Page 29 of Toxic B!tch
I park near the garage, and we step out into the crisp air. The quiet wraps around us, broken only by the crunch of gravel underfoot. I ring the bell, and Marie opens the door within seconds, her face breaking into a smile.
“Malik! So good to see you,” she says, pulling me into one of her signature hugs.
“You too, Marie,” I reply, squeezing her back. “I wanted you to meet someone.”
Her eyes shift to Indigo, and her smile widens. “This must be the girl you’ve been telling me about. You’re right—she’s gorgeous.”
“Thank you,” Indigo says, dipping into a playful curtsy. “Malik’s told me so much about you. I’m glad we finally get to meet.”
Marie steps forward, pulling Indigo into a hug without hesitation. “I like her already,” she says, winking at me over Indigo’s shoulder.
“I knew you would,” I reply, feeling a strange warmth spread through me.
Marie steps back, her gaze soft. “Well, I can’t visit today. I gotta feed my Benny or he gets pissy, and I’m watching a horse auction on the computer. But don’t be a stranger, okay? Come by soon, and we’ll have lunch.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I say.
Marie chuckles. “You take care of this one, Indigo. He’s a good one.”
“I’ll do my best,” Indigo says, her tone playful but sincere.
As we walk back to the truck, Indigo turns to me. “Who’s Benny? And why does he demand lunch like royalty?”
I can’t help but laugh. “Benny’s her dog. A little Jack Russell. Yappy, spoiled, and probably the most pampered creature alive. Marie lives for that dog.”
“Oh,” she says, laughing along. “Well, in that case, yes. Benny absolutely deserves to have lunch on time.”
We drive further down the property, past a patch of grazing cows and the small creek that winds through the land. The air grows colder as we near the denser part of the woods. The trees loom tall, their bare branches twisting like skeletal fingers against the gray sky. This place has always felt sacred to me—wild and untouched—but today, with Indigo beside me, it feels different. Like it’s no longer mine alone.
I pull the truck to the edge of the woods, the tires crunching over dried leaves and dead grass before I stop, sliding the gearshift into park. Indigo hops out, her boots hitting the ground with a satisfying thud. She glances around, eyes wide, her gaze a little too sharp, a little too intense, like she’s sizing everything up, as usual.
“There’s a path just over there,” I say, nodding toward the narrow trail that disappears into the trees. “Come on.”
I take her hand, leading her into the woods. The path is tight, winding between tall oaks and maples. The leaves crackle underfoot, the only sound besides the occasional chirp of a bird. Indigo stays close, her grip firm in mine, her eyes darting around—almost like she’s searching for something.
“This place is perfect,” she murmurs, her voice a little too quiet, like she’s tasting the words. “Feels... untouched.”
“That’s the idea,” I say, glancing back at her. “Not many people come out here. It’s quiet. Just the way I like it.”
We keep walking, and the path opens up into a small clearing. I stop and point toward one of my tree stands perchedhigh in an oak. “That’s one of my stands. Got a big buck from there a couple of years ago. Biggest one I’ve ever taken. Twelve points. Took me all afternoon to drag it out of here.”
Her lips twitch into a smile. “I’d ask for proof, but I’m guessing you’ve got pictures.”
“Damn right, I do.” I grin.
She chuckles softly, and we keep moving. The path winds again, leading us deeper into the woods until we reach an area where the trees are a bit more spread out. There, half-hidden by vines and moss, is an old treehouse, its wooden planks worn and faded.
“My grandpa and I built this years ago,” I say, stepping toward it and brushing a hand along one of the rungs of the makeshift ladder. “I spent hours up there as a kid, playing, pretending... dreaming up stories. Used it as a stand for a while too, but now... it’s just memories.”
Indigo steps closer, inspecting the treehouse with an almost calculating look in her eyes, like she’s evaluating it, taking it all in. “It’s awesome.”
Her smile is like a promise, but it’s the kind of promise that makes me shiver without quite knowing why. I shake it off, motioning for her to follow me back down the path.
We walk in silence, the cold air filling the space between us, until Indigo suddenly stops and turns to face me, her eyes gleaming with that unsettling intensity.
“I want to hunt,” she declares.
I blink, caught off guard. “You do?”
