into her place of business like hot fire fueled by his own evil, and he’d set the whole damn place ablaze with a simple utterance. Apparently, the Devil has some eye candy for his demon army. She’d be a liar if she refused to admit the bastard was ruggedly good-looking. In fact, under different circumstances he’d have stopped her in her tracks, grimy clothing and all, but he was so very ugly on the inside… so very, very nasty, down to his rotten core…
Mr. Creed never said anything about having a son. I see why now. If this is how he behaves, I wouldn’t have claimed his ass either…
CHAPTER THREE
Wake Up and Smell the Coffee
Wind Haven Court in Kennesaw, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, was rather quiet tonight. Typically, the sounds of children playing reigned in the early evening, their high-pitched squeals and giddy laughter woven into the sounds of a buzzing lawn mower or two. That was often the perfect backdrop for a long overdue nap for Aries – always a peaceful reprieve, so different from the noisy, bustling area of his shop in Marietta or the neighborhood in which he’d grown up. Aries licked the sweat accumulating along his upper lip, tasting the saltiness and the bristle of his mustache, as waves of memories flooded him, spilling into his peace of mind. It was hot as hell in that kitchen. He’d just finished reheating some thinly sliced cuts of honey ham in the oven, which he served with instant mashed potatoes seasoned with butter and pepper, and a can of green beans in bacon drippings.
Most of his food sat untouched, growing cold on the table, the silverware still spotless. That was unusual for him, not to eat. He’d come home ravished and eating dinner was usually a priority.
But tonight was different. He sat on a tan and black bucket chair at the round kitchen table, glancing up at the tan ceiling fan which spun around and around, humming a song. Smoking a cigarette, he thought about the day’s events but then he forced his mind off of that, making himself fall into a canvas of white thoughts – the screen in his mind blank.
‘Your Man’ by John Turner played in the background, the music drifting through the speakers of his home. Not that it helped him feel any better.
Everything is messed up… I can’t think straight. I needed some time to sort my thoughts, but I can’t seem to muster this. I’m home, for God’s sake. He struggled with himself like a snake tangled in its own tail. What a mess the death of a stranger had caused, Life uprooted, and for what?
I want the money, but a part of me kinda wishes he hadn’t left me shit. I don’t know what’s going on… damn sure don’t know how to feel. A cluster of old emotions were bubbling from his gut, coming to the surface like cream. Can’t even unwind! Relax!
He usually loved coming home. His was a nice community, a great place to raise his son, and something he took quite a bit of pride in. This was his safe haven, a place to loosen up, kick back, watch TV and decompress. Yet, today that was a no-go. His mind was a jumbled mess, like the soggy, waterlogged pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that would never fit together quite the same, ever again. It’s been a long ass week and I just want this to be over with.
All this drama was dragging on like an endless saga and he hated that. He was more of a ‘get in/get out’ sort of guy. He’d seen so many of his father’s tenants over the last few days, and all had been shocked at receiving his news. What the hell did they expect to happen after Benjamin’s death? Some leasing fairy of good fortune to just keep letting them live there with no attention to the matter at hand? A few took it well, some wanted to ask a bunch of personal questions that didn’t mean shit, while others cursed him out and slammed the door in his face. Fools.
And then there was Lauren McKinney…
He grabbed his beer and chugged it to the last drop. The liquid burned good going down. He tossed the bottle in the bin behind him and stared into nothingness, slipping fast into a daydream. She’s something else…
When he’d walked in that bookstore, the last thing he’d expected was to see a beautiful woman with skin