Page 67 of Mariposa
Cold. Dark. Dangerous. Grim.
Monstrous.
Beastly.
I need to leave.
“You’re a man all about control, and I take that power away from you. It kills you, doesn’t it?” I murmur. He keeps deadpanning, which only heightens my frustration with his silence. “You’re a coward.”
Swinging open the door, my knuckle brushes the tear that escaped. I place my pink beanie on just as Adam and Penny stroll in.
“Hey, babe! Where are you going?” Adam shouts behind me as I walk past them, and my feet meet the driveway.
“Violet! I brought your favorite candies. Please stay. It’s your birthday.” Penny jingles the plastic grocery bag.
I stop walking and take a deep breath, knowing this will be the last time I’ll ever walk out of this house again. I grieved my relationship with Adam and his mother, but now I’m grieving the chemistry I shared with my instructor.
I turn around with a forced smile and watery eyes.
“It’s midnight, Penny. Technically, my birthday is over,” I say slowly with a pained voice. Sorrow paints my tone. “Thank you for today. It was really one of the best days I’ve had in a long time.” Penny palms her chest with a tilted frown.
“It was nice meeting you, Master Sergeant O’Connell.”
I quirk a brow. He straightens his back and gives me a nod like I’m a stranger again. He’s back to putting on the perfect, unreadable mask I used to hate. He walks back into the house…like I’m nothing to him.
Adam is boiling over with balled fists at his side, and his face reddens. While Penny continues to rub her chest like she wants me to return.
“Honey, please stay!” she calls again, but I shake my head.
I spare Adam a firm glance. I hope he gets it through his head that we’re done, and just because I’m back home doesn’t mean I’m a civilian again, available at his disposal.
I’m a soldier. I chose this career. I’m honoring my father, doing this all for him, even if this career forbids me to indulge in forbidden desires. My job and duty come first.
“Goodbye, Adam. I’m sorry, Penny, but Adam and I are no longer together.”
25
KADE
“Kade!” Tillie, my neighbor and local university student, is throwing yet another agonizing party full of drunken people and loud music that infiltrates my property.
When did I get so grumpy? When did it bother me to have people park in front of my lawn?
I’m never home, but when I am, it’s hell.
“Yes, Tillie?” I sigh.
She jogs over the street with a red cup in hand. When she reaches the passenger side of my truck, she stumbles and grips my shoulder for balance.
“Whoa, sorry about that,” she giggles, and her hand returns to her hip.
“It’s okay.” My eyes thin into slits.
“Want to join the party? You haven’t been home lately, and it looks like you need a break from work.” A deep shade of crimson brightens her cheeks.
Every time I come back home from deployments or missions, Tillie is on my front door or lawn. This is probably thetwentieth time I’ve rejected her passes since moving into the neighborhood.
“No,” I say as I slam my truck door.
