Better Off

(Mason)

I only did the flowers at the door surprise thing once in my life. It was a fucked up time, fucked up situation, and did not go as planned. Kate took the flowers from me, but she didn’t give me her heart in return. She kissed my cheek and sent me packing. Not that I could blame her for doing that to me, but it stung. And that sting resonated inside me as I scrambled to find Violet.

I went to her parent’s house and Hank answered the door with a big grin. Barb said she was at Davis’ house. Just hearing that punk’s name made me want to break his neck. I told Violet’s parents that I needed to talk to her. It was important. They gave me the address and Hank followed me out to the porch.

“Mason, look at me,” he said.

“Yeah?”

“I didn’t want to say anything in front of Barb,” he said. “You go over there, you save her. You take care of my little girl. She’s the only one I have. And be careful with that asshole, too. His parents are real shitheads. Now, I know his mother makes great bean dip and all, but the father? He’s a lawyer. Tread lightly.”

“Will do, Hank,” I said. “I love her. Just so you know. And it’s all…”

Hank pointed to my truck. “Time’s wasting.”

I hurried off the porch and got into my truck and took off.

Of course his house was only five minutes away. That’s how the small town bullshit worked. That five minute drive took me to a fancy development. Big houses with lots of windows. Luxury cars in every driveway. The allure of the rich life.

I pulled into the driveway that had Violet’s car parked there.

I grabbed the flowers and knew what I had to do. Do what she did to me. Just barge right in and demand her heart.

Simple.

I walked to the porch and rang the doorbell.

The door opened and I knew it was Davis from the picture on Violet’s computer.

“Hey there,” he said.

“Hey,” I said. I thought about everything I knew about this prick. I wanted to deck him in the jaw. Just one punch. I shook the thought away. “Is…”

That’s when Violet appeared. Her eyes big, jaw dropped. Her face turned red like she was caught doing something wrong. Her eyes were glossy like she had been on the verge of crying.

There was an aura in the house that just felt wrong.

“No,” Davis said. “My parents aren’t home. But I will take those.”

Next thing I knew, the little fuck grabbed the flowers from my hand.

“Who are they from?” he asked.

“What?” I asked.

“The flowers. There’s no tag. You know what? It doesn’t matter. We’re going to get bombarded anyway.” Davis turned and stuck his hand out. “Hey, sweetie, can you grab these?”

Sweetie?

I looked at Violet. She took the flowers from Davis. My hands were balled up tight. I heeded what Hank had said about Davis’s father being a lawyer. I already had enough legal shit on my back. Plus, there was a difference between fighting for someone and someone not wanting to fight back.

Davis then dug in his pocket and took out some cash. He stuffed it into my hand and gave a nod.

“Thanks,” he said. “Have a good night.”

I looked at the money and back up at him.

He thought I was a fucking flower deliveryman.

Then the door started to shut.

“Sweetie, let’s get them in some water and pick up where we left off.”

I heard the words and then the door clicked shut.

For a second I was paralyzed. The second time I tried to do the flower-at-the-door thing and the second time it blew up in my face.

I should have kicked the door in and went after Violet, but she was home now. Right where she wanted to be. Right where she belonged. I had gotten what I wanted out of her.

I put the money into my pocket and already had a plan in mind.

Davis was buying me my first round. I’d buy the rest.

Then someone would be chasing the demons away.

* * *

Three drinks and she was melting into me like wax to a flame. She rested against my body as I threw my arm around her, claiming her as my mine. At least for the night. What the fuck was her name? Mary? Megan? Marcy? It didn’t matter one bit. What mattered was that she was on her fourth drink. I was nowhere near her in terms of drinking, but that wasn’t the game here. The game was to bring her home and forget about Violet.

That’s how it would work.

Back to square one.

Just like Violet had said in her letter.

We could have our playtime if we wanted. If not, whatever. I’d have my headboard pounding so hard against the wall, she’d need noise canceling headphones to try and sleep. I’d make women’s screams echo through the apartment so that the police would come, thinking someone was getting hurt.

Fuck yes. That was how it was going to work. That’s how I was meant to live.

I’d make Violet hate me.

Shit, I planned on making the woman in my arms hate me.

I hadn’t seen Violet since what happened at that prick’s house with the flowers. Not that I was really trying to find her. I went to the shop and stayed there. I crashed at Hunter’s place for a couple days until he kicked me out. Then when I went home there was no sign of Violet anywhere in the building. I’d find a way to get her to come out of her hole…

The woman planted a kiss on my cheek and let out a groan.

“What’s wrong, babe?” I whispered.

“I don’t want to be here anymore.”

“I haven’t wanted to be here for the last fucking hour,” I said.

“You okay to drive?”

“I had two beers. Last one was a while ago.”

“Good. Because if you couldn’t drive we were going to sneak into the bathroom.”

“That’s romantic,” I said with a grin.

“Your dimples are cute.”

She stuck a finger into one and twisted.

I grabbed her wrist and pulled her away.

“Hey!” she yelled. “What was that for?”

I didn’t know why I did that. I wasn’t in a relationship with Violet. I owed her nothing. She owed me nothing. She was better off without me. And I was going to seal the fucking deal.

“Don’t touch my face,” I said.

“Why not?” she asked.

“Because that’s not where my cock is.”

“Let’s get out of here,” she said.

I stood up and threw some money on the bar. More than needed, but my eyes were locked to hers.

Yeah, I was thinking about Violet. And I was going to think about Violet when I fucked this woman. Eventually, though, Violet would simply disappear.

Trust me, once she came home and heard me fucking some woman, it would smooth it all over.

Hating me was so much easier than loving me.