now but where was the fun in that? I lifted my hand and took her tremblingone.

“Hello Mallory it’s nice to meet you. I hope you don’t mind me dropping in on you like this. I had no idea it was dinner time.” Lying ass, these two could hit every early bird special between here and the border as early as theyeat.

She stumbled over the introductions and hurried back to the stove. She dropped the spoon in her haste and her boy teased her about her clumsiness. I gave him a look but had to remind myself that in the last couple days of spying I hadn’t seen him touch her in anger. I’ve been around enough closet abusers to know that that smarmy pseudo joking tone usually hid an asshole behind closed doors. I’ll keep my eyes onhim.

She made an excuse and went back to what she was doing while Bryan got us some glasses and opened the wine to let it breathe. “This is perfect, we’re having spaghetti for dinner.” He sniffed the cork and I wanted to clock him. What the fuck was she doing with this crotchlint?

He started up a conversation about the neighborhood and the best places to do who the fuck knows since I wasn’t listening. I gave him an abridged version of my life erasing the last five years at least. So for all Bryan knows I just made it back from deployment. Mallory was as jumpy as a beaver trapped in a dynamited dam before she took her place at the table.

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