time. I have no intention of rekindling anything with you.” He’d been trying to get her back since he’d left home four years ago. Did he really think the constant letters and phone calls would make everything okay? Not in her world, besides she was done wearing her heart on her sleeve.
“Jesus, Ashley. I said I was sorry. What’s it gonna take?” He dripped of desperation.
She sighed. “Ben. We gave it a shot, and it didn’t work. Why can’t you move on and find some nice girl? You’re a good guy underneath it all, but we were not meant to be.” Oh, thank god the exit for the airport was up ahead. Only a few more minutes and she’d be rid of him. Ben wasn’t that bad of a guy, even considering he’d broken her heart. How could she blame him? After all, she was the freak of nature, but she was over him and wished he’d move on.
They drove the last leg in silence. When he pulled up to the Alaskan airlines terminal, he jumped out and grabbed her bags, wheeling them to the walkway. “I’ll email you.” He pulled her into an embrace and kissed her. She tried to push him away, but he held fast so she simply stopped fighting. However, she refused to kiss him back. When he finally released her, she grabbed her bags.
“Thanks for the lift, Ben. I really do wish you the best and hope you’ll give up this crazy talk. There is no us.” She didn’t wait for a response, but quickly pulled her luggage inside. One side of her felt guilty and wondered if she shouldn’t give him another chance. After all, who else would want a freak like her? She had loved him once. Part of her still did and she knew it wouldn’t take much to rekindle that passion.
No. I need to stop. He dumped me when I needed him most.
Luckily, it was early in the morning, and the airport wasn’t at full bustle yet. She walked up to the counter with her bags and handed the clerk her boarding pass. Refusing to make eye contact, she remained pleasant when asked all the typical questions. In no time, she was standing in a short line for her security check. She hoped to avoid eye contact here as well. The TSA agent was a young, handsome man, and she wasn’t in the mood to become acquainted with his death. She never saw the color of a person’s eyes. Instead, they acted like mirrors that reflected back a slow-motion horror flick. One that showed her the person’s exact death. She’d seen it all. From hideous fires, to decapitations in an auto accident, to peacefully leaving the world in their sleep. The worst were the children. Those ripped her soul to shreds. Viv had called it a gift. This was no gift. It was a fucking curse.
----
D evon rested the pool stick on his fingers and flicked his wrist, sending the balls scattering across the table and into the pocket. His senses picked up desperation, an emotion he thrived on. He lifted his head to follow the gait of a young man who made his way across the bar, looking like the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. Cyrus followed his gaze.
“What’s up boss?” his lackey asked.
“I think I need to go talk to the human and find out what ails him,” Devon replied, setting the pool stick down. He picked up his beer and sauntered over, taking the stool to the guy’s right.
“You look like a man whose having girl trouble.”
The guy snorted and mindlessly spun a quarter on the bar top while he watched the bartender pour his beer. “You could say that.”
“Name’s Devon.” He stuck his hand out.
“Ben.”
They shook then Devon raised his glass. “Here’s to our women. May God have mercy on us.”
“Amen,” Ben stated and took a swig, wiping the foam from his lip.
“So. Did she dump you?” Devon asked.
“Naw. I dumped her, but I was wrong. I was young and stupid.”
“Let me guess. And now you’ve realized the error of your ways. She seeing another man?”
“No, but I just dropped her at the airport. She’s headed to Alaska to live in her family’s cabin. I