Page 19 of Echo
A sense of rage I’d never felt before washed over me and made me want to submit to it. The aura washed over me like a typhoon of fury that threatened to burn everything here.
A loud pop made me jump out of my skin, and Mark stomped over to his car. In seconds, his car tilted weirdly as the rims lowered to the ground on the driver’s side.
“What the fuck?” He crouched down. “There are giant slashes in my tires.”
“A bear killed a deer on my back porch. Maybe it got your tires.”
“Madison, this is what I’m talking about. You can’t think straight half of the time.” He shook his head. “We’ve been standing here the whole time. We would have noticed a fucking bear.”
“Looks like we aren’t going anywhere, though.”
“You think you’re so witty, don’t you? Madison Valentine never knows when to shut the fuck up.”
“I never said that. If you feel a type of way about me, just fucking leave.” I laughed mockingly. “Oh wait. You can’t.”
“Where are your keys?”
“Up your ass,” I answered with more gumption than I felt.
“Honey.” He reached out to caress my face, but I jerked back. Ranger snapped at him again, and he backed up. “Who’s going to love an insane woman like you, sweetheart? You’re lucky to have me.”
“I’m not insane.” I gritted my teeth. “But either way, I can do without your love.”
“You’ll never find out.” He grinned, walking into my house like he owned it.
Think, Madison.
Chapter 7:
Istayedoutsideallday working on things, rather than going into the house to breathe the air Mark had tainted. I’d ran my mind through the ringer trying to figure out a way to get him out, but ten some-odd projects later, which included painting the door, cleaning the coop, and a body removal, I wasn’t any closer to a solution.
Once the sun dipped behind the mountains, I couldn’t avoid the house anymore. I wasn’t getting stuck outside with the bear that mauled that deer.
After a shower, I was cooking myself dinner, and I could hear him watching TV in the living room.
“Why are there only ten channels? What’s the Wi-Fi password?” he asked.
“I don’t know.” I rolled my eyes.
“What’s for dinner?”
“I’m having a chicken stir-fry.”
“I don’t like stir-fry.”
“I don’t care,” I grumbled under my breath. That was such a stupid thing to say, too. He didn’t even know what was in it.But it wasn’t what he wanted, and he was the only person who mattered.
Ranger barked as I stirred what was in the pan.
“Shut that fucking dog up.”
Deep breaths. In and out.
I shushed Ranger for him to bark again. I finally looked up to find he wasn’t in front of the door, like I expected him to be.
“Ranger?”
He barked again, and I realized he was on the other side of the door. My heart lurched into my throat.
