“You stupid fucking bitch, you made me bleed,” Rochelle screams, struggling to get free and go back to the blonde. I manage to keep hold of her when Harper walks over and helps the crying blonde up from the floor and walks her away.
Snow steps over with a beer in hand and passes it to a very angry Rochelle. She takes it as she calms in my arms.
“Girl, every time you come here, trouble follows you,” he says, and gives her a smirk. “And… I’m sorry about your friend.”
Rochelle’s chest deflates, and I see the fight leave her.
Blaze pushes through and angry eyes land on Rochelle. “You have some fucking nerve.”
“Me?” She points to herself while shaking her head. “I didn’t even want to come, let alone be attacked from behind by some blonde maniac. Maybe you should control your bitches,” she yells at him.
Everyone around us goes silent, and Blaze steps up to her, but I block his path, stepping in his way.
“I would calm down.”
“You pick her?” he spits angrily.
“I’m not picking anyone. But you will watch what you say or do to her.”
“I’ll do no such thing. You’re on my property now.”
“It’s in both our names. This is our place. I let you think you can have it.”
Rochelle steps up from behind me. “Tell me, Blaze… tell me why you hate me?” She takes a long pull of her beer. She brushes up against me, and Blaze doesn’t miss the action.
“You’re changing him. I hate that you are.”
Rochelle looks to me with her eyes pinched. “Am I?”
I don’t answer her, because she is. I think she knows that too. I’m almost ready to walk through fire for her to make sure she’s safe, and stand still as I burn.
“He won’t answer you. He can’t see it yet,” Blaze says, looking between us. “But I see you. Your world is too perfect for him to fit in. How will you explain him to your friends? Your family?”
“My family loves him.”
Blaze looks back at me, surprised. “You’ve met her family?”
I shrug.
Lips thin and squinted eyes look back at Rochelle. “I fucking hate you,” he spits.
“Feeling’s mutual, asshole. What Tan ever saw in you I will never know.”
“Why she had you as a friend, yeah, who the fuck knows? You only cared for yourself, bitch,” he throws back at her face.
Rochelle goes tight, her body rigid. But then fast as she can, she reaches up and slaps him across the face. Hard.
Blaze moves fast, grabbing his gun and pointing it directly at her head. She doesn’t move.
“Prez,” Snow says behind him. “Lower the gun.”
“No, this bitch needs to know her place.”
“Did you show Tan her place, too?” Rochelle eggs him on.
“No. I was nothing but good to her. Unlike you.”
The gun doesn’t lower.
“You know nothing about her. It wasn’t you she called when she needed someone, it was me,” she screams at him.
“It’s because she loved you,” Blaze says back to Rochelle.
“Lower the gun, Blaze,” I say.
Rochelle doesn’t even seem fazed anymore that the gun is in her face.
“Do it, I dare you. Do it.”
“And make my brother hate me?” Blaze shakes his head and drops the gun. “Fuck off and don’t bring her back again,” Blaze says, as he walks away.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Rochelle
I manage to avoid Blaze for a good month after that night at the clubhouse. Marcus and I haven’t changed, we see each other at least four times a week, and we can’t keep our hands to ourselves for too long.
Everything with him is easy. It’s nice. And not moving forward. I know that’s also my fault. Something in me has changed. I guess death does that to you. You see the world in a different light. For me, I’m constantly seeing Tanika jump from that bridge. The nightmare wakes me when I’m by myself, and every time I close my eyes I dream of her.
Marcus helps those demons go away.
I’m becoming reliant on him.
I’m not sure how that makes me feel.
I love him, but I’ve pushed those feelings down because he’s right. Love brings nothing but pain.
Leaving work, a man is leaning against my car. I should have gone an hour ago when Martin left. But tonight I’m not seeing Marcus because he’s working, therefore I stayed back to finish up some things so I can leave early tomorrow.
My feet slow down when I notice who it is. Dave stands next to my car with a smile on his face as I get closer.
“Rochelle, right?” He straightens. I nod.
“Martin’s left if you’re after him. But I can give him a message if you like.”
“Oh no, no message required. I actually came to see you.”
“Me?” I ask, confused.
“Yes. I wanted to know if you would go on a date with me?”
“Oh,” I shake my head. “Sorry. No. I’m seeing someone.”
“Yes, Marcus, right?” He smirks at my shocked face. “I know things, but I could give you more than a man who works at a crematorium.”
I’m sure he can, like the creeps for one.
Trying to step around him, a smile creeps up on his face, and I want to get away, I don’t want to be near him. Looking around, there’s no one in the area. It’s after five and everyone has finished for the day. Damn it! I stupidly stayed back.
“I usually go for blondes, but there’s something about you,” he says, his head dropping to the side, assessing me. “I wonder what it is. I wonder if I’ll know once I’m buried inside of you.” My eyes go wide at his words, and I thread the keys resting in my hand through my fingers.
“You need to leave,” is all I can manage to say.
Dave shakes his head. “No. No, I don’t think I do.”
“You do. You need to leave,” I reiterate, not backing down. Men like this bastard like having power, but he doesn’t know me, doesn’t know I will fight to my last dying breath. I’ve had a shit year, so this guy can’t make my life any worse.
Lights shine brightly and we both turn, then he looks back to me and smirks.
“I guess I will be off. Oh, and Rochelle… Tanika wasn’t sweet, but I bet you will be.”
Oh my God, his words make me freeze, and in doing so, it gives him enough time to step up to me, his hand coming up to my neck, locking tightly around it.
He licks my face and breathes heavily on me. “See, I knew you were going to be sweet.”
A horn honks not far from us, and he lets go of my throat, backing away until he steps into a black car right behind mine.
The minute his car is gone, I get in my car and call Marcus, but he doesn’t answer. I swear and start driving to his place. He has to be there, right? Because as I drive to his, I bypass his work and he isn’t there. My hands shake as I drive, and tears are streaming down my face.
What did he mean?
What did he mean…
He couldn’t have been the guy.
Could he?