Chapter 5
Brandon turned to me and said, “Man that guy is bad news. When we were in high school he knocked the shit out of my cousin Janelle when they were dating. Let’s just say I talked him into breaking up with her…well me and several of the other guys on the football team. I tried to tell Rhetta to stay clear of him but she refused to hear anything bad about him. Looks like he did something though because they been together for a long time now and she has never left him.” Brandon walked away like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. It makes me wonder, though if he ever hit Rhetta, which now that I know her name I no longer have to call her ‘kiss girl’. They say guys like that don’t change, but the chief would never put up with a man putting his hands on his little girl. Hell, we aren’t even allowed to breathe on the woman.
Rhetta POV
I woke up some time later to my phone ringing without so much as a glance to the screen I shut it off. Getting out of bed, I stretched my sore muscles my bones popping pleasant here and there. Maybe a shower will be what I need to reboot. After a long hot shower I finally forced myself out of the bathroom to find clothes. Opening the bag I brough,t I was pleasantly surprised that I had managed to grab some jeans and undergarments. After getting dressed, I decided to venture out into the world. I need to find a fulltime job now that I will need to save up to buy a house or apartment.
“Rhetta , you got a visitor,” Gunner said. As I started to answer him he grabbed my arm and pulled me close which was unusual. “What the hell happened to your neck?”
“Got into a fight,” I told him seriously as I was walking away I said, “Okay thanks Gunner.” Gunner just looked at me like I lost my mind. Gunner is an older fireman that I totally crushed on the whole time I was in high school. He is probably 40 and he is still a very handsome man with the body any 22 year old male would give his left arm for. Walking out into the firehouse I was met with Taylor waiting for me.
“Etta, what’s going on?” he questioned. Great I really don’t want to talk to him about any of this now especially not here. I noticed he looked at my neck but didn’t comment.
“Nothing I wish to talk about. What do you want Tay?” I asked impatiently. He gave me his million dollar smirk.
“Come on now I was just angry because let’s face it you let him take you away from me,” he said still smirking but his eye gave away the true sadness there.
“I know. I’m really sorry Tay. You know I love you,” I said feeling really guilty. He closed the distance between us and wrapped his arms around me. Taylor’s embrace was comforting and friendly.
Third person POV
Although to the firemen watching it looked like a makeup of a couple; especially to one fireman that seemed to be glowing green with envy of the stranger with his arms around the beautiful young woman.
“Man how come Taylor can handle all over that but we can’t even comment?” Garrett complained causing Alessandro to frown at him. The next thing Alessandro heard was the stranger asking Etta as he called her on a date to the movies. She said yes and walked out of the firehouse hand in hand with the guy.
Later that same day…
Alessandro was sweeping the firehouse floor when he all the sudden threw the broom down and cursed loudly.
“Man what the hell is your problem?” Gunner asked. Gunner was looking at Alessandro like he had lost his mind.
“Nothing,” Alessandro grumbled. In reality he couldn’t get a certain young woman out of his mind. The anger he felt when thinking of the stranger holding her hand, stroking her cheek, kissing her pouty lips, and laying her down on a soft bed made him furious. And the thoughts wouldn’t go away. The woman had been nothing but a pain in his backside. So why could he not get her out of his head? This jealous streak of his increased when Rhetta and her companion came back through the door laughing against each other about the movie they had went to. He couldn’t remove his eyes from the happy couple. Gunner caught him staring at them with an evil glare.
