Fire & Brimstone (Neighbor from Hell #8) - R.L. Mathewson Page 0,35

the door lock release with a click, she threw the door open and ran as fast as her short legs would carry her. In record time, she was in her apartment with the door slammed shut, the bolt slid into place and her back against the door to add extra security while she struggled to catch her breath.

“What’s wrong?” Melanie asked, looking up from her computer with a frown as she took in Rebecca desperately clinging to the door.

“I…,” she started to say only to stop when she thought she heard something out in the hallway.

“Rebecca?” Melanie said, sounding understandably worried since Rebecca had her ear pressed against the door and was holding her breath as she waited for the knock that she wasn’t ready for to come.

When it never came, she breathed a sigh of relief and slumped back against the door. “Pack your bags. We’re leaving the country in the morning,” she said, hoping that would be enough for Melanie to move her ass, because she wasn’t sure that she had enough energy to explain what just happened and pack her things.

“Is there a reason why we’re fleeing the country?” Melanie asked instead of being the supportive friend that she needed and packed without question.

“Yes!” she snapped, pushing away from the door on wobbly legs.

“Are you going to share that reason with the rest of the class?” Melanie asked, picking up her bottle of water and took a sip.

“No!” Rebecca snapped, heading for her bedroom only to end up groaning pathetically a few seconds later when Mojo walked in front of her, dropped to the ground and promptly fell asleep without warning, causing her to stumble over him and trip over her feet.

As she lay there on the floor, she couldn’t help regretting that time when she’d vetoed Melanie’s decision to buy an area rug for the hallway. When Mojo rolled over a few seconds later and landed on top of her, she couldn’t help but regret deciding against signing him up for obedience class and when she heard that first knock at their door, she regretted pretty much everything she’d ever done to Lucifer, because now it seemed as though she was about to pay for it.

*-*-*-*

“Stop kicking me out of my own apartment!” Melanie yelled after he deposited her in the hallway.

When she continued to yell, he decided that it would be for the best if he closed the door on her since all that yelling would only annoy him. She still yelled, but thankfully the solid wood door was able to muffle most of it out. When he spotted his prey lying on the floor with that horse they liked to call a dog laying on top of her legs, pinning her to the floor, he couldn’t help but smile.

“Melanie?” she said, sounding hopeful as she tried to look over her shoulder to see what was going on, but thanks to the position that Mojo had her pinned in, it was impossible.

“Guess again,” he said, noting the way that her entire upper body went still at the sound of his voice.

“Ummm, this really isn’t a good time. Maybe you could come back later?” she said as she tried to pull her legs free, probably hoping that he wouldn’t notice the move.

“Am I interrupting something?” he drawled lazily as he helped himself to an ice cold Coke from her fridge.

“Yes,” she said, clearing her throat as she planted her arms on the floor and tried her best to pull her legs free, but that damn dog wouldn’t budge, “Yes, you are.”

That was a damn shame, he thought with a sigh as he popped his soda can open and took a sip. He walked over to the wiggling woman and leaned down to pet the dog that had earned a steak. Other than grunting his approval, Mojo didn’t bother opening his eyes as he settled in for a nap.

Secure in the knowledge that she wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon, he stepped over her squirming body and sat down with his back to the wall in front of her. While she glared up at him, he took another long, satisfying sip of his ice cold drink as he thought back on all the bullshit that she’d put him through over the last five years and sighed.

She really did have this coming, he thought as the bitter woman gave up trying to escape and stole his drink. He allowed it simply because he was in a generous mood. As