Page 127 of When the Smoke Clears

My familiar perma-smile adheres to my face. “I am. Thank you. Why don’t we get you all on this bench in front of the gingerbread house?” I gesture to the backdrop. “Then we can situate the babies in the windows.”

“That sounds adorable.” She beams.

I jump into work mode, urging them to get situated to avoid discussing myself. I’m trying to push my usual “stupid small town” thought from my mind, but given the circumstances, it’s swirling back there waiting to be let in.

Cody’s family precedes the last family, and then I start closing up. The timing couldn’t be better, because we barely managed with the light we had and it’s darkening quickly.

“Look at you, playing sweet with the locals.” An evil chill races down my spine at Alan’s voice.

I whip around to find him only a few feet away. “You’ve got to be kidding. Are you stalking me? Like father, like son, I guess.” I can’t help the words as they tumble from my mouth.

“I doubt my son was stalking you. You probably lured him over with one of your slutty outfits and then killed him.”

Disgust wages war inside, but what comes out of me is villainous. “Ah, yes. The black widow. She eats the male after they fuck, right?”

His eyes bulge, and he steps forward hastily.

I hold up a finger in his face as he closes in, wagging it back and forth. “Ah-ah. Do you remember what happened last time you came at me?”

Though he pauses, he doesn’t look any calmer.

I smirk. “Little secret? I found out that knife I stuck you with was my father’s. How ironic that you can’t manage to parent any child you’ve known, and mine managed to save me even though he was never around.”

“‘Save’ is quite the exaggeration. Still have a feel for theatrics, I see.”

This time, I step forward. “Did you not put your fucking hands on me when I was a teenager, and did I not stop you?”

A street light flickers to life behind me. The area I’m stationed in has all but cleared out. Ice sculpting is scheduled to start in minutes, and it draws the largest crowd each year. Anyone in this area is lost in happy chatter as they hurry by. “Don’t test me.”

“Do you think I’m afraid of a slut?” He practically spits his anger on me. “My son wasn’t all there, according to his mother. I doubt he could’ve defended himself well.”

He shifts his weight as if to step closer again. I slip the same knife from my back pocket and flick it open. Alan’s eyes widen when I press the tip to his stomach, but suspiciously he doesn’t move.

“Your son stabbed me.” My voice is a lethal whisper. “I’ve watched enough crime dramas to know it’s pseudo penetration. So, I’m pretty certain he wanted to screw me again, but we both knew he couldn’t get me off by that point.”

“Are you saying you want to fuck me?” He seems proud of the comment.

I grin. “No, thanks. Colt’s premeditated plan to gut me isn’t exactly the same as me defending myself with a pocketknife. Again. But nice try.”

I press harder into his gut. “Besides. Did you know that cock size is hereditary? So are kinks. SoIthink that you also have only a moderate dick, and probably suck in bed.”

His jaw clenches so hard, I’m surprised I can’t hear his teeth grinding.

“Sucks for my mother.” I let out a sarcastic laugh. “I could never. Because, I’m a slut. Right?” He doesn’t respond, but he doesn’t need to. “Well, guess what? I’m a slut who doesn’t fuck around anymore. So ifyoudecide to fuck around, you’re going to find out what your son did, and that’s that I don’t bluff.” I press firmer with the knife to drive the point home. Thanks to his lightweight jacket, I doubt my small knife is inciting any pain. But I’m fully prepared to shove with all my might if necessary.

He swallows and backs up. “You’re ruined. The prosecutor may not want to go after you, but a judge is going to see right through you in civil court. Especially after I tell them you burned my house down. You’re mine.”

“I hope you haveallyour ducks in a row, Alan, because police reports show that Colt was a ticking time bomb and a stalker. And I have no idea what fire you’re talking about, but it will be a cold day in hell before you can prove something that didn’t happen.”

He gives me a sharp look before turning and walking off angrily into the dark.

I’m still standing with the knife in hand when Sutton comes back with hot chocolate. “Maci?”

I don’t respond at first as he approaches from behind. He rounds to my front and his eyes widen as he takes in the blade. “What the fuck? Maci?”

“Take it,” I say, waving the blade in a small motion. I open the other for a hot chocolate and he makes the exchange quickly, before handing me the second drink. He shoves the closed knife into a pocket.

“What the hell is going on?” He ducks his head to get closer to me, gripping my face gently in his hands and studying my glazed look.

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