Because She Hates Me
from the Chemical [se]X 2: Just One More Anthology
Because She Hates Me was first seen in Chemical [se]X 2: Just One More. Want more stories? The book is in Kindle Unlimited on Amazon!
Kerry
There is nothing like cruising familiar city streets with a beautiful machine humming between your legs, but it’s even better when the weather is unseasonably warm. I’m enjoying the feel of bright sunlight hitting my black bodysuit, when a nagging vibration in my chest makes me pull over. After parking my bike in an empty spot, I check the phone’s screen and groan inside before answering.
“Nora? What’s up?”
“I’m in a wee bit of trouble, Ker.”
My eyes roll. They roll so hard it hurts. I squeeze the phone so tightly in my hand, it almost slides from my grip. I want to smash it against the street, because whenever Nora uses the word ‘wee’ I know she actually means HUGE, GIGANTIC, GINORMOUS. In other words, she needs me to be the Princess in Shining Leather. Again.
“What kind of trouble?” My free hand rubs that spot between my brows of its own accord. Not really, but I like to think it does. It knows that I scrunch my forehead every time Nora calls for a rescue.
“I’m kind of trapped,” she says. “I was helping a friend of mine put together some furniture and we were drinking, eating pizza, you know, the kinds of things you do while helping a friend …”
She’s rambling. Maybe this isn’t such big trouble after all. I tune her out and check traffic. Downtown is already crammed with people and it will only get worse when evening hits. Visions of happy couples flocking to local restaurants and bars to celebrate Valentine’s Day cause my teeth to grind.
“Hey! Are you still listening,” Nora says.
“Yeah. Of course, I am.”
“I said he got out of line.”
My inner bitch amps right up. “Out of line how?” A noise in the background drowns her out. “What the hell is going on?”
“I locked myself in the bathroom.” Nora’s voice is louder this time. “He’s banging on the door yelling for me to come out.”
The urgency of the situation hits me like a slap to the face. Nora really is in trouble.
Ginormous trouble.
“Is there a way for you to get out without leaving the bathroom?” I thank whatever divinity is listening that she had her phone with her when she locked herself in. It could be worse, and we’d already been through that once.
“Uh, like the rickety fire escape? No, it’s attached to the bedroom. Oh God, I fucked up….”
Before she continues, I cut her off.
“Text me the address and I’ll be there in five minutes.” After tapping the end call button, I wait for the bleep of an incoming text, map her location, and send it to my ear piece. The pleasant voice tells me the ETA is 15 minutes under the current traffic conditions.
Not if I can help it.
