“Cut the shit,” I snap. “We need to talk.”
She shrugs and opens the door wider. “By all means, come on in.”
As we walk through the door, Ben and I exchange glances. “Close that behind you,” Rita purrs.
Fuck me. I’m going to need a decontamination shower when we leave.
“The door stays open,” I bark. “We’re not here for any reason other than to tell you to stop playing your games.”
She laughs huskily and makes a pouty face that leaves me cold. “Oh dear. What games are those?” she asks, blinking innocently.
I’ve encountered some fucked up people in my years as an officer. Rita ranks right up there with the worst of them. She truly doesn’t care.
“It’s time to get some shit straight,” I say in a no-nonsense tone. “First, I haven’t touched you in months and you know it, so stop bullshitting and acting like I was your man or we had some deep thing, because that’s as far from the truth as anything can be. One night isn’t a relationship. You weren’t my girlfriend and you were never going to be. You knew the score that night, and at the time, I thought I did too. I was wrong though, wasn’t I? I thought we were two people scratching an itch, but I’d bet money you knew who I was before we ever spoke a word.”
She grins at me like I’m amusing her, and it makes my skin crawl.
“There’s no crime in knowing who people are,” she says in a honeyed voice.
“You’re right; it’s not a crime. Just like it’s not a crime to have a one-night stand. I’ve put up with your shit, because I didn’t want the drama of having the entire town know I was dumb enough to fuck you, but I don’t give a good goddamn anymore. I’m through with you calling my work, and I’m really fucking done with you harassing Ashley.”
At the mention of Ashley, Rita’s eyes narrow to slits. “Give me a break. She should thank me for trying to toughen her up. God knows she’s always had it so easy. I remember when she started coming for the summers with her grandparents. Half the town fell over themselves to spoil the little princess. Aw, poor Ashley lost her parents, or she’s such a sweet girl; don’t you just love her? It’s funny that none of the people who cared so much about her ever gave a damn about me. When my dad left, not one of those people ever gave me so much as a fucking lollipop.”
This girl is totally around the damn bend. “You’re a bitch to her, because more than two decades ago she got a lollipop and you didn’t?”
“It’s not just about lollipops,” she answers, her voice brittle. “It’s about strength versus weakness. I detest her, because she’s a useless idiot who’s been handed everything on a silver platter and she doesn’t deserve it. I learned to be tough, but not Ashley. That girl is as weak as they come. You’d figure all that fat would at least be good for thicker skin, but I guess not.”
She’s pushing me, because she wants me to lose my shit. That’s not going to happen. I came here to put an end to this, and playing into Rita’s hands won’t achieve that. She and I both know Ashley is far from fat. Nothing Rita says will make that true, so I’m not touching it.
“I get why you’re jealous of her, all things considered,” I say, shrugging one shoulder like I don’t have a care in the world. “You’re a head case with a hugely undeserved ego and you’ve got nothing to offer. Living in the same town with someone as beautiful, smart, and genuine as Ashley must eat you up inside.”
Rita’s face goes from amused to incensed lightning-fast. “Are you insane? I’m not jealous of her!” she spits. “Look at me and then look at her. I’m a thousand times prettier than she is.”
That’s so untrue it’s not even funny. That she just said that says a lot about where her head is at though.
“I have looked at both of you. In no way are you prettier than her, Rita. It’s not even close,” I chide. “Whether you ever admit it or not, it’s true.”
“No! Take that shit back!” she shrieks. “Why would you even say that?”
I shrug, making sure she sees I’m indifferent to her and her tantrum. I’m telling her the truth, but I’m also prodding her, because I want her to lose it. I’m using her own head games against her.
“Because it’s true.”
“Liar!”
“Sure, Rita. Whatever you say.”
Her fists clench and unclench at her sides as she glares up at me. “You’re fucking with the wrong girl, Chief Jameson.”
Closer. She’s about to blow.
“Is that a threat, Rita?”
If looks could kill, I’d be nothing but a pile of ashes right now.