Page 17 of Devil's Work: Dark

“Listen, I got it, you don’t—”

“I won’t have some man paying my bills. This is my home, as lowly as it is. I take care of my home and the people in it. Now please, go through the house and shut the windows. Lacy is napping, so please keep it down in her room.”

Fuck, I just got my ass handed to me by a woman on crutches.

6

RAE

The kids have taken to Dark being around quite well. I’m not sure Ty totally understands. He either wants Dark and I to be together or thinks we are. A couple of times in the two weeks he’s been staying with us, Ty pulled on both my and Dark’s hands, trying to get us to hold hands as we walked through the grocery store. I was beyond humiliated. Dark appeared horrified. And I get it, I do. I’m not the kind of woman someone as unbelievably sexy and single as Dark would ever take an interest in. He’s not comfortable around kids and mine are always with me. If I ever do date again, it has to be with a man who doesn’t mind hanging with my children. But I’m not sure if I’ll ever do the dating thing again. I know my vows said,till death do us part, and death parted Jim and I, but wouldn’t that be a betrayal of some kind? It doesn’t matter, I don’t have the headspace to deal with another man. Ever. I can get myself off. I don’t need a man for that.

Dela still hasn’t returned my calls. I’m getting worried. Worried and still pissed, along with a whole host of other emotions concerning that job.Gah!I just wish she’d call me back. Something’s wrong. I feel it. It’s a damn good thing thinking about Dela sours my stomach, because then I’m not inclined to eat as much.

I pull the freezer bag of dirty rice from the freezer and pull one of the measured mounds, then I replace it back in the freezer. Dark has a hearty appetite and likes his air. To make sure I can afford to keep buying food for the kids and pay the electric bill when it comes, I made us dirty rice for dinner a couple of nights after Dark moved in. I even soaked my own beans because a bag of beans is super cheap. I made extra, using a measuring cup to scoop out enough portions for two weeks. I eat once a day; it’s a cup of dirty rice. I’m almost out. It’s not easy coming up with meals that Dark will eat that don’t cost the GDP of a small country to prepare. I’m running out of excuses for why I don’t sit down to eat with him and the kids.

I have to clean up the mess.

I have to run to the bathroom… Be right back.

I’m too hot to eat right now.

I’m not very hungry. That one’s the biggest lie. I’ve been eating a cup of dirty rice a day for the past two weeks. I’m always hungry. Ice water is a poor girl’s best friend.

We’ve not had any run-ins with anyone since Dark came to stay. I’d like to think that means Dark will be able to leave soon, but I’m not stupid. The moment someone doesn’t think Dark’s an issue, they’ll strike.

He brought his flat-screen down from his room at the clubhouse because he doesn’t like watching movies on his phone. He uses his phone as a hotspot to play his movies. Unfortunately, Dark watches movies that Ty has no business getting even tiny glimpses of. I’m constantly reminding him that certain movies are for when the kids go to bed.

He’s been getting better at it opting for sports or comedies with some swearing, instead. We don’t swear, but it’s not like Ty’s little ears will catch fire from hearing the F-word.

I dump the frozen cup of dirty rice in a pot, add a tiny bit of water, put the lid on the pot, and turn the stove onlow. They had BBQ chicken, homemade steak fries, and corn on the cob—though Lacy didn’t eat corn on the cob. I gave her a little bit of cooked carrots.

My excuse today was Miss Mable called at dinner and needed my help. I happily walked next door to assist her in getting some boxes down from inside her closet.

Vlad—the club’s president—called to talk to Dark and Dark walked outside to keep us from hearing his conversation. It’s good. It gives me a chance to cook my dirty rice. Now that I’m not thinking of my sister, I’m so hungry. My clothing is getting way loose and my head is in a constant state of headache.

When I walk over to the cupboard to get a glass for ice water, I get hit by a dizzy spell and sway, catching the edge of the countertop to keep myself from going down.

That’s when I feel a hand at my back and hear a, “Whoa, Rae.” The hand settles me and Dark leads me over to the table to sit down. “The fuck’s going on? You okay?”

I swat his concern away. “I’ll be fine.”

“I need to call Dusty?”

“No. No need to bother her.”

“Have you had dinner yet? You ran out.”

“It’s on the stove,” I reply, pointing over to the burner. To my horror, he walks over to the stove and lifts the lid of the pot.

“What else are you having?” The man turns his head to look between me and the pot, a curious expression on his face. He bends those ridiculously muscled arms to press his fingertips to his forehead and growls. Yes, the man actually growls. “I ain’t seen you eat once today.” He walks back over to me and has the nerve to pinch my waist. “Look at you. You’re wasting away.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not—” He stops speaking, frowning as if thinking of something. “You’re not eating, Rae. Why?”

“Iameating. You saw my food.”

“That’s hardly anything. You’ve been losing weight. You better start talking, woman.”

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