Page 41 of Villainous
Her hand accidently knocks over the small terra-cotta pot, and it crashes on the concrete floor, shattering into pieces.
“Oh, crap. I’m so clumsy.”
“It’s fine,” I say, scurrying to the storage room and snagging the broom and dustpan. I go and sweep up the dirt and the shattered pot and toss it in the nearest trash can.
I don’t want to speak about Villainous and my personal affairs with him. As far as I know, he doesn’t want to be reminded of what we once shared, and I wish I could forget it quickly. It’d be better for the both of us.
“Yeah, we dated a few years. Our marriage was arranged. But I left.”
She takes a new seed packet and tears it, then pours them in the pot. Then she grabs the watering can and drenches the soil in water. I want to stop her, but it’s too late, so I grab the pot and tilt it to the side, thankful there are holes in the bottom, otherwise the poor seeds will drown.
“Honestly, I don’t know what you see in him. He’s an asshole.”
Annoyance digs into my chest, and I slam the pot down on the table with more force than I intend. “Watch your mouth, Noemi,” I snap. I don’t know why I felt the need to snap at her, but deep down, I still have a connection with him, and I will always have one with him until I die. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap. It’s just, I still love him.”
She frowns, takes a step back, and holds her hands up, waving them. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to overstep. He keeps you locked up as his captive, and it’s not fair. I don’t like to see anyone hurt, you know? Especially since I care about you.”
I want to cry at her words. Because at least I know when I die, I’m going to be around someone who cares about me. Fuck, the tears come, and I wipe them quickly.
She brings me into a hug and kisses my forehead. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
“It’s fine. I’m glad someone else is making me feel like I’m a somebody,” I admit honestly. I haven’t been feeling like myself recently, and these last few days have been overwhelming.
She pats me on the back. “Everyone deserves to be loved.”
“Enough about me. Let’s lighten the mood,” I say. It’s getting hot in here, so I step outside and stop in front of the door, and she follows me. I need to hear some good news other than the shit I’m going through, so I ask, “Are you dating anyone?”
She leans against the glass wall, and she sighs as the cool breeze brushes her face, her cheeks turning a light pink. “Um, no. My last girlfriend dumped me for her yoga instructor.”
I look up at the crisp, crystal sky. Thank the universe for a good day. It’s been raining like crazy for the last few weeks, and I’m sick of it. Two soldiers dressed in black stroll in front of us, and they both nod and we nod back.
I turn my view to her. “Oh. I didn’t know you were into girls.”
She gazes down at me, and her eyes widen. “Is that going to be a problem?”
I shake my head. “Of course not. I dated a couple of women.”
“Good.”
I nod. “I’m sorry she hurt you.”
Her face scrunches up in pain, and she shrugs. “Yeah, I was going to marry her, and we were supposed to adopt kids, but you know, life happens.”
I can tell she’s trying to play it off as if it doesn’t bother her, but it does. She tries to put on this mask that she’s strong. I want to tell her it’s okay to say you’re not okay, but I don’t. She doesn’t need a lecture from me, and it’s not my place to play junior psychology.
“For what it’s worth, you’re very pretty, and I hope you find someone who loves you. And if I wasn’t in this shithole, then I would have dated you,” I tell her, patting her arm.
Her cheeks turn red as she glances around the backyard. “Thanks.”
We’re quiet for a few minutes, and then Noemi says, “I remember you told me that two of your brothers were killed. Did the person who killed them ever go to jail?”
My eyes narrow on her like a laser beam. “No.”
She cocks her thin right eyebrow. “Would you want revenge on them?”
“Of course. I thought about it all the time,” I admit.
“What would you do to them?”
