“You can’t hide from me!” She kicks the door, and it shudders in its frame.
She’s strong for such a little thing.
I decide to have some fun with her, and fling the door open.
Catch Up
Part 1: The Drifter
Chapter 5
Now
The knocking continues, even though I’m standing between the kitchen and living room, eyes squeezed shut. As if that’ll make him go away.
There’s not enough time to run upstairs, grab my shit, and slip out the back door. I consider leaving it all behind, but then I’d have nothing. I’ve started from zero before, over and over again. Doesn’t make it any easier.
It’d be easier than facing him after all this time.
I take a step toward the back door, praying it doesn’t lead onto some weird enclosed porch. That’d be just my luck.
“Claudine!” hollers the knocker, who sounds like she’s gargling cigarette smoke.
I tip my head back, relieved. It’s not Mercy. I don’t have to run.
Not yet, anyway.
I peer through the peephole and find a woman who can’t be taller than four and a half feet. Her dishwater blonde hair is set in curlers, which shake as her fist begins beating on the door again.
“You can’t hide from me, Claudine!” She kicks the door. It shudders in its frame.
She’s strong, for such a little thing.
I don’t really feel like dealing with her—or anyone, really—but it would be kind of fun to leave Claudine some kind of parting gift. I decide to see what this woman wants, and fling the door open.
Her fist freezes midair. “You’re not Claudine,” she says, voice accusing.
I glance down at my chest, then raise my eyes to her face pointedly.
“Where’s Claudine?” She peers past me into the living room, as if Claudine is hiding behind the couch.
“She’s . . .” It dawns on me that I have no idea where she is. Neither does her number one fan, apparently. “She’s out. Maybe I can help you.”
“Doubt it.” She shakes her head, a curler precariously close to tumbling loose. “That bitch owes me money.”
“For what?”
“Don’t you sass me.” She frowns, further wrinkling her already leathery face. “Oh, fine, she owes the HOA money, but I’m the treasurer. She can’t avoid me forever!”
I bite my lip to hide the smirk. Claudine’s behind on her condo fees—I’ve found the chink in her sleazy armor.
“I’m so sorry,” I say. “She didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
I glance around and lower my voice. “She’s looking at another townhouse.”
The treasurer gasps, her lip curling. “She isn’t looking at Covenant, is she?”
This is too easy. These bitches are just as trigger happy as the officers in a motorcycle club, if not more. They’re certainly cattier.
I spread my hands apologetically. “I’m afraid so. She said something about lower HOA fees.”
Pinching her face, she turns on her heel and marches away. I can practically see the cartoon fumes coming out of her ears.
Smiling, I close the door and lean against it. That was fun, but probably not very nice of me. Still, the thought of Claudine getting an earful from this woman warms my cold soul and stifles any guilt.
Besides, I’m pretty sure Claudine will have no problem setting her straight. Our history aside, I’ve got to give her credit where credit’s due. And Claudine can certainly hold her own.
I tamp down the spark of admiration. I refuse to respect the woman who destroyed my family.
Not that there was much of a family to begin with.
Thank you for reading Chapter 5 of Her Mercy, a River Reapers MC prequel novella.
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