CHAPTER 1 #2
It’s funny how doing something as simple as changing your clothes can alter your entire personality.
Putting on a black hoodie and a pair of boots made me feel like the killer I’d set out to be tonight…
even before I added all the psycho accessories like thick plastic, sharp things and a shovel I didn’t even use.
Taking all of it off to put on the clothes I left the house with…
felt like ripping the mask off of the villain in every Scooby Doo episode.
It felt like being just plain Bridget again, like tonight didn’t even happen.
Now, I just have to convince ‘plain Bridget’ to stop stressing what actually did happen.
‘Simon says’, he’s got it handled.
So, shut your mind off and pretend you’re the good girl, Bridge.
…Simon didn’t say, “don’t smile”.
And I honestly couldn’t help myself as images of whoever that fuckstick was in the woods, kept replaying in my mind.
Truthfully…I’m low key glad I didn’t make him into a speed bump.
As bad as this situation could potentially be…
I can’t stop myself from finding it hot.
I guess that’s what proves that I’m part of this family.
We’re so incredibly fucked in the head. I knocked on the door and waited, toying with my lower lip and wondering if the mystery guy might be somebody we know.
If so…who? The door swung open and Malek’s stupid face appeared seconds before he twitched his mouth to the side and slammed it shut.
“You fucking ass clown,” I growled, opening it and walking into their apartment to find him giggling like the prick that he is as he strolled to the fridge. “Where’s Sev?”
“Usin’ the last of the hot water like a savage little beast.” He cracked open a beer and turned it up, pointing into the fridge with his brows raised.
“Nah, I’m good. Can I make coffee?” I only asked to be polite. I started prepping the coffee maker before he could even answer.
“Sure…at your own apartment.” He curled around the kitchen island and plopped down into one of the bar chairs. I ignored him and scooped coffee into the basket. “This is the third night this week, Bridge. I think I’m startin’ to figure out your one fear.”
“I don’t have fear. Stay out of it, Malek.”
“Easy to say when you’re the one puttin’ me in a hard spot. My best mate is boinking my sister, which is bad enough. You’re living together, but you’re here murdering my last nerve more often than you’re home with said boinker.”
“Can we not? I’ve had a long day, and I don’t feel like talking through relationship bullshit with my brother. Being in one is awkward enough.”
“That’s because neither of us had relationship bullshit to talk about until about a year ago. My brotherly duties didn’t just end because of what happened. They ended ‘cause you actually held onto one long enough to realize it was worth keepin’.”
I smiled to myself and turned to lean against the counter and face him, crossing my arms. “Marriage made you mushy.”
Malek grinned and winked as he took another swallow of his beer. “Nah…just tryin’ to find a nice way to tell you that you’re cuttin’ into my playtime.”
“You cut into that yourself when you nutted over a pointy thing,” Sev jabbed, padding into the living room while she toweled her hair. “Hey, Bridge.”
Malek’s bottle clinked on the countertop and he scowled at her. “Not my fault. You were already naked and teasin’ me!”
“…I was cutting a tag off of a towel with a pair of scissors, Malek.”
He shrugged. “Same difference.” Seven tossed her towel, and it thwacked over his face.
“Go rub one out. I’ve got this.”
He stretched and stood up, shooting me the finger as he made an extra dramatic walk around Seven towards the bedroom door. “If anybody needs me, I’ll be practicing my audition. Keep your applause to a minimum. No cameras—”
“Out…” Sev snorted.
“Later, brat.”
“Night, bitch.” I flipped him off and blew a kiss as he disappeared around the wall.
The door shut behind him and Sev looked me over. She never asks, and I know she won’t, but…I’m pretty sure she knows there’s more to this than my conflict with Declan. She hopped up to sit on top of the kitchen island and started finishing off Malek’s abandoned beer.
“You never let your nails get that bad off. Is it bad enough for you to gnaw on ‘em, or are you leaving pieces in Dec’s back?” she chuckled.
“It’s not bad…just…weird. And he might have a scratch or two.”
“That’s my girl. As thick as Mal is…he’s got a point. Wanna talk about it?”
I do. And I don’t. This fucking sucks.
“I guess I just feel like I’m gonna disappoint him. It seemed easier when there wasn’t any commitment.”
Seven’s chuckle filtered through the neck of her beer bottle. “Well…obviously. You make the commitment because you care enough to take the challenge. Maybe you guys just aren’t on that level yet. Declan does adore you, though.”
“I know. It’s just…there’s…” I pinched the bridge of my nose and huffed, turning away from her and grabbing a mug from the cabinet.
I heard her hop down from behind me before her arms wrapped around my middle and she perched her chin over my shoulder.
She smells like a tanning salon. It’s always been so at odds with what she looks like, and I love it.
No wonder Malek hit the floor. Sev makes me question my sexuality sometimes.
“Look. Are you okay? Anything we need to be actually worried about?”
Yes. No. I don’t fucking know.
“Yeah, I’m good. Just frustrated.” She kissed my cheek.
“Then I won’t pry anymore. I’m no expert, and I think that’s obvious because I married your ridiculous brother…
but relationship problems always work themselves out.
One way or another. You’ll get there. Just remember that a year ago…
I wasn’t happy keeping all that shit to myself.
Bottling explosives is a messy business, Bridge.
You never know when the shit will pop off.
Talk to him. The worst thing that could happen is you guys call it quits. Sometimes that doesn’t even last.”
It only drove her point home when I heard Malek’s awful singing on the other side of this wall.
We snorted and I poured us both some coffee.
The next couple hours were spent watching trash TV, until I realized how late it was getting.
I snuck in our door around three in the morning and found Declan on his side with his tattooed back facing me from his side of the bed.
Part of me wanted to slide in and grab his cock…
but I didn’t. I took a long shower instead and tried to tell myself that I owe him absolutely nothing.
No explanation. No excuses…but it just doesn’t feel right.
I really do suck at all this fluffy shit.
I don’t want him to go anywhere, but the idea of actually settling down?
It’s just not…settling. Pretending he’s not a fucking human being isn’t gonna solve anything.
I know that. Sev’s right. I need to talk to him, I just don’t know how.
When I finally slipped under the dark red sheets, it was like the weight of this entire day just vanished.
I’m beginning to realize just how much I’ve changed since last year.
I’ve never been so exhausted with everything.
I never had a reason to…not until now. I let sleep sink her claws into me and exhaled myself into oblivion.
The clang of dishes is a bit dramatic. The added bonus of curses in Irish that he seems to forget I understand?
Downright unnecessary. I painted straight lines of blood-red polish across my toenails and rolled my eyes to myself, poised on the couch like a mountain cat about to pounce.
It’s weird, the angles one can get into just so you can get something done.
Home pedicure. A good fucking. The glory of getting your fingertips on something you can’t reach on the top shelf?
“The food doesn’t jump off the plate, love. Did ya even rinse it?” Whoever said living with someone was good for the relationship…clearly never met Declan McCann. You’d never believe he wasn’t a dad with the way he babies me. However…the other ways he does that…don’t actually suck.
“That’s what a dishwasher is for, Declan.”
“The plate doesn’t put itself in the dishwasher, love.
” I twisted the cap onto my nail polish and padded over to where he was sticking the last plate into said dishwasher, reaching under the hem of my sweater and lifting it over my bare tits.
My head cocked to the side with my signature smirk while he took a good long look at those puppies.
Nothing like a little reminder of why he puts up with me. “Payment accepted.”
“Good boy,” I chirped, dropping my shirt and patting his cheek as I passed by him to get to the fridge. The dishwasher door slammed shut and he shut the sink off as I scoured the half-empty goodie freezer. I could feel those eyes on every inch of my bare legs.
“You didn’t come home last night until almost dawn.”
I slid a half-pint of ice cream towards me and closed the door. “I was at Malek’s.”
“I know. I’m a wizard. Doesn’t tell me why.”