Chapter 11
Poe
An incessant knocking forces me to get up from my recliner. I mute the sound of nature on my smart TV and close my magazine.
I look through the peephole and see the back of a man’s head at Annie’s apartment, and immediately feel my body fill with hives of venom. But I won’t allow vexation to consume me, not again. I pinch my fingers together in front of me, close my eyes, and count to ten.
“One, two, three, four, five, six, sev—” The knock comes again, and so does my disdain. I haul my door open and bark. “Quiet.”
The guy turns around with a big vase full of flowers…and a birthday balloon. “Sorry, did I wake you?”
“No, but you’re being rather rude and extremely inconsiderate.”
“My bad. Just want to give these to her, and I’ll be gone.”
“She’s not home.”
His shoulders hunch. “Aw, man. Are you sure?”
“Yes. She hasn’t been home since yesterday.” But I know she’s with that man who calls himself her boyfriend, and that doesn’t make me happy. “Who are you?”
“Oh, sorry. I’m Parker.” He sticks his hand out for me to shake, but I cross my arms. “Okay, then.” He puts his hand back on the vase and seems confused. “Is everything okay? I don’t mean to disturb you. I’m just looking for Annabell.”
Annabell? “I think you have the wrong person.”
“I don’t think so. Short hair, really fuckin’ pretty, great rack, nice ass, about this tall.” He holds his hand up to his shoulders.
She’s all that he said, and more, but she should only be referred to as nothing less than an angel.
I wish I’d finished counting because that mocking itch is starting to turn into a rash on my scalp, and I know it’s soon going to seep through and poison my brain.
Like a tic I can’t control, I scratch the top of my head. “I’m sorry, how do you know Annie?”
“You call her Annie?” he asks, dejected. Good.
I stand tall, proud. He doesn’t know her like I do. “She insists on it. Again, how do you know Annie?”
“We used to date, but I messed it all up, hurt her really bad.” An evil growl locks in my throat. His eyes get big, and he shakes his head, taking a step away from me. “Not like that. Not physically. I might be a cheating bastard, but I’d never hurt her like that.”
My palms are sweating, and my neck is hot. I regain that step he took, then another. “Did you make her cry?”
He winces. “It was the biggest mistake of my life.”
“Of course it was. Annie is perfect.”
“I know, man. I know. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her, and I…I want to make it right. I just want another chance to prove to her how sorry I am.”
“You don’t deserve another chance with her.”
He sighs. “I know. But I’ll regret it forever if I don’t try. You get that, right, my man? I mean, it seems like you know her well…wait. How well do you know her?”
“We’re close,” I brag. “That’s all I’m going to say.”
“Right, well. Then you know what I mean. I have to at least try, because dude, she’s got talent.” He looks around like he doesn’t want anyone to hear what he’s saying. “Her lips…so plump, so fucking good, man. She did things to me with that mouth of hers I still dream about.”
“Men like you make me sick.”
He scrunches his face and has the audacity to ask me what I mean.
“You think you can taint somebody like Annie, somebody so beautiful and funny and clean. You’ve contaminated her with your filth and…
” I squeeze my hands into fists because I get nauseous thinking about her body being wasted pleasuring the likes of this pig.
“You speak about her in such a vile way that I should rip your tongue out!”
“Chill out, man. No need to get aggressive.”
I slap the back of my neck, then dig my nails into it. “Please leave.”
“Okay. Okay. I’ll go.” He sets the flowers down, then backs away and keeps his eyes on me until he reaches the elevator. He looks over his shoulder and then frantically presses the button. It must take too long because he runs to the stairwell, and then he’s gone.
I bring the vase inside with me and throw it directly into the garbage. What a fool that man is…it’s not even her birthday.