“I’m not an object, nobody owns me,” she snaps, and I have to take a deep inhale to keep my cool. “I’m not going back to New York.” She leans forward, as if she’s wanting to fight.
“Good, I don’t wish to return to New York just yet.”
She narrows her eyes at me.
“Why?” She seems confused.
I look around the place. “Why not?”
A knock on the door has both of our heads snap in that direction.
“Who did you send for?” she asks nervously. Standing, I go to open the door with her right behind me.
It’s the delivery guy.
“I have a delivery for…” He looks the name over like he has no idea how to pronounce it.
“That’s me.” I help the kid out, taking some bags from him.
“You got food?” Leona asks, trying to peek in one of the bags. I set them on the table and head back to the door to meet the kid for the rest of it. By the time he’s done, the entire table is covered, with a few more bags on the floor.
“Oh, and where do you want this push mower?” The kid looks at me with a weird look, like he’s never delivered one of these on an order.
“Leave it outside,” I tell him. Reaching in my pocket, I pull out my money clip and pay the bill and hand him a hundred-dollar bill for a tip.
Turning around, I find Leona pulling out a pack of sparkling water, she takes the cap off a bottle puckering her pink lips to the bottle, she takes a quick sip. Coming up behind her, my mouth almost touching the back of her head, I rest my hands on her hips. “I didn’t know what you’d like so I got a little bit of everything.” My breath spreads across her skin and I see the little hairs on her neck stand on end. She turns her head just slightly, and I notice her breathing tremble. “Do you like it?”
Her lips nearly touching the brim of the glass bottle, I reach around her and wipe her bottom lip with my thumb, causing her to turn her head in my direction just enough for our eyes to meet.
Her clever whiskey brown eyes looking to parts inside of me I don’t want even to wish my worst enemies to visit. I look away. Dropping my hands, I start pulling out some of the things I bought.
Orange juice, dish soap, whiskey.
“Why are you doing this?” she asks in such a low whisper I barely hear her.
My back turned to her, I open the fridge to place the juice into it.
“Because I think we have more in common than you think, Leona.” I turn, leaning, I rest my hands on the table and look at her. “People come together in worse ways, I don’t think it’s so much to ask that we try? I mean, I did chase you all the way here, doesn’t that count for something.”
Her eyes drop to the stuff on the table, and she grabs her drink.
“No, it doesn’t because at the end of the day you’re still a monster.” She turns on her heel and walks into the living room, her hips moving in a way that has me staring hard.
“You and I are made of the same cloth, you’re not so different than me,” I inform her, walking around the table and into the room with her.
“Ha!” she mocks, taking a drink. She seems to like to disrespect me and it’s really starting to grate on my nerves.
She’s ungrateful and pissing me off.
“You don’t know me.” I growl. The things I’ve seen and been through have made me who I am, and she hasn’t even peeled back the first layer before judging me.
“I don’t need to know you to know you’re full of—”
Grasping her by the jaw with a bruising grip, my hand just under her chin, I go against my better judgment and make her look at me, really see me.
“You don’t know anything about me, Leona,” I snarl.
Her nostrils flare, her hand gripping the bottle of water tighter.
“From a first glance I’d think you’re a spoiled little bitch but… I don’t know you,” I continue, and finally let go of her.
“Don’t touch me again,” she threatens.
“Or what?” I tilt my head to the side and take a step forward into her personal space. She takes a step back, her eyes widening and face hardening. “Yeah, see. Deep inside you want to hurt me. Why? Because we’re made of the same cloth, babe.”
“I’m not you.” She breathes heavily.
I smile. My thumb circling the side of her cheek.
“No, but you’re not much different either.”LeonaI can’t sleep. Staring at the ceiling wide awake, I think about Kieran and why he wants to be with me so badly. It can’t be good for whatever reason. I have one leg out of the blankets and one underneath despite how hot I am, the sheets rough compared to the bedding I have at home and making it harder for me to get comfortable. My head slowly rolls to look out the window, the grass so tall I can’t really see anything but I can hear the sound of creatures through the thin glass and the moon shines so bright it lights up the room. Back in New York the city is so bright you can’t see the stars or moon, but I did have air conditioning. Having enough of the thick hot air in the room, I start to wonder if I can open the window and get a breeze. Throwing the blanket off of me, my skin sticky from the sweat, I unlock the hinge at the top of the window and use both hands to raise it. It doesn’t budge.