Chapter 10
Vida was sitting at the table with a baggie of ice against her swollen eye when Colton came in, slamming the door shut.
“What the fuck were you thinking?”
Vida stared at him in shock. She hadn’t expected him to baby her, but she hadn’t expected him to be so angry with her, either.
“What do you mean?” Vida asked, confused.
“I fucking mean, why in the hell would you get in the car in the first place. You should have run like the fucking devil was on your ass. They wouldn’t have run you down on the campus.”
“I was afraid they would shoot Henry,” she explained.
“Again, a campus full of college kids. They would have had a SWAT team on them before they could have gotten away.”
Vida began to feel stupid. “I didn’t think.”
“That’s for damn sure. This whole situation you’ve put yourself in is one big fucking mess.”
“I may have made a mistake with Henry, but the rest I have done what I had—” Vida tried to defend herself.
“No, Vida, what you should have done is what I told you to do long ago, and that was walk away,” Colton interrupted.
Vida began to get angry herself. “I wasn’t about to walk away from a degree that has been hard to earn. Plus, I will also be paying for it the rest of my life. I wasn’t going to leave Sawyer behind, either; we made a pact. She worked a full time job then waitressed at night to pay the bills so I could finish school. We’ve saved and pinched every dime so that we would have enough cash to be able to go where we wanted. I am not fucking leaving without her!”
“I have news flash for you, Sawyer isn’t fucking here. She’s not here for you to leave behind. You’re both going to be lucky if you don’t end up buried next to your friend.”
Vida sucked in her breath at his cruel words.
“You asshole. Don’t you tell me what to do. The only thing you’re attached to is your damn dick. You don’t know what loyalty is; you fuck around on your wife. Not only do you fuck around on her, but you can’t even fuck one woman, you fuck anything that moves and breaths in your direction.” She had no qualms about showing her disgust.
“I haven’t fucked you,” Colton taunted.
“No, you haven’t, because you are smart enough to know I don’t want your skanky ass,” Vida snapped back.
All the fear and loathing she had been holding inside for the last month was released into the harsh words she spewed towards Colton. She should have been thanking him for saving her from Digger, who had hit her and was obviously going to rape her before disposing of her. However, Colton’s words about Sawyer and Callie had brought out the fight in her, which she couldn’t get back under control.
“Is that so?” Colton questioned, his expression thunderous.
“Yes!” Vida spat back at him.
“Go get a shower. There’s Ibuprofen in the medicine cabinet; you’re going to be sore later tonight. I’ll fix us something to eat.” Taking a deep breath, Colton managed to do what she hadn’t been able to do. Reign in his temper.
Their argument ended so suddenly it took Vida several seconds to realize that Colton was no longer participating.
“I’m sorry, Colton. I didn’t mean to fly off the handle. You were right; I shouldn’t have gotten in the car. I didn’t mean to snap your head off,” Vida apologized.
“It’s all right, Vida. Go get a shower.” Colton didn’t look back at her as he pulled cans out of the cabinet.
Vida felt terrible, yet went to take her shower. Taking clean clothes, she went into the bathroom. Turning the water on hot, she hoped it would take the soreness out of her body.
When she came out of the bathroom, she smelled hamburgers frying. Her stomach growled as she came to a stop in the kitchen. The waitress from the waffle house was back and she was standing at the stove frying the hamburgers. Colton was leaning casually against the counter. Talking to her, his face was relaxed and friendly with the woman fixing their dinner.
Vida felt a jab in her stomach. Refusing to admit she was jealous, she walked further into the room.
“Have a seat. Dinner will be ready in a minute.” His friendly disposition changed when he saw her come into the room.
Vida sat down at the table, reluctantly feeling uncomfortable. Colton had never had a woman in the apartment outside of the bedroom.
He sat a plate down in front of her with the hamburger and a salad that she was sure Tammy was responsible for as well.
“Water?” he asked.
“Yes, thank you.” Colton sat the drink down in front of her. Going back and forth, he sat a couple of bottles of beer down for Tammy and himself before sitting down on the other side of the table. Vida watched as he opened both bottles of beer and then handed one to the other woman.
She felt like a third wheel.
Tammy’s gasp drew Vida’s attention to find the woman staring at her in horror. “What happened to you?” she questioned, looking accusingly at Colton.
Colton had told her before not to break into his conversations, so Vida kept her mouth shut. Colton didn’t seem pleased with Tammy’s accusing look.
“Vida made someone angry that she shouldn’t have,” Colton informed Tammy.
Tammy didn’t look as if her suspicions had been appeased. She cast looks back and forth between Colton and Vida. Colton gave Tammy a reassuring smile. When Tammy wasn’t looking, Vida smirked at him. He began to look angry, which only fueled Tammy’s suspicions.
“Stop it, Vida,” Colton warned her.
Vida jumped in her seat and threw terrified eyes toward Tammy, all while managing not to burst out in laughter. The food tasted really good, despite watching Tammy flirt with Colton. She thanked Tammy, determined to hide how irritated she was becoming.
“It was delicious. I wish I could cook as well as you.”
Tammy preened with the compliment from Vida.
“Let’s go into the bedroom. Vida can do the dishes.” Colton stood up, taking his plate and Tammy’s to the sink.
Vida hastily stood, carrying her half-eaten plate to the counter. Taking an empty to go box out of the cabinet Vida put her half-eaten sandwich and leftover salad into it before putting it in the refrigerator. Tammy stood with her mouth open.
“We can’t waste food.” This time Vida wasn’t joking when she saw Tammy’s pitying look and Colton’s angry one. The phrase coming out of Vida’s mouth had obviously been droned into her by her quick response.
“I’m sorry, Colton, but I need an early night. I have to be at work early.” Tammy went to the couch, picking up her purse.
“Tammy, she can eat whatever she wants. I don’t starve her,” Colton tried to explain.
Tammy looked at Vida’s thin build and loose clothes.
“Honey, you get tired of his crap, I got an extra bedroom you can stay in until you get on your feet.” Throwing Colton a look of disgust, she left in a whirl of perfume and high heels.
Vida waited until the door was closed before she broke down into laughter. She laughed so hard she had to hold her sides. Seeing Colton’s smoldering gaze only set her off in fresh peals of laughter.
“I thought the black eye would do it...” Vida had to pause to catch her breath “...not the food. That’s just habit. I guess she couldn’t stand the thought of you not feeding her.” Vida had to lean against the counter she was laughing so hard.
“Oh my God, your expression was priceless. And the madder you got only convinced her more that you were beating me.”
Vida was so busy laughing she didn’t notice Colton setting the dirty dishes in the sink or crossing the room to lock the door.
“Vida?” Colton’s soft voice drew her attention as he now leaned against the counter with his arms crossed against his chest.
“Yes?” Vida wiped the tears of mirth away from her eyes.
“Do you know why I invited Tammy here?”
“Because you wanted to get laid.” Vida didn’t detect the danger she was in.
“Yes, because it was either get a woman here or fuck you. You have now taken that option out of my hands.” Colton straightened, reaching for Vida. Sliding out of his reach, she thought he was paying her back for ruining his night.
“Don’t take it so hard, Colton. Your next lay is only a phone call away,” Vida taunted.
“No, Vida. My next lay is six inches away.” Colton strode forward. Belatedly realizing that he was serious, she took off running for the door. The doorknob was in her hand and she was pulling the door open when Colton’s hand above her head slammed the door closed. Vida was held flat against the door as Colton’s body pressed against her back and ass.
Vida stood still, realizing to late when she felt Colton’s hardness against her backside just how serious he was about his intentions.
“What’s wrong, Vida. Got yourself in trouble?” Colton whispered in her ear. His mouth nuzzled her neck, sending chills down her back.
“Let me go, Colton. I’ll call Tammy and tell her I was just aggravating you.”
“Too late. I didn’t want her anyway. I want you. I was being nice keeping my hands off you. Since you don’t want to play nice, I see no reason to continue fucking women that aren’t you.”
Vida tried to struggle free, however Colton held her still while his lips continued to explore her neck. He slightly lifted his weight off her and slid his hand across her midriff, seeking and finding the bottom of her top. His firm hand glided upwards across the flesh of her stomach, causing goose bumps to rise on her flesh.
His hand slid underneath her flimsy bra to find a nipple and begin twirling it between his fingertips. With Vida’s hands against the door, she pushed back against him, but Colton forestalled her, widening his stance and using his other hand to grip her hip, pulling her ass back against his lengthening cock.
“You’re making me so hard that I could come in my jeans.” Colton’s lips found her earlobe, gently biting it at the same time pinching her hard nipple. His hand then slipped from her breast, down her quivering stomach, his fingertips sliding underneath the fabric of her sweat pants.
“Stop, Colton!” Vida protested.
Colton took a step backward, releasing her. It took Vida several seconds to become aware he had released her. Turning from the door, she saw that he was standing by the couch, clenching and unclenching his hands.
“I stopped this time, Vida. Next time you play me like that, I won’t.”
“I won’t. I’m not going to have sex with you, Colton,” Vida told him bluntly.
“Five more minutes and I would have had you begging me.” Colton’s cynical voice had Vida’s temper rising.
“I would never beg you, Colton. You take sex as seriously as chewing a piece of gum. You’re married, and you’re an ass.” Vida raised her fingers counting off each one of his faults.
“You’re a pain in my ass. I am not married. I told Tessa to get a divorce while I was in prison, she didn’t. It will be final in a couple of weeks.” Vida waited expectantly, but he made no excuses for being an ass.
“I’ll move back into King’s,” Vida decided out loud.
Colton looked at her as if her intelligence was in question. “You move back in with King then Briggs will tell Digger. Next time he takes you, he will get you out of town so fast there won’t be time to get you back before you’re sold to someone.”
Vida turned away, going to the closet to get her blankets and sheets. Making up the couch, she ignored him. Colton sighed and then left the room. Vida turned out the lights before lying down on the couch. Her body was sore and it finally hit her what Digger was going to do to her if Colton had not shown up. Moving restlessly on the couch, she was unable to get comfortable.
The nightmare came whenever she had an emotional upset. She had a recurrence for several nights after Sawyer’s disappearance, but it had eased off. It came back with a vengeance now.
The dream began with flashes of her playing with Sawyer and Callie, running down the halls and making everyone crazy. Then, the day gradually changed over to night in her dreams with the flames eating at her unconscious mind. She could still see herself screaming and knocking on Callie’s door, the smoke pouring out from underneath. Her mom ran frantically toward her, picking her up and running down the hallway with her. Sawyer’s mother was running in front of them, trying to escape the smoke filled hallway, her terrified eyes staring back at Vida had her crying in her sleep.
Vida felt cocooned in softness as her mother held her, rocking her gently then lifting her and carrying her to bed. She couldn’t stop crying for Callie and Sawyer’s grey eyes tormented her until she gradually managed to doze off with her mother gently stroking her hair.