8. Faith #3
Once he was out of the bathroom, I dashed into the stall and finally emptied my bladder.
The relief was dizzying. Well, it could have been the liquor.
Either way, I sat there for a beat to get my head together before getting up and washing my hands.
I splashed some cold water on my face and dried it with a wad of paper towels.
Taking a deep breath, I proceeded to the door to deal with Reed.
“Don’t think I’m letting you know where I live,” I said as I walked out of the bathroom.
He laughed as he pushed off the wall, but he didn’t respond. I scanned the hall, surprised to find that old boy from earlier wasn’t stretched out on the floor anymore.
“That way,” Reed insisted, pointing toward the exit sign at the opposite end of the hall from where the bar was.
Since he usually knew what he was doing, I didn’t protest as I led the way to the exit.
Reed kept his hand on the small of my back as he escorted me the short distance to his car at the back of the club.
We were silent as he unlocked the door and helped me into the passenger seat. He walked around and got in.
“Where to?” he asked, cranking up the car.
I wasn’t that drunk. I knew better than to lead him right to my house. I rambled off a random address on the street over from where I actually lived. Like I said, I wasn’t letting Reed know where I lived.
Apparently, I was a little tipsier than I thought I was, because getting in the car and giving Reed a fake address was the last thing I remembered. The next thing I felt was his hand gently shaking my thigh to wake me up.
“Where are we?” I asked, slightly confused after my short nap.
“Probably two blocks away from your house. This is the address you gave me.”
I cursed my disorientation because now the gig was up. Anyway, I was exhausted and done with the argument of whether he should know where I lived or not. Instead, I shook my head and sat up so I could pinpoint where I was.
“Go to the end of the block and make a right. It’s 501 Allen Crest, but don’t think you can just pop up at my house when you feel like it. I am licensed to shoot and ask questions later.”
I glanced at Reed’s clock and noticed that it was just after eleven.
My late-night days were said and done after college.
The only time I could hang these days was if I had a deadline.
Then my all-nighters were fueled by endless cups of coffee and candy.
Alcohol had the opposite effect, making it hard for me to keep my eyes open as we got closer to my house. I couldn’t wait to fall out in bed.
My heart dropped when I noticed Jasper walking from the side of my house, pulling my trash can toward the road. I didn’t even realize that it was trash day. He never failed to remember them. I was so spoiled by the simple gesture that I barely ever thought about trash pickup days at this point.
“Right there where the guy is moving the trash can.”
“Ain’t that the dude from the other day?”
“I told you he’s my neighbor.” I explained as Reed pulled into the driveway. Not that I owed him an explanation.
“Oh, I thought you were saying that was your house.”
“That is my house.”
“What the hell is he doing there at this time of night? You fucking him?”
“Again, I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”
“I don’t see how it’s not. Everything about you is my business, especially who touches my pussy.”
The way I howled with laughter after Reed’s statement didn’t seem to sit too well with him. He kept his eyes pinned on me as he turned off the car and waited for me to answer him. I didn’t even know why he did that, because he was not coming inside.
“Thank you for the ride,” I told him, reaching for the door.
“You didn’t answer my question, Faith. Are you fucking that dude?”
“So what if I am? The last time I checked, this was my pussy. My pussy, my choice.”
His eyes darkened, narrowing as they shifted to Jasper who was now moving his own trash cans to the road.
“Dead that shit before I do it.”
“You don’t tell me what the fuck to do. You damn sure don’t tell me what to do with my pussy.
You gave up that right. Or do you not remember, because I damn sure do.
Let’s recap. The last time I checked, you tricked me into giving you my virginity, knowing damn well you were engaged to another woman. Do you remember that?”
“Faith.” He sighed.
“No, that’s not even the best part. When it was time to face the music, you weren’t even man enough to tell me the truth. You sicced your mama on me like the coward you are.”
“That’s not what happened, Faith.”
“There is nothing wrong with my memory. Stay the hell away from me unless we are working on the investigation. You don’t get to control me, and you damn sure don’t get to try to rewrite history.
You know what? I can’t wait to take you down,” I spat before jumping out of the car and storming up the driveway right past Jasper.
I didn’t want to say anything to him for fear that I would take my irritation with Reed out on him. Jasper didn’t deserve that. He was a nice guy, even if I didn’t want him.
Thankfully, he took the hint and continued what he was doing while I let myself in the house. Once I was inside, I fell back against the door. I couldn’t stand Reed. Not only had he ruined my mood, but he also killed my buzz.
Fuck him.