Page 16 of Loving Vincent

Twelve

Jenna was most definitely not in love. Who could possibly love this overbearing, autocratic, pigheaded asshole who was blocking her way? Luckily Lola was playing in another room and not able to hear the fireworks that were about to take place.

Jenna gritted her teeth and repeated the request he had just denied without a second thought. "Vince, I very much appreciate all of your help with Lola, but I need to get back home. I have laundry to do, dishes to wash, a life to get back to. I have to work the night shift tonight! I can’t just move in with you."

He crossed his arms over his chest and simply stood staring down at her, literally blocking the front door. She tried not to stare at the way his biceps popped out. Jenna was standing with Lola's bag and she was still wearing her borrowed T-shirt. She was beginning to feel self-conscious running around in so little. Though Vince didn't seem to mind, and it was a little empowering to have his eyes on her all the time they were in the same room together.

"I need to go to work," Jenna said slowly, trying to get through to him. "I need to make money. Especially now. I have Lola to worry about, I don't want to take her home to that shitty little place where I'm living now."

Vince grunted. "Finally, we agree on something."

"So, you'll let us leave?"

"Nope." He didn't bother elaborating, just continued to stand in her way and look imposing.

Jenna balled her hands into fists and tried hard not to shout. Maybe it was leftover attitude form her days with Zach, but she couldn't stand being told where to go, how to act or who to see. She suspected if things went down the path they seemed to be going with this guy, that she was going to end up in that kind of hell all over again. She didn't need another controlling man in her life.

"You have no right to stop me from working, Vince," she said sharply, shaking her finger at him. "Or to stop me from walking out this door. I'm leaving the second you clear out. You'll have to go to work eventually."

Maybe she shouldn't have announced her plans to leave, but she was getting so frustrated she was ready to bonk him over the head with the nearest lamp and rush out with Lola. She must've finally caught his attention with her last little speech because he dropped his arms from their crossed position and stepped threateningly toward her.

He batted her finger out of the way and kept walking, purposely backing her up until she hit the nearest wall. He placed his hand just over her shoulder and hunched until he was right in her face. "You will not leave here without my permission."

"But that's...!" she was about to say 'barbaric' when there was a loud, brief knock on the front door.

Vince glanced over his shoulder, his body tensing. When Jenna tried to peek past him, he pushed her back until his body was completely covering her. He didn't seem too concerned though, not like he thought there were a bunch of ninjas about to break into his house and take them all out.

Jenna heard the door opening, but couldn't see who came in. She decided from the relaxing of Vince's body that the intruder was a friend. Sure enough, Jared's deep voice filled the room. "Hey man, where're the girls at?"

Vince glanced down at Jenna, rolled his eyes and stepped away from her. She tugged at the hem of her T-shirt and stepped away from the wall. "Hey Jared."

"Hey, red!" he said enthusiastically, grinning at her bare legs.

Vince growled and stepped back in front of her. "I'll need you to take her shopping. New wardrobes for both her and Lola. Anything else they might need. Toys n' shi.... uh stuff."

"Consider it done, boss."

"I have to go to work!" Jenna exclaimed trying to shove past Vince. He grabbed her arm before she could rush away and held her in place.

“Absolutely not!” Vince snapped.

“Too dangerous,” Jared growled at the same time.

The two men looked at each other and seemed to have a silent conversation that Jenna was not privy to. Each second that passed was another second for her temper to rise. It reached boiling point when they turned to look at her in unison and Jared said, “Go get changed and get the kid ready, we’ll head to the mall in half an hour.”

“I don’t want to go shopping!” Jenna protested; annoyance clear in her voice.

“Sure you do,” Jared countered while Vince gave her a little push and pointed down the hall.

Jenna realized that with these two big men against her she wasn’t going to win her argument. At least not when they were watching her. She stomped down the hallway toward the room she shared with Lola. She stood in the door for a minute and watched her daughter. The little girl was sprawled out on the floor on her stomach, still in her pajamas, her legs kicking in the air. She was drawing on a piece of paper with a pen that Vince must’ve given her. Watching Lola amuse herself with just a pen and paper made Jenna realize that she should probably accept Vince’s offer of a shopping trip. Lola needed supplies. Many, many supplies. An evil smirk stretched her lips as she thought of the money she could spend on her daughter. Vince’s money.

“Hey chicken,” Jenna said brightly and entered the room, shrugging off the remnants of her anger. “What’re you drawing?”

She crouched in front of Lola and turned the paper so she could see. It was a drawing of a person, the sex indistinguishable, flipping circles in the air. Jenna guessed that it was probably Vince flipping pancakes at the oven.

“Vinz,” Lola announced, “An pantakes.”

“It’s very good,” Jenna announced, and, unable to help herself, lifted Lola into her lap and pressed her against her chest. She dropped her head to inhale the scent of her child; a combination of warm sun and juice. “Let’s get dressed now. Jared is going to take us on a shopping trip.”

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