Page 9 of Secret Obession
But I was younger, better fed, and sober. I pushed her across the slick linoleum floor and out the kitchen door, then locked it.
“Let me in!” she screeched as she banged on the glass.
“If you don’t leave, I’m calling the cops!” My voice cracked on the last word.
An orange fluff ball streaked across my porch, growling and hissing at Mom, who jumped back and cursed.Looks like my cat likes me pretty well after all.
Just then, a beat-up red Chevy pulled into the driveway. I thought I saw a flash of greasy dark hair from the driver’s seat.
“Sue,” a male voice yelled from the car. I couldn’t say for sure, but it sounded like the same guy she’d been with last night. “Is your girl paying up?”
“Naw, she’s too good for the likes of me these days.” Mom threw the words over her shoulder while stepping off my front porch.
“Too bad. She’s a pretty one.”
“Best keep your eyes in your head, Joel. That girl’d freeze your nuts off.”
I stared, frozen, as she got in the truck, slammed the door, and they peeled away, leaving skid marks on my quiet residential street.
I ran over to the hardware store before Mom worked up the courage to come back, if she ever did. As I was comparing two different brands of locks, my phone rang.
“What?” I said when I picked up.
“Why are you buying new locks?” Jackson’s voice crackled over the line, deep and demanding.
“Who told you I was buying new locks?”
A long pause greeted that question. “Hunter. He saw you while he was in there asking after a job.”
I glanced around, wondering if the middle Hayes brother was still around. “When did he get out of jail?”
“This morning. It’s not important.”
“Of course it’s important! Why didn’t you tell me?” I should pop over this evening with dinner. Hunter was a year ahead of me in school, and while we’d never been close, we’d always gotten along on account of our brothers’ friendships. Seeing a friendly face must be so important to him right now. “Is he staying with you?”
“He’s staying with Cole. Now, why are you buying new locks? Did your mom do something?” Threat crept into his deep voice and sent a forbidden thrill down my spine. I shouldnotbe getting all worked up over Jackson right now.
“Because the old ones need to be changed.” Decision made, I put back one of the locks and stuck the other in my basket, then started looking at deadbolts.
“Are they broken?”
“No.”
“I’ll be at your place in ten.” He hung up.
Fuck me. Jackson was going to come over and demand an explanation for whatIdid atmyhouse. He’d act like I was some empty-headed kid who needed him to look after her, then make all kinds of overbearing demands, invoking Travis’s name the whole time. I was red with embarrassment already.
Jackson’s car was already in my driveway when I got home. He should have been working, but I guess henpecking me was more interesting.
I parked on the street—no way was I blocking him in when I meant to send him packing—and stomped over to where he crouched on my front porch, fending off my kitty protector. The orange floof was in front of my door, hissing and baring his teeth.
“Are you sure this thing’s a cat and not a demon?” he demanded.
“He’s just a bit on edge. You try living your whole life outside, afraid of predators.” I knelt down, and the cat immediately trotted over and butted his head against my hand for ear scritches. “Good boy,” I murmured, along with all manner of nonsense.
Jackson glared at the tiny thing, then started examining my door.
“I told you, the lock’s not broken,” I said, with one last pat between the cat’s ears. Deciding that Jackson was no longer a threat now that I was here, he trotted off.
