Page 28 of Honey Trapped

Eileen has had a standing weekly appointment at the Charm Beauty Salon for as long as I’ve known her to get her nails done and her brows waxed. Her permanently tattooed red lips lift into a smirk the second she sees me. Bitch doesn't realize all the shit she keeps doing to enhance her appearance is making her look like shit. The injections. The permanentmakeup. She goes to these stupid house parties where they do it on the down low. She got pissed when I wouldn't fund it.

“Hey, honey.”

I shake my head. “This is the last time I’m going to tell you to stay away from me and Norah. What would you have done if that little stunt of yours last night resulted in her child getting hurt or worse?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, and I don’t appreciate you stalking me like this. Showing up and accusing me of terrible things, but it needs to stop. We’re divorced, Ace.”

“Jesus,” I mutter. “Next time, I’m pressing charges. Crazy bitch. Over these head games. We both know it was you who slashed Norah’s tires, put that stupid sign in her yard, and flung a burning bag of shit at her door. Now I hear you vandalized my business.”

“Maybe you’re the one doing those things to her. Maybe someone needs to warn her off you. Only one crazy around here is you.”

“Yeah maybe I was for ever sticking my dick in trash like you,” I spit out.

“I hate you.”

“Good then maybe you’ll leave me and the people in my life the hell alone. It’s well past time you moved on. I sure as fuck have.”

Eileen’s face loses all coloring in her cheeks.

“Final warning. Stay the fuck away from Norah.”

“She’s too young for you, Ace. We had something good.”

“All we had was a lie. An illusion. What we had wasn't real.”

“You still think I lied?”

“Know you fuckin’ did. You were never pregnant. Toyed with me. Lied about a miscarriage. You're sick, Eileen. You need help.”

“We could try again.”

“Wouldn't matter if Norah was in my life or not. You and me will never fucking happen. Be a coldfucking day in Hell and not even then would I put my dick in you. I want the bullshit to stop. You seem to forget I have cameras on my units and swear to fuck if you do one more thing, I’ll take it to the cops and file charges.”

“I’ll always love you, Ace.”

She doesn't know what love is.

I leave the salon wondering why I even bothered. Cunt has lost her damn mind.

Chapter Fifteen

Norah

It’s been a week since I’ve had any contact with Ace. He’s not been around, and I’ve been busy trying to find a job now that I’ve finished my editing gig and nothing new has popped up. The problem with being in a small town is there aren’t as many jobs and people don’t always take to outsiders. They would rather give the position to a friend of a friend or whatever.

I dropped Lennon at daycare since its already paid for. I was hoping I was going to get a clerk job at the grocery store, but they had already filled the spot when I showed up for my interview.

I hear the familiar sound of the mailman by the door. I wait a few minutes for him to be gone before stepping out to see if there’s anything in the box. My mother always said no news is good news. Eileen seems to have calmed down, and I wonder if that’swhy Ace has kept his distance. To keep her from lashing out.

We haven’t spoken since he spent the night with me. I haven't heard from Marco since I moved in and I’m praying it stays that way. I don't know how he keeps finding us. I’ve cut off all contact with his family and my own but every so often he gets my address or phone number and then the threats start.

He blames me for his incarceration. Says that I set him up. Marco has no one but himself to blame. He did it to himself. He wasn't the man I thought he was, and I wasn’t the victim he expected. I fought back.

I open the door and step on to the porch at the same time Ace exits his place.

“Hey.”

“Norah.” He lifts his chin.

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