streets of Philly. Good riddance.
“He said he had roughed up his children.”
That’s putting it lightly
.
“And?” With her fingers still wrapped around her puny weapon, she dropped her shaking arm to her side.
“He was sorry for everything he had put you and your brother through.”
Dante smiled as though he’d delivered her the Ark of the Covenant.
Poor guy had no idea.
A simple apology didn’t undo Ray’s destruction. A simple apology only ripped open wounds that had started to heal.
But there was a tiny spark inside of her. A tendril of relief surrounded by layers of pain and fear. She’d have to take time to absorb this information. Maybe Ray’s death would help her move on with her life. She’d never be normal, but knowing that he couldn’t hurt her again gave her a flicker of hope.
Poor Dante stood there with such a hopeful expression on his handsome features.
She swallowed. “How did you know Ray? How did you come to be there when he died?”
He stared at the concrete for a long moment. “Happened to be in the right place. Um, when he gave me the information to deliver, I came to Portland.”
“You just picked up and came here to find me and deliver this message?” Something smelled fishy. He wasn’t telling her everything.
“I, uh, have a lot of flexibility with my job.”
“What exactly do you do?”
“Um, pest control.” His expression was more question, less statement.
“Looking like this?”
“I run my own business.”
“Hmm.”
He cleared his throat. “So isn’t that a good message?”
Darned if he didn’t look like an overgrown schoolboy, awaiting praise. She hated to burst his bubble.
“Kind of. Well. Thank you for going to all the trouble to tell me.”
“So Raymond wasn’t a nice guy?”
“I’d rather not discuss him, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course.” He hadn’t moved a muscle in the past five minutes.
“Can we just keep walking for a while?”
“Whatever you wish.” His stiff stance belied his polite words.
Perhaps she hadn’t shown the proper gratitude. He had come all the way from Philadelphia and somehow tracked her down, all to give her this message. That effort had to have taken time and money. Even if he was independently wealthy, he still had taken a lot of initiative on her behalf.
She tried to formulate a statement of appropriate thanks, one that she could say without breaking into pieces. Nope. Couldn’t do it.
Deep in thought, they strolled side by side in pensive silence. She’d be sure to thank him by the time they reached her house.
Fewer and fewer cars passed as they passed into the run-down residential area. The pleasant companionship eased the tension in her shoulders. For the time being.
Lulled into a relaxed state, she almost forgot about her disappointing life, almost forgot her aches and pains. Too easily, she imagined all of her days ending like this, walking home with a handsome man, enjoying polite conversation and companionship.
Until she blasted back into reality.
Up the street, Scott and his nasty friend, Brandon, stood at the front door of the house, beer bottles in hands. Their expressions were hidden in backlit shadow from the porch light, but the silhouettes of their heads rose as she approached.
Oh geez, not good.
“Okay, so I’ll go on from here alone, thanks.” She smiled in what she hoped was a convincing manner.
Slowing down her pace, she prayed Dante would get the hint.
“I don’t mind walking further.”
“No, really, it’s fine. Thank you and good night.”
She had to get him away from here. Shame for her brother and for her life rose up. So much for the gentleman walking her home to her pleasant life. Nice dream while it lasted. Dear lord, Dante wasn’t stopping.
Scott raised his bottle in shaky salute. “Hi, sis, who you got there?”
At an encouraging nod and smirk from Brandon, her brother sauntered to the sidewalk, planted his feet, and crossed his arms.
“I’m
“He said he had roughed up his children.”
That’s putting it lightly
.
“And?” With her fingers still wrapped around her puny weapon, she dropped her shaking arm to her side.
“He was sorry for everything he had put you and your brother through.”
Dante smiled as though he’d delivered her the Ark of the Covenant.
Poor guy had no idea.
A simple apology didn’t undo Ray’s destruction. A simple apology only ripped open wounds that had started to heal.
But there was a tiny spark inside of her. A tendril of relief surrounded by layers of pain and fear. She’d have to take time to absorb this information. Maybe Ray’s death would help her move on with her life. She’d never be normal, but knowing that he couldn’t hurt her again gave her a flicker of hope.
Poor Dante stood there with such a hopeful expression on his handsome features.
She swallowed. “How did you know Ray? How did you come to be there when he died?”
He stared at the concrete for a long moment. “Happened to be in the right place. Um, when he gave me the information to deliver, I came to Portland.”
“You just picked up and came here to find me and deliver this message?” Something smelled fishy. He wasn’t telling her everything.
“I, uh, have a lot of flexibility with my job.”
“What exactly do you do?”
“Um, pest control.” His expression was more question, less statement.
“Looking like this?”
“I run my own business.”
“Hmm.”
He cleared his throat. “So isn’t that a good message?”
Darned if he didn’t look like an overgrown schoolboy, awaiting praise. She hated to burst his bubble.
“Kind of. Well. Thank you for going to all the trouble to tell me.”
“So Raymond wasn’t a nice guy?”
“I’d rather not discuss him, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course.” He hadn’t moved a muscle in the past five minutes.
“Can we just keep walking for a while?”
“Whatever you wish.” His stiff stance belied his polite words.
Perhaps she hadn’t shown the proper gratitude. He had come all the way from Philadelphia and somehow tracked her down, all to give her this message. That effort had to have taken time and money. Even if he was independently wealthy, he still had taken a lot of initiative on her behalf.
She tried to formulate a statement of appropriate thanks, one that she could say without breaking into pieces. Nope. Couldn’t do it.
Deep in thought, they strolled side by side in pensive silence. She’d be sure to thank him by the time they reached her house.
Fewer and fewer cars passed as they passed into the run-down residential area. The pleasant companionship eased the tension in her shoulders. For the time being.
Lulled into a relaxed state, she almost forgot about her disappointing life, almost forgot her aches and pains. Too easily, she imagined all of her days ending like this, walking home with a handsome man, enjoying polite conversation and companionship.
Until she blasted back into reality.
Up the street, Scott and his nasty friend, Brandon, stood at the front door of the house, beer bottles in hands. Their expressions were hidden in backlit shadow from the porch light, but the silhouettes of their heads rose as she approached.
Oh geez, not good.
“Okay, so I’ll go on from here alone, thanks.” She smiled in what she hoped was a convincing manner.
Slowing down her pace, she prayed Dante would get the hint.
“I don’t mind walking further.”
“No, really, it’s fine. Thank you and good night.”
She had to get him away from here. Shame for her brother and for her life rose up. So much for the gentleman walking her home to her pleasant life. Nice dream while it lasted. Dear lord, Dante wasn’t stopping.
Scott raised his bottle in shaky salute. “Hi, sis, who you got there?”
At an encouraging nod and smirk from Brandon, her brother sauntered to the sidewalk, planted his feet, and crossed his arms.
“I’m
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