Look at Me; A Rose Hood novella

chapter 8

The Trouble with Jason

Luckily for Amy, she managed to find another job fairly soon though the pay was less. She had avoided Marcus because every time she saw him he looked different to her now. It wasn't so easy to dismiss him as the kind of man she wasn't attracted to.

That was bad. That was very very bad.

He was her landlord and if he was offended by anything she did he could throw her out. She put any thoughts of him out of her mind. She found she had a worse problem to deal with.

Jason had started to be a pest. He waited for her to come downstairs in the mornings and pestered her to have coffee with him. She had come home one day to find flowers in front of her door. Marcus had come by after fishing an earring out of Mrs. Dodsy's sink and when he had looked at the flowers his face had looked...

Strange. Feral. Almost furious. Yet his voice had been just as sweet as ever his smile showing off his dimple. He had mentioned the lovely flowers but rather than tell him who they were from she had advised him an old coworker had sent them as a late housewarming gift.

His eyes had been shuttered but his smile hadn't changed. He mentioned to her they were lovely and had moved onto the next thing in his day whatever that might be.

She had gotten the flowers inside and read the card with dismay. Jason was asking her out to dinner. She was again feeling pressured. Jason could get her thrown out just as fast as Marcus could. She gritted her teeth.

She finally caught Jason as he went around checking on everyone and collecting rent for those who paid cash.

She had politely and firmly told him she wasn't dating. She just wasn't over her ex Dave which was only partly true.

All the good times with her boyfriend had been burned away by the ugliness he had revealed when he had found out about her little habit of taping herself in bed, in the bathroom, even on the balcony.What he had seen.

She hadn't been showing them to anyone she had just been trying to leech some of the hunger out of her. They had helped a tiny bit.

Until that shame inside her subsided she just couldn't seem to look at any man for any type of relationship.

She promised to have coffee with him at least while glancing at her watch not wanting to be late. Jason had put his hands on her shoulders. Then he had pecked her on the cheek and she had smiled politely until he moved in to kiss her on the mouth. She twisted away from him.

He looked hurt. "I'm sorry Mrs. Carr, it's just, you're so beautiful and well I want to get to know you better."

"Well like I said Jason I need to focus on getting over my ex..."

"I can help you with that!" Jason implored her "Really I don't mind going real slow." His eyes shifted and suddenly he paled.

"I have to go." Amy turned to leave nearly running into Marcus who stood behind her staring at his brother over her head. He stepped aside with a polite nod her way.

She scowled at him slightly which made him look amused. He always seemed like he was creeping up behind her and for such a big guy he moved silently.

"I'm sorry I was just on my out." She said feeling trapped between the two of them.

"Of course. Have a good day Mrs. Carr." Marcus said with a friendly smile.

Amy hurried out the door wondering what on earth she was going to do if Jason continued to pursue her and she said no. Rose Hood was starting to feel like a safe haven and she didn't want to lose that.

She consoled herself. She'd think of something.

***

Marcus watched his brother watch Amy until she went out of the door.

He reached out and placed a hand on Jason's shoulder propelling him towards the stairs. His face was so pleasant anyone looking at them would have thought he and his brother were taking a moment to buddy up in between running Rose Hood.

Halfway up the steps Marcus stopped, spun Jason around, and pressed him against the wall. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Jason pouted " All I did was ask her out. It's not against the law, I just wanted to get to know her better!"

Marcus sighed and rubbed his hand harshly over his face.

"Jason. Stay away from her."

As he knew it would happen Jason started to whine " Why? Can't I have a life outside Rose Hood? Don't you keep telling me to have a life?"

Marcus pressed him harder against the wall staring down at him. The look on his face made Jason cringe a little. "Stay away from her Jason."

Jason hitched an angry breath then turned and took off upstairs. After a moment Marcus leaned against the wall his face twisted in pain. He had to put a stop to this and he was afraid of how far he would have to go to do that.

He didn't want there to be any reason for Jason to stay here once their mother died.

He was going to have to put a stop to this just about any damn way he could.

He rapped his head sharply against the wall for a moment, the pain helping him focus.

Any way he could.