Page 14 of Her True Blue
I come awaketo the telltale sound of the door softly creaking open and then closed again. My ears strain to hear the revving sound of Cord’s loud engine, but it’s as quiet as a church on Saturday night.
Slowly rolling to my side, I open my sleepy eyes and grab my phone charging on my nightstand and take a look at the time. Five-forty-five a.m. Ugh. Way too early for me on my day off.
With everything that happened at the bank the other day, and yesterday being a holiday, I decided I’d take today off and leave Marjorie in charge. I also promised Steph I’d stop by to help at the animal shelter later this morning. Inevitably, every year after a Fourth of July fireworks show many dogs and cats go missing and end up being dropped off at the shelter, without ID’s or tags. The shelter takes them in and does what can be down to alleviate their fears, in hopes a family member will show up and claim their family pet.
Shoving my head back into the pillow, my hand lands on the bundles of fur lying next to me. Bella is by my side, snoring softly, as Chester, my Tabby cat is purring and licking at his paws on the chair in the corner of my room.
“Good morning, sweetie pie. Where’s your sister?” Chester gives me a ‘WTF’ glance and then resumes his self-grooming.
It’s then that both Bella and I sit up to the noise coming from the living room.
Weird, maybe Cord hasn’t left yet and is still in the house. But based on Bella’s reaction, I have a good idea that isn’t the right assumption.
My bedroom door is closed, probably shut when Cord left so as not to wake me. Bella jumps off the bed and stands in front of the door, her head cocked to the side, ears up. And then a low, menacing warning growl leaves her throat.
“What is it, girl?” I ask, even though we’re both on high alert now.
The thudding of my heart inside my chest sounds so loud, it drowns out everything else, as I feel the first prickle of fear and panic sweep through my body. I grab the phone from the charger, shooting a quick text to Cord.
R U still in my house?
No response. Okay, I’m probably being ridiculous. I’m sure it’s just Demelza my female cat, scrounging around in the kitchen for food.
Even so, I tiptoe out of bed over to my bathroom door to grab my bathrobe hanging on the hook. Tying the belt around me, I search the room for something…anything…to use as a potential weapon. I grab the silver-plated candlestick I picked up at an estate sale and head to the door, glancing down at Bella who is right at my side.
“Quiet, girl. Don’t make a sound.”
The door knob clicks open softly as I turn it to the right, pulling the door toward me as I stealthily peek my head out around it, peering down the short hallway of my home. Chester decides now is the perfect time to make his escape, and with a loud “meow,” jumps from the bed and runs out into the hallway, startling me so bad I clutch my chest.
Slowly, and ever-so-quietly, I make my way down the hall, the only light coming from the microwave clock in the kitchen.
And then I hear it again. The muffled sound of someone moving around in the back of the house.
Oh, shit.
Bella’s decided she’s had enough of all the mystery and intrigue, and with a loud, somewhat vicious bark, runs into the main room where she growls and barks, attacking whomever is in there.
“Ow, goddamn it. What the fuck?” The sound of that voice stops me in my tracks because I know exactly who it belongs to.
Trever.
And then I hear a whimper and a thud, as I see Bella’s limp tail underneath the coffee table.
“You motherfucker!” I yell at the top of my lungs, running toward him with the weapon held high and whack him across his neck so he falls to the ground within a few feet of my dog.
“You crazy, bitch! You could’ve killed me.”
I stare down defiantly at my ex-boyfriend, looking pale, wiry and skinny, wearing clothes that probably should’ve been washed weeks ago.
Flipping on the switch at the wall, the room floods with light, as I stand postured over the man I used to love. The man I now fear.
“I’ve already called the cops,” I lie with more confidence than I feel. “They’ll be here in just a few minutes.”
He laughs menacingly. “You mean Dudley-Do-Right, the cop you’re fucking? The one that left your house thirty minutes ago? He’s not going to come rescue you, Jordy. He’s gotten what he wants and used your sorry ass up. Just like I did.”
I’m stunned speechless at the horribly cruel words he throws at me and wonder how I could have ever loved this stranger in front of me?
Gathering my strength, I point the stick at him. “If you came here to insult me, you’ve done your job. Now get the fuck out of my house and out of my life. I don’t know how you found me or why you’re here, but you better leave before the police arrive.”
