A Little Bit of Truth (Little Bits) (51 page)

“No wonder Loryn calls you her caveman,” I snort.

“Well everyone calls you special… in the sense that you have little to no brain cells but you’re cute and that makes you special.”

“Cunt,” I murmur and scoop the list off the ground. “I’m going to try it his way first. Then your way.”

“Come again?”

Right, I need to point really don’t I?

“You,” at James. “First. Then you.” At
Lucas. “Second. And if none of that works then I’ll just kidnap her. I’m a celebrity. I’m pretty sure I can get away with it as long as you guys make sure your women don’t report me. Okay?”

Lucas
starts looking in cups and glasses on the counter.

“What are you doing?”

“Looking for your dick. James, hand me a microscope and some tweezers.”

“You’re such a cunt,” I snap, my irritation rising but my inner laughter knocking it back.

He grins evilly at me, “And you have a cunt. Rather be one than have one.”

James laughs at this, I try not to but I fail. He’s hilarious.

Fingers crossed this works.

Holy fuck. I’ve died and gone to hell. Seriously. This is hell.

There’s a guy, dressed in a rather handsome suit, stood on my door singing his heart out. I don’t know what the song is, nor do I care. All I know is that I don’t like it. It’s soppy and weird and if he hadn’t announced, “
Singagram from Jacob Stone.” Then I would think it was from James.

Which would be messed up considering he’s now married to my best friend.

“Umm… thanks?” I say when he finishes his singing. He gives a bow, hands me a note and the lyrics to the song and leaves. I close the door and lean against it.

Knock, knock.

What now?

I open the door and cringe… holy fuck. Flowers! Mountains of them. Not just roses but a whole mixture of
different types.

Enough to cover a mountain.

So many that there are five guys carrying one in each arm.

“Where shall we put these?” Guy number one asks although I can’t see his face.

They won’t all fit here!

I take a red rose from his bunch and motion for them to exit, “Donate them to the hospital.”

“We only got petrol money for here,” faceless guy number two says.

“Here!” I dig a twenty out of my pocket, shove it in his hand and usher them out of the door. “Fucking hell. I need a coffee.”

Five minutes later.

Knock, knock.

Please no more.

I peek around the gap in the door, opening it only an inch, big enough for my eye to see through. Then I slam it closed again.

“Go away!”

“Chocolate delivery.”

Chocolate? I guess I can allow chocolate.

I let them in.

Ten minutes later I’m sat on t
he ground, twelve assorted boxes of candy surrounding me while I work on my photos for the week.

Knock, knock.

Nope. Not answering it.

Knock, knock, knock,
knock. Etc.

“KNOCK IT OFF!” I shout and stomp my way to the door
before swinging it open and letting my jaw hit the floor. “Please tell me you just found this on the street and you’re looking for its owner.”

“Nope, it’s for you.” The fluffy bundle is pushed into
my hands. The woman rushes in and starts placing things on the ground.

Litter tray, food bowls, food, bed, activity
center.

The entire time the fluffy grey bundle mews in my hands.

“Take it back!” I shout and hold it out to her. She ignores me, whistling casually, strolls out of the door, climbs into her car and drives away.

Luckily at this point Mason comes home.

His car full of flowers, “Please tell me those are for a new girlfriend.”

“Nope, they came with this note.” He hands me said note.

It reads:

Mason, I know your sister will send away the first lot so I’m sending these to you at work. Deliver them to her and there’s another season pass in it for you.

“That asshole!” I stamp my foot on the ground, spin on my heel and storm away.

I don’t get far before I’m being dragged outside again and held tight by my waist.

“You might want to look up,” Mason suggests, his body shaking with laughter.

Sky writing? What the hell is wrong with this guy?

I’m Sorry!

“He is so dead.”

Mason grins, leads me inside and asks, “So what’s for din…
oooh candy!”

My phone blows up with texts… not just from Jacob. Texts from everyone saying Jacob says he’s sorry.

Jacob tells me over and over and over and over and… you get the message.

This is ridiculous.

“Oooh there’s a kitten in my room! You lost this Marie?” Mason calls.

I shake my head even though he can’t see me, “Nope. She’s all yours.”

He enters the room, cradling the kitten in his hand and scratching its head with the other, “Awesome. I’m going to name you Stallion, after your daddy.”

“How’d you know I called Jacob that?”

His mouth drops open in horror, “I was talking about me you slut. That’s disgusting. I’m not naming you Stallion. Eww. I’m naming you Lancelot.”

“It’s a girl,” I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose.

“I’ll call you Laney for short.”

“Get rid of the cat Mason.”

He covers her head with one hand, much to her annoyance, “Shush. She’ll hear you.”

“Good, maybe she’ll pack up her own shit then so I don’t have to.”

I slam my bedroom door behind me and plug my headphones in. Goodbye cruel world. At least for an hour.

Jacob
:
Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry.

Two minutes later.

Jacob
:
Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry.

Phone off. Now what can I do?

“There’s something here for you Marie.”

“I don’t want it!”

“Awesome!”

“It’s not working. I’ve been doing shit all week and haven’t gotten a reply. Half the stuff she’s rejected, the rest she’s given to her brother.” I pace backwards and forwards.

“You’ve done the entire list in a week?” James gawps at me incredulously.

I grin, feeling proud, “Fuck no.”

He and Lucas sag with relief.

“I did the entire list in a day.”

They both groan and sink in their seats.

“Dude, even I’m not that desperate,” James says quietly. “Are you crazy? You do a couple of things a week. Not everything in a day!”

I blink. He’s kidding right? I thought… “Please tell me you’re joking.”

“Christ dude, you really are special,” Lucas says and they both start howling with laughter.

I fail to see what’s funny.

My life is in tatters, my relationship is over.

I need to try a new tactic.

No more. Please no more.

What the hell does he think he’s doing?

This is crazy. Borderline insane.

Dude is messed up.

“Lancelot!” I call
and even though the tiny kitten doesn’t know her name yet, she still comes darting into my room, her claws slipping on the wood floor making her run on the spot like Scooby Doo and Shaggy before they get chased. Snort.

I lower my hand over the bed in the dark and laugh when she starts batting at it with her paws. Then I wince when one of her claws snags the surface of my skin and stays there. She pulls and pulls but to no avail.

Then there’s a huge bang. I jump up, sending the cat flying into the air. She lands safely on my bed on all four paws but I’m already reaching for my gun.

Gun.

I got rid of it after the incident.

Shit.

Gun. Bad images.

Push them back, deep breaths.

“MASON!” I scream and lunge for the baseball bat that I keep in my closet.

I don’t make it as
strong arms grab me from behind and slam me gently on my front, “Calm down, it’s just me.”

“Jacob?” I’m relieved. Now I’m pissed, “What the fuck Jacob! I could have shot you!”

Something cold and cool wraps around my wrist, then the other making me unable to move my arms from around my back. Then my mouth is covered with a scarf. “So you don’t bite,” he chuckles and kisses my covered lips. All of this happens before I have time to react.

He kicked down my door, has chained my hands together, has covered my mouth and now I’m over his shoulder.

“You got it?” he asks my traitor of a brother.

“Yep,” and Mason follows us out with a large suitcase.

My
large suitcase.

You’ve got to be kidding me.

I try to bite Jacob’s ass but all I can do is peck it with my nose. Even though I know it’s failing I don’t stop pecking, hoping maybe the tip of my nose will hit a nerve and I’ll be able to escape.

No such luck.

“Where’s the cat?” Jacob turns to my brother, I swing around with him.

“
You’re not having her, buy a new one,” and then I hear the door slam. Jacob stares for a moment before shrugging and throwing me in the back seat.

I don’t scream, I don’t struggle. To be honest I’m a little dazed by all of this.
I mean seriously… what the fuck?

“Be good,” Jacob says softly and buckles me in. Then he kisses my still covered mouth
, walks around the other side and climbs in beside me. The driver doesn’t seem bothered by any of this. He seems amused more than anything.

I have to admit it’s good to see him. It’s also not and it’s the not that I’m focusing on.

“I’ve been waiting for you to contact me,” he talks knowing I can’t respond. “But you haven’t so I took things into my own hands.”

I make a series of noises instead of words. He doesn’t understand them anymore than I do.

“I’m sorry,” he turns my face by my chin. “I know it probably doesn’t mean much but it’s true. I’m sorry.”

I roll my eyes and rest my forehead against the glass
once he frees my face from his firm grasp, its coolness helping to keep my mind on track.

I don’t forgive you, I say in my mind. It’s all too far gone. There’s no going back.

“Marie, I love you, I haven’t stopped. My mind is so messed up, it has been ever since we split.” I stop listening, mostly because I don’t want to and also because I know I shouldn’t. “Please look at me.” His fingers run through my hair, then his hands cup my face and turn it to face his. He rests his forehead against mine and looks deep into my eyes. “Where’s my girl gone?”

She left when you sent her away. When you broke her trust.

He pulls the fabric from over my lips and presses his against mine, I don’t respond to it. I do however, when he releases me, explain a few things, “I’m not forgiving you, I’m not taking you back and you better pay to fix the fucking door you just broke.”