White Trash Witch by Franny Armstrong

Horse went past. She wore a
black leather jacket, white shirt, black miniskirt, and black
nylons. Her hair was pitch black, shoulder length and spiked in all
directions. By the look of the heavy black makeup on her cheeks,
she'd been crying.
    "Lacy!" Wiley cried and rushed over to the girl.
    "Hi, Aunt Wiley," she said, struggling not to
cry.
    Wiley pulled her into a warm hug, and held her
close.
    "We're here now, baby. Your mom's going to be all
right. I promise." Pulling back she looked the girl in the eyes.
"Aunt Wiley demands so! This here is my friend, Ryder. He demands
so, too!"
    A tentative smile broke, leaving trembling lips as
she broke down and cried.
    "If only I'd stayed home. Maybe I could have stopped
them from going out. He always drinks and drives. I hate him!" she
cried, burying her face in Wiley's shirt.
    "Honey, you can't be held responsible for him. It
isn't your fault." Looking up at Ryder her eyes begged for
help.
    Quietly, he said, "The nurse told me that he's up on
manslaughter charges. He killed two people tonight because he was
drinking and driving. The police are on their way to pick him up,
now that the doctors have looked at him."
    "Oh, my God!" she whispered, stunned.
    "Wiley, please, take Lacy home to Ryder's place and
put her to bed. I'll stay here with your father for a while
longer," Lila said.
    "I'll leave you the cell phone number for my driver.
He's at your beck and call, twenty-four hours a day."
    "You're a kind man, Ryder," Lila said. Kissing Lacy
and Wiley on their cheeks, she turned to go, but stopped for a
moment. She reached up and kissed Ryder on his cheek too.
    His face flushed with heat. "Let's get you two home."
With a hand on each of the girl's shoulders, he led them to the
elevator.
    Back
to top

Chapter 5
The
Unveiling
    Closing Lacy's bedroom door quietly behind her, Wiley
turned and threw her arms around Ryder, and hugged him close. His
strong arms surrounded her, and his lips brushed her forehead.
    "I'll give you the tour of the house tomorrow. Would
you like a drink to calm you down?" he asked.
    "Ha! A drink to calm me down! A drink to kill people,
and a drink to practically kill my poor sister! Why was alcohol
ever created?" she said, breaking down and crying. They still stood
in the hall. Ryder didn't want to wake Lacy, so he picked Wiley up
and carried her to the bedroom beside his. After closing the door
behind him, he walked over to the large lazy-boy chair, and sat in
it with her in his lap.
    "Hush now. Wiley, one drink doesn't make you an
alcoholic. It's a disease. I'm not excusing him, but he probably
doesn't even think he has a problem."
    "I'm so afraid that I'll lose my sister," she
cried.
    "Have a little faith, Wiley. The doctor told your
parents that her chances of survival look good."
    Lifting her head, Wiley asked, "Why are you doing all
this?" Her cheeks were lined with teardrops. It broke his heart to
see her so upset.
    "All what?" he asked, confused.
    "One minute you're fishing and watching movies, and
the next you take on my whole family, and help us. Why?"
    "It's just who I am. Wouldn't you do the same if the
situations were reversed?"
    "Well, yeah, but there aren't too many people that
think the way I do."
    Taking a tissue from the end table, he handed it to
her, and she blew her nose.
    "Better?" he asked.
    "Better."
    "Now, do you want a drink? Hot chocolate? Milk,
coffee, tea, pop…"
    Laughing, she shook her head. Suddenly she stopped
and stared at him. He knew that she saw was a balding man in his
early thirties with the kindest eyes she'd ever seen. She cupped
his cheek with her hand, and he tipped his head, leaning into
it.
    In a blink, her lips were on his, and she moaned.
Pulling him closer, she met his tongue thrust for thrust and he
began to spin out of control. He wanted her like no other. He'd
never felt such strong passion with anyone else.
    Her fingers began unbuttoning his shirt, and he
pulled away.
    "Wait. Baby, I'm more than willing to go