Page 1 of Welcome to the Heart Of A Maniac
Wren Sloane
The words on the pages blended underneath the dim light from the lamp above my head. The pad of my fingertips dragged across my eyelid, rubbing slow circles like I could massage the exhaustion from my bones. I’m not sure exactly how long I’ve been sitting here in the swivel chair, but from the dark shadows of the library and the silence that follows, I knew it had to have been for a while.
The library closed to the public maybe hours ago. Just like any other day, I stayed behind to catch up on my read for the week: Shvonne Latrice’sThe Marriage Favor.Removing my phone from the end table, I pressed the power button to check the time.This book has me so engulfed in it that I’d missed dinner with my boyfriend, Cassius. I was supposed to met him hours ago. It’s going on eight and my phone has been in do not disturb. It’s what I always placed my phone on whenever I wanted to get some reading in. People didn’t respect my me time and always wanted to blow my phone up whenever I’m trying to get lost in the pages. Normally, Cassius would call my phone, and when he couldn’t get through to me, he’d text and press notify anyway. I hated when he found out that he was able to do that. Most of the time, he don’t even be wanting anything.
Soon as I removed it, messages and notifications flooded my screen.
Aria: Where are you?
Aria: I know yo ass lost in a book somewhere. You need to pick up the phone!
Idris: Cassius has been shot!
Aria: It’s important! It’s Cassius!
My heart dropped to my ass when I saw those messages. Maybe that’s why he hadn’t called my phone when I didn’t make it to dinner.
Tossing my throw blanket back off me, I hopped to my feet, knocking over the Eternal water bottle I had sitting down there. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw that it was still sealed as it rolled across the tile floor, so I’d just grab it whenever I make it back to the library.
I ran out the door toward the main lobby, bumping directly into someone. Their arm wrapped around my frame from the waist and my feet swept from underneath me. My clear square frame glasses slid down to my eyes. I positioned them correctly on my face. A few smudges were left on the lens. My eyes peered into a pair of dark, hooded ones. A face that one wouldn’t catch around the library.
He mugged me, and my fingertips traced the tattoos above both his eyebrows before he whacked my hand down and straightened my posture.
“Watch where the fuck you going,” left his lips, leaving me flabbergasted. No one in their right mind has ever spoken to me that way.
I’m not going to lie, the man is panty wetting fine. Nothing that I’d typically go for. Everything about him screams bad boy.I’m the type of woman that wouldn’t know what to do with a man like him. He’s nice to look at though.
Tattoos sprouted up his neck from underneath his white button down that he paired perfectly with the black tux he wore. His taupe tattooed hand brushed across his black spiral waves, and he took a step back from me as if he was scared he’d catch the cooties or something. Lifting my hand to my mouth, I blew my breath inside it to make sure my breath didn’t stink from the salt and vinegar chips I’d been enjoying prior.
Nope, my breath is fine. I’m not sure what his problem is, but I have other things to worry about.
The mug that once overtook his face quickly softened as his eyes roamed my frame.
“I’m coming!” a feminine voice shouted from the end of the hallway where the exit was. My eyes shifted in that direction, and I saw a sepia complexion woman wearing a pearl and sequin wedding dress running in our direction with a diamond and white lily bouquet in her hand. Her jet-black hair was in this updo—perfect. Not a hair out of place.
Ah, that explains the tux and why he’s in here this time of night.
The library was known for hosting extravagant weddings. I’d always dreamed of getting married here. Everything books is my favorite thing about life. It’s how I ended up working here in the first place. When I first walked into the library at five years old, I fell in love with the place.
“Come on, we’re late.” She gripped him by the hand and pulled him away from me. He took one final look at me over his shoulder before they disappeared underneath the huge staircase.
Reality seeped back into my mind once they were out of my view.
Cassius!
I ran toward the exit, passing the white sign statingWelcome to our wedding: Solei & Zayden. Stepping out the door, I removed my keys from my pocket and hit the fob on my burgundy Chevy Silverado Classic and jumped into the driver’s seat. I turned the key in the ignition before shutting the door and it clicked.
“No. No. Not right now. Please don’t do this,” I said and turned the key again, this time, gently pressing the gas and got the same result. “Not tonight, baby. Please just start for me.” Shutting my eyes, I took a deep breath and turned the key over again. The engine roared and my eyes popped open. “Thank you.”
Putting the truck in reverse, I pulled out my parking space and zoomed out of the parking lot. “Siri, call Aria,” I said as I turned onto the nearest street after I realized that I didn’t even know what hospital he was at.
“Wren, thank God. Where have you been?”
“I was at the library. I’m sorry. My phone was in DND. What hospital is he at?” That’s not the only question I wanted to ask her right now, but I needed to know what direction I needed to go in before I made it to the interstate.
“Jackson.”
“That’s not far. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
