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THE NEXT MORNING, DEE rushed to answer her front door. She checked the peephole and saw a white man who she guessed was in his mid to late twenties standing on her porch.
She cracked the door open. “May I help you?”
He presented a toothy smile through his golden goatee. “How are you, Ma’am? Would you be interested in signing up for our magazine subscription? It’s—”
“Sorry.” She waved. “I’m not interested.” She started to close the door when he stuck his black, converse shoe in between it.
“Hold on there.” His short, ginger-blond hair went wild under a dingy, white baseball cap. “You haven’t heard what the magazine is yet.”
“I don’t read magazines.” Dee smiled. “Have a good day.”
He kept his foot in the door.
“Would you move your foot, please?”
“Come on.” He put his hand on the door. “You’re gonna like what I got for you.”
“I said no.” She pushed on the door but he didn’t budge. “Get your fuckin’ foot out of my door.”
He chuckled.
“I’m a cop and this is your last warning.”
“I know all about you, Dee.” His thick eyelids drooped. “At least what you posted on your Find Your Fantasy profile.”
“Son of a bitch.” She struggled to close the door, but he inched his foot further inside. “Get away from my door!”
“I don’t think so.” He shoved it open, knocking Dee to the floor.
She got up, holding her robe closed. “Get out of my house!”
“Like I said...” He walked in, his T-shirt hugging his wide chest. “I don’t think so.”
“Then your ass is asking for it.” She ran down the hall, but he caught her midway. “Let me go!”
“You can stop the act, Dee.” He wrapped his arm across her waist. “You want it.”
“Get off, fucker!” She stomped on his foot.
“Ah.” He stooped over, letting her go.
Dee ran to the dresser in her bedroom to get her gun. Soon as she opened the drawer, the stranger pounced on her.
“No!” Dee tussled as he threw her on the bed. “Get off!”
“Stop acting so damn innocent.” He subdued her waving hands. “You posted the profile.”
“I didn’t!” Dee clawed at his face. “You’re making a big mistake.”
“You said you were looking for action.” His baseball cap fell off as he tried to contain her. “I can read clear as day.”
“I didn’t do that profile!”
“Bullshit.” He pinned her arms to the bed. “Come on, Dee. I can make it worth your while. You won’t have to post profiles anymore.”
“Bastard!” She kicked him in the crotch.
He rolled off her, groaning in pain. “Fuckin’ slut.”
She ran to the dresser and got her gun. “You’re under arrest!”
“Wait.” He leaned over, gasping for air. “Don’t arrest me, please.”
“You broke into my house and assaulted me. Turn your ass around.”
“I’m sorry all right?” He waved his hands. “Let’s forget this happened. I got a wife and a little girl.”
“You should’ve thought about them before you attacked me.”
“I’ll go.” He got his cap from the floor. “Can we forget this? I wasn’t gonna hurt you.”
“Don’t move.” With her gun pointed at him, she got her cuffs from the dresser drawer. “The only place you’re going is to the station. Put your hands behind your back right now.”
“Fuck.” He followed the demand.
“Maybe next time you’ll think twice before doing this to another woman.”
She read him his rights.
****
“I BET LISA CHEWED YOU out last night, didn’t she?” Rayne spread massage oil on Jake’s knees.
“Uh-huh.” He lay on his back with his hands clutching his stomach. “She said she’s gonna lay off concerning you.”
“You think she’ll be able to?”
He scratched above his nipple. “She says so.”
“I can’t blame her for not liking me.” She stroked his thigh, pushing her hand toward his crotch.
“Whoa.” Jake jerked his eyes open. “A little high there aren’t you?”
“Lisa sees the truth,” she purred. “No need for us to keep denying it.”
He sat up. “What are you talking about?”
She walked to the front of the table. “You know what I’m talking about, Jake.” She put her hand in her pocket, grasping the syringe. “I’m attracted to you and I think you feel the same way.”
“Wait, a minute.”
“Sh.” She placed her finger on his damp lips. “I love your mouth. I dream of it being all over my body.”
“Rayne, listen,” he said with her finger still on his lips. “This isn’t happening, okay?”
“What’s not happening?” She stroked his hair. “I want you, Jake.” She lowered her head toward his. “You feel the same so let’s not fight it.” She pulled the syringe out her pocket and held it behind her back. “I can be everything Lisa can’t.” She kissed him.
“Mm!” He pushed her. “Leave.” He wiped her lipstick from his lips. “Now.”
“You don’t want me to go.” She pushed him down and climbed on top of him. “Just lie still and enjoy it.”
“Get the fuck off me!” He shoved her, and she fell on the floor, hitting her head. “I’m such an idiot.” He sat up, straightening the towel. “I felt sorry for you and all this time Lisa was right?”
She snuck the syringe back in her pocket. “You led me on?”
“Led you on?” He scowled. “Lady, are you serious?”
She stood. “What about taking an interest in my life? What about wanting me to make friends?”
“I did that because I’m a nice guy. You gotta go.” He pulled his wheelchair to the table and got into it. “Leave.”
“Jake.”
“Get your stuff and go.” He wheeled to the door. “Now, Rayne.”
“Wait, please.” She huffed and puffed. “This was a mistake.”
“You damn right it was.” He opened the door.
Fuck.
“I’m sorry if I overstepped my bounds.”
“You came on to me.” His nose curled up. “You can’t come here anymore. I’m gonna tell the clinic to send someone else.”
“Jake, please.” She grabbed his arm. “It was a mistake. It won’t happen again.”
He jerked away from her. “I know because you won’t be here. Get your stuff and get out. I never wanna see you again.”
“Jake?”
“I don’t appreciate being played like a fool. I defended you before, but I’m not making the same mistake twice. Go.” He lowered his head, moving from the door.
“You’re gonna regret this.” She folded up the table.
“What?”
“You heard me, cocksucker.”
“What did you call me?”
“You can’t do whatever the hell you want to people and get away with it.” She put the table in the bag and grabbed the oil. “Not with me. It’s time you pay for what you’ve done, and I’m gonna make sure you do.”
“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, and I don’t care. Just leave.”
She put her purse on her shoulder and walked out, lugging the bag.
He slammed the door.
“Dumb motherfucker. Like I would really want your ass.” She walked to her car. “Guess it’s on to plan b, huh?” She threw her things in the trunk and got inside the driver’s seat. “But first let’s scare you, Jake.” She took out her phone and dialed Brandon.
“Hey, babe,” he answered.
“Brandon.” She huffed and puffed, wheezing in between. “Oh!” She pretended to cry. “I...Brandon.”
“What is it, sweetie? What’s wrong?”
“He came onto me. He propositioned me.”
“Who?” he yelled. “The Jenson guy?”
“Yes.” She sniffled. “He grabbed me and pulled me on top of him when he was on the table and kissed me. Then he grabbed at my clothes.”
“Isn’t he in a wheelchair?”
“But he’s strong and he can walk some.” She wailed. “I can’t believe this happened. He was so nice.”
“Those ‘nice’ ones be the guys you need to watch most.”
“I was so scared. He says he might report me to the clinic and say I came on to him. I can’t lose this job. You know how hard I worked.”
“That motherfucker.”
She heard tools falling as if he’d knocked them over on purpose.
“That’s why I hate you having that job. Men think just because you massage them you’ll do anything. Forget him reporting you. You can press charges.”
“I don’t wanna cause any issues or make this bigger than it is.”
“He attacked you. It’s already big.”
“I wanna forget it ever happened.”
“I sure as hell won’t.”
“Brandon.”
“Fuck that,” he shouted. “He almost raped you, and his ass won’t get away with it. He’s in a wheelchair now well he’s gonna be in a damn stretcher when I get through with his ass.”
She smirked, glancing at Jake’s house.
“I gotta get back to work.” He breathed, causing static into the phone. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
She hung up and drove away, laughing.