Page 30 of The Alpha's Assistant & The Dom Next Door
“Being with,”… crap, I sound like a fourteen-year-old.I’m thinking about dating him. Kissing him. Fucking him—though I have no idea what that is like. But I’d love to findout.
The phone beeps again, and I hesitate. I’ve been letting my voicemail fill up with Shayla’s tantrums and threats, gathering evidence. I hate having to prepare to get a protection order against my own sister, but it’s her fault, notmine.
Finally, I give up and scoop up my phone. I stare at the message screen—she’s filled the mailbox completely. I save the messages to my cloud without listening to them, delete them off my phone, and then—after months of not having enough nerve—I block Shayla’snumber.
Eventually, she’ll buy other phones to call me from, and she’ll start hassling me all over again. But it will take her time, and she’s lazy. It means I can at least spend tonight inpeace.
Thank God. I could really use thebreak.
This is the first time since my parents died that I have felt even a little bit safe. And it’s all because of Carl. It’s nice to know that I once again have someone who will look out for me and help me deal with the world—to know that I’m not allalone.
Things might not turn out as well as I’m hoping. But if he doesn’t ask me out, then I’m darn well going to have to work up the nerve to do it myself.Now how do I dothat?
I’ll have to start small, or I’ll lose my nerve entirely. And I will have to work around his schedule, because I know he’d never abandon Jenny.So …coffee?
I look around my house, with half the rooms bare still except for stacked-up boxes. I need to get to work unpacking and fixing everything up if I’m going to have guests. I’m suddenly embarrassed by all those weeks of doing only a box or so a day, no matter how hard of a time I washaving.
Would Carl understand? Probably. But that doesn’t stop me from wanting to put a better face forward. Especially now that his offer of friendship and protection has made me feel better than I have inmonths.
I’m able to unpack the living room and get the dining room table and chairs put together that night before I run out of steam. It’s a big step. I could be ready to have Carl over in a day or two. If I can just get my downstairs together, it won’t matter if the spare bedroom and my office are still inboxes.
At least my bedroom is done already, if he ends up upstairs. But that thought just makes me blush like crazy all overagain.
My arms ache as I bring the last load of broken-down boxes to my recycling bin outside. I need a shower and some more sleep. But I’m smiling, both proud of myself and grateful for this small turn in my lonely life. I’m still smiling half an hour later, when I climb into bed with my still-damp hair freshlybraided.
The knocking wakes me up a few hourslater.
I tense and roll over, listening to the continuous, insistent banging as the fog clears from my head. It could be Shayla—or maybe the police, calling to tell me she rolled her car while throwing a tantrum in traffic. After a few moments’ hesitation, I get up and look down at my frontcurb.
Shayla’s gold Mercedes is sitting there—still running, lights on, driver’s side door hanging open. Her parking is even shittier than usual, with one wheel up on the curve, turned at an angle to the street. As the sight registers, I hear her voice yell up, “Emmeline!”
I freeze in indecision.Call the police? Call Carl? Go down and tell her to fuckoff?
I take a deep breath, feeling my stomach start to curdle again.It’s late. I don’t want to irritate Carl by calling, but heinsisted.
It takes me three tries to bring myself to phonehim.
He picks up on the first ring. “Hi, I’m sorry to bother you,” I start, but he cuts meoff.
“It’s fine. I already heard her and saw her car. I’m gonna call a buddy of mine on the force. It may be a bit before he gets there though.” His voice is calm, focused—allbusiness.
My blood runs hot and then cold again with my mix of emotions, and I take a shivery breath. “Thankyou.”
“It’s fine, sweetheart; the cops are on their way. Just hold tight. That’s a steel-core door, and if I hear any glass break, I’ll be over in aflash.”
“Okay, I uh ... I’ll stay up here until they show.” I chew my lip. I hate the idea of dealing with Shayla’s embarrassing behavior in front of the police. But if she does something horrible, and it happens to be illegal, at least I won’t have to deal with her for awhile.
But I’ll have to deal with the aftermath of whatever she does. Please let the police get this under control before I comeout.
“Okay. Call me back if you get scared.” He hangsup.
Downstairs, the banging continues. Shayla is cursing and calling my name. She sounds drunk. I wonder how she got over here without destroying hercar.
I move to the window again to watch her. I don’t know how long she has been out there, but it’s probably been a while. I’m a light sleeper, but only when omething disturbs my immediatespace.
Finally, I catch sight of red and blue flashing lights, and stare in amazement. Absently, I grab my robe off the back of my chair and wrap it around myself, wondering how in the world Carl got the police to get here so fast.Thank God for smallfavors.
I step into my slippers and make my way down the stairs as the knocking suddenly stops. I can hear the hysterical tone in Shayla’s voice as she confronts the police. I don’t know what she’s saying, but I hope it’s something so abusive that she ends up inhandcuffs.
