Page 18 of Captivated By Danger

Rude.

“I’ve walked this road many times by myself. I can make it.”

“It’s dark.”

“Sir, at best, the only crime you’re going to get is someone getting disorderly after having too many drinks, or… or maybe, the spring breakers stealing from each other. That’s it. What should be a crime is family members stealing other family members’ spouses. Now, ifthatwas a crime, they’d probably have to build a whole new prison… a few of them.”

He didn’t respond.

Out the corner of my eye, he walked with his hands folded behind his back. He had on a pair of black pants with a matching black long-sleeve shirt. I wouldn’t dare look up into his face. I’d probably drool.

I scoffed. “Put my life on hold for him because that’s what a good wife does, my mother says. I did that. Took the brunt of his frustrations whendental schoolwas getting the best of him. I listened to him bitch and moan. Moan and bitch. Did my best to help him study, but the moment… oooh! I could kill him.”

The brother continued to keep quiet, but it felt good to clear my chest to someone who wouldn’t talk back. It was the alcohol and anger making my lips loose.

“Yes, I kind of… well, not kind of, I did lose myself. It was rough. Really rough. Really really rough, but it doesn’t excuse him having sex with my cousin in our home. And then he kicked… me… out. I went crazy. Had to be sedated. I thought that was the lowest I’d go. Well, before that, I was already limboing under a low bar. You know I’d caught them, one time, but I didn’t say anything. I backed out of the yard like I didn’t see anything. Because, hey, it was my fault, as my mom, Grams, and aunt said. Hell, I knew it was because like I said, it was rough. So, I’d begun starving myself, cleaning like a mad woman, and even going so far as to tell my cousin she could move out. Kyle vetoed that saying that I’d regress again, and he was right…I did.”

My phone rang inside my clutch. Pulling it out, I saw that it was my mother calling. I ignored it since I was on my way home.

“Look. My mother is calling right now. Probably to tell me that I’m being pathetic by still chasing after him when it was him who approached me. Anyways, after I regressed, I had to pretend like I didn’t see the looks they gave each other. He’d even turned me down when I tried to initiate sex. I had to pretend I didn’t hear them at night, making the headboard squeak against the wall.” I stared at the sky and laughed. “The needle that crashed the haystack instead of falling through was when I’d walked in the house to see him having sex with her in the living room. They didn’t care anymore. That’s when I had to leave with what little dignity I had left. Well, let me not lie, I went bat shit crazy, and started fucking shit up. They had me Baker Acted and I had to spend seventy-two hours in the psych ward. Now,that, Sir, that was the lowest of the low. They get caught fucking in the house that we—no, let me correct that, because he made it clear that it washewho paid all the bills—and I am the one who has to go to the crazy house. Ugh!”

I exhaled hard. “That felt so fucking good.” I pressed my fingers against my lips. “Sorry, I don’t curse like that. I work with kids. Forgive me. Today… tonight, rather, I was going to walk into the ocean, and just… let go. I feel like that could be easier. Hell, it’s probably what he wanted me to do, to alleviate his guilt but now…” I inhaled and exhaled deeply. “I feel something else. Don’t know what it is yet, but I feel it.”

It felt good to have someone just listen with no intent to reply. The only response I got was the sound of the wind blowing leaves across the concrete. It was good he didn’t speak because I didn’t want or need any more opinions about that messed up situation. We walked the rest of the way in complete silence except for the wind and the few cars and mopeds that came by. His scent overpowered the salty smell of the ocean. Whatever he had on, had to be expensive to do something like that. We’d come to a slow stop in front of my house.

I looked up at him. “Well, this is me. Thank you, Sir for…” My dad’s motion lights flipped on, making me gasp.

My lips slipped apart. He had the smoothest dark brown skin that I’d ever seen. His skin was so perfect, it looked airbrushed. The low shaven beard looked perfect and painted on. Not a hair was out of place. His eyes were just as brown as his skin. He was built like an Avenger; tall and brolic. His shoulders were so wide.

Clearing my throat, I started to speak, but he held his hand out.

“Diesel.”

He even had an Avenger-ass name. My cheeks instantly started to burn. I couldn’t believe that I’d spilled my guts to a man that fine. I felt like a total idiot.

I finally took his hand. It was so warm, I nearly melted into a puddle of water.

“Greysen.”

“Do you want to hand me your phone?”

Without speaking a word, I fumbled with my clutch with my free hand, not wanting to let his smooth, huge hand go.

“Text me,” he said after handing my phone back to me.

“When?” I spit out, immediately cursing myself for sounding so thirsty.

He smirked before shrugging his shoulders. “Whenever.”

“Okay.”

He released my hand. I stared at him, glued to the ground as if I was waiting for him to give me another command.

“I’m waiting for you to go inside.”

“Oh.”

I backed away from him before turning and heading toward the door. The short driveway felt so long because I knew for sure his eyes were on my backside. As soon as I closed my front door, I looked out the peephole. He’d started back down the street, shoving his hands in his pockets. His ass was perfect in those pants. I stared out the peephole until I couldn’t see him anymore. Like a child, I’d held my hand up to my nose to see if I could smell parts of him. Closing my eyes, I inhaled the little remnants of him I could smell.

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