Inside Out (6 page)

“So you found yourself a new man, already? I always knew you were a whore.” His words echoed throughout the small building. I hung my head, feeling my cheeks burn with embarrassment. I stared at the ground, avoiding eye contact as best I could. Randi ran up and slapped Mitch across the face, causing a booth of spectators to gasp in horror.

“You’re worthless Mitch,” she seethed. I felt pathetic watching Randi defend me. I decided now would not be the time I backed down, I wouldn’t cower to this ass while she stood in the line of fire, for me. I pulled my cell from my pocket discreetly dialing Jude’s number. I slid the phone into Randi’s hand, winking at her while walking forward to stand between her and Mitch.

“She has nothing to do with this. This is between us. Why don’t we at least walk outside and discuss this. Do we really want to give these people a show? There are children watching, Mitch. For God’s sake, quiet down and just walk outside.” I tried to reason with this irrational man. He shrugged his shoulders and grinned, bowing before the audience. I was repulsed by his act that he found so humorous. I apologized to the women and two children in the nearby booth before following Mitch outside. I glanced over my shoulder, Randi was on my phone. I hoped Jude would show up and save me from this mess.

“Is this necessary, Mitch? I left you with reason. You beat me! I don’t owe you a thing anymore!”

“I beat you because you were acting like a whore. I needed to remind you that you belonged to me. But it seems that one beating wasn’t quite enough.” He stepped forward, his face so close to mine I could feel his breath on my skin.

“That’s your problem. I was never your property, you don’t own me.” I stepped back. I was so nervous I could feel my hands shake. I shoved them in my pockets, hoping Mitch couldn’t see. I did not want him to know he had any effect on me at all. I turned to see Randi and the friendly waiter, walking towards us from the restaurant.

“Is there a problem out here?” The waiter pushed himself between Mitch and me. I turned to Randi, seeking answers.

“Stay out of it,” she whispered. “He heard the commotion and wanted to help.”

“He’s just served us a steak and now wants to protect me from my ex?”

My heartbeat accelerated when a few words between the two led to shoving and yelling. We all stopped to stare at the silver Chevy fly into the parking lot. My mouth dropped open when I realized it was Jude. His expression was enraged. I stared at his face through the windshield. He half assed parked the car into a parking space. Mitch’s buddies realized this was another person on our side and stepped forward, crossing their arms and holding their head high.

Jude exited the car in a hurried fashion sporting an expression I had yet to see. I watched Mitch eye him with rage and curiosity. Jude appeared at my side, wrapping his arm around my waist, pulling me into his body in a protective way.

“What seems to be the problem?” Jude asked aloud to no one in particular. His eyes shifted through the few of us standing around. “I received a call from your friend here.” He nodded in the direction Randi stood. “I assume you’re Randi.” He raised his eyebrows awaiting her reply.

“Yes.” She stammered. I watched her eyes trail from his head to his toes, soaking in every inch of him in just as I had. “Sam needed you. Mitch here is causing quite a scene.”

“Mitch.” Jude nodded.

“Who the hell are you?” Mitch replied in a sarcastic tone.

“Jude Williams” he hissed.

“This has nothing to do with you, dipshit. Get in your fancy car and get the hell out of here before I kick your ass.”

“As you can see” he gestured to me, still gripping me by the waist “this has everything to do with me.” I watched the waiter stand back, allowing Jude to take his position in front of Mitch. I wiggled my way out of Jude’s grip, scurrying away to stand beside Randi.

“Oh. So, you’re sleeping with her now? She sure gets around.” Mitch chuckled, looking to his buddies in amusement.

Jude leaned forward, granting him access to Mitch’s ear. “Mitch, you don’t seem like such a smart guy, which is why I’m giving you the option of walking away, rather than kicking your ass like you deserve for that comment alone. Samantha is nothing to you anymore. She’s mine. Do you hear that? Mine. I suggest you and your buddies walk right back to your vehicle and get the hell away from her, for now and for always.”

Mitch seemed unaffected by Jude’s comment. “That’s where you’re wrong. She’s not yours. She was an easy piece of ass, is all. I’ve dealt with the bitch for years, which means, she’s mine.”

Jude nodded to the waiter, signaling him with one wave of his hand to lead me away from the scene. I protested when the man’s arm flung around my shoulder, forcing me to march forward.

“Jude!” I called as I was forced to walk several steps away from him. I could no longer hear the conversation between the two men.

“Stay right here.” The tall waiter said to me in a stern tone.

“I don’t even know you. Just why should I listen?”

“I’m Ricky. Just listen to me, would you? Either way, you’re not getting involved. I’ll drag you back over here kicking and screaming if you don’t stay put.” He scolded me like a wayward child.

“He’s right.” Randi mumbled.

I crossed my arms and leaned against the side wall of the brick building. I watched Ricky stride back across the parking lot to where the men were standing. Ricky took his place next to Jude, folding his arms in a cocky, defensive manner. I stood silent, praying their words would echo across the parking lot and into my curious ears.

“What’s taking them so long? I can’t hear a damn thing.” Randi shrugged her shoulders.

“Sam. Be patient. As long as they’re just talking and not beating the hell out of each other, things are fine. I’d rather watch them talk this out, wouldn’t you?” She reasoned with me.

“Yes. I suppose.” I tapped my foot feeling impatient and desperate to know what they were talking about.

Several agonizing moments later I saw Mitch throw his hands in the air and yell out “You can have her.”

Jude ignored his outburst and turned to walk towards me. His beautiful smile emitted his lips, causing me to smile in response. Randi interlocked our arms and bounced up and down, eyeing her man, who was also walking towards her.

“Isn’t he gorgeous?” She purred.

“Yes he is.” My eyes still glued to Jude, not even noticing Ricky or his good looks. My thoughts were only of Jude.

“Well, that went well.” Jude giggled and wrapped me in his arms. “I told you Sam, I don’t want you going anywhere alone for a while. You’re lucky your stubbornness didn’t have some serious consequences. If I wouldn’t have made it here and he would have hurt you…” His voice trailed off as if his thoughts had wandered into a painful realization.

“I wouldn’t have let him hurt her.” Ricky chimed in.

“Nice to meet you.” Jude extended his hand to Ricky.

“These two little ladies had trouble written all over their faces.” Ricky joked. “Damn lucky I was called in today.”

He wrapped his arm around Randi’s shoulders, pulling her in for a hug. Her sweet smile returned, seeming to melt Ricky’s heart. I watched his eyes stare into her face like she was the most amazing person in the world. I shook my head, envying her ability to swoon a man in such a short time. I shifted my gaze back to Jude, who was also staring at me in quite a similar way. I felt my cheeks flush red. He tucked a single strand of hair behind my ear, leaning in to whisper, “Let’s go home, trouble.” I shivered at the feeling of his warm breath on my skin. Chills of longing covered every inch of my body. I found myself fantasizing about our first sexual experience just hours before. “I’ll make you feel that way again.” Jude mouthed without speaking the words aloud. I grinned, feeling a bit embarrassed that he apparently knew what I was thinking.

I hugged Randi thanking her for defending me. I felt closer to her than I had the entire two years I had known her. I waved to Ricky and Randi both as I slipped into Jude’s car, pulling away to head back in the direction of home, our home.

Jude suggested we rent a movie and lie around on the couch for the remainder of the night. I accepted his offer with enthusiasm.

“Now, don’t fall asleep on me again tonight. You didn’t make it through five minutes of the movie last night.”

I grinned and shrugged my shoulders. “Well, maybe you shouldn’t pick such boring movies.”

“Boring? You’re calling a Bruce Willis movie boring? Woman, that’s preposterous. You pick the movie tonight, you smart ass.” Jude laughed and winked at me, running his fingers along the length of my arm.

We laughed and joked the entire way home. For a brief moment, I forgot about Mitch and the rest of the troubles that seemed to devour my thoughts for most of the day. His easy going, care free attitude was contagious. I was lost in a world that seemed fairy-tale perfect when I was with him. I rationalized with my foolish mind before letting myself get too wrapped up a farfetched idea of him being the one for me. He wasn’t. He couldn’t be. Soon enough, he would hurt me. He would be just another painful memory I would have to stow away in the far recesses of my mind.

“We’re almost home, angel.” His sweet voice rang in my ears, interrupting my negative thoughts. I smiled and focused on the road ahead. I noticed a black Altima parked in front of the mailbox barely giving him enough room to pull into the driveway. He shut off the car and had a blank, shocked look on his face.

“You okay, Jude?” His first response was a forced smile.

“Allison is here. She and I were seeing each other for a few weeks, but that was months ago. I have no idea what she’s doing here.” It felt like the wind had been knocked out of me.
Allison
I hissed to myself. I didn’t know why, but just hearing about one of his exes made me incredibly jealous.

“Oh, should I go?” I mumbled with a hint of aggravation in my tone.

He shook his head no. “Of course not, Samantha. She’s the one not welcome here.”

The color seemed to drain from his face when we both looked up to see a beautiful blonde walking towards us. She had apparently let herself into his house. She was about 5’5 and sported long, beautiful silky hair. Her skin looked flawless. She strutted her way to his car wearing bright red pumps and a short black dress trimmed in red designs that matched her heels. My heart found a place in my throat once again.
She’s beautiful.
I barely considered myself average; short, just about 5’2. I also have long blonde hair, just not as silky as this bimbo’s. I’m also thin, too thin for my taste. I did not compare to this curvy woman.

“Shit.” I heard Jude murmur as she proceeded to prance towards us. He sat paralyzed, not moving an inch. I heard her fumble with the handle of the car, yanking it open and bending down to look inside the car.

“Hey, Jude” she purred. I’ve missed you.” She pretended not to even notice another woman was in the car with him. I felt like reaching over and pulling out those luscious locks of hers. She bent down even further to plant a sweet kiss on his cheeks, baring even more of her cleavage. The silence in the car was deafening. I could hear my own pulse pounding in my ears. Jude allowed her to paw on him, never even speaking a word. My emotions were running wild. I wanted to slap him, I wanted to cry, and I wanted to run. Jude finally managed to squirm around visibly uncomfortable, clearing his throat as if he’d been shocked back into reality.

“Allison, this is Sam. Sam this is Allison.” I nodded my head and forced a polite smile. Allison offered the same forced smile to me.

Her attention strayed back to Jude. “I hope you don’t mind that I let myself in. You still keep your spare key under that squeaky old chair, I see.”

I’d heard all I could stand to hear from her cherry painted lips, so I stepped out of the car and stormed off in the direction of my room. I slammed the door of the spare room hard enough to break it from the hinges. “Why the hell do I even care?!” I shouted at the top of my lungs. I paced the floor back and forth. I was hurt, confused and completely unaware of my relationship status with Jude. We just had the most amazing intimate moment this morning and now he’s allowing his ex- girlfriend to rub her lips across his face. I shivered at the thought. I couldn’t help but catch my own reflection in the mirror.
I looked disgusting.
My makeup was smeared, thanks to my tears and my hair looked like it hadn’t been combed in a week. I ran my fingers through my hair in an effort to tame the fly aways.

Letting out a sigh, I fell to the bed. I lay there sulking in my own self- pity, for what seemed like hours. I could hear the front door open and then slam shut, followed by laughter, the highest pitched fake laugh I’d ever heard.
He let her in? I’ll be damned if I’m going to lay here all night alone, while he plays suck face with his this bimbo.
I jumped out of bed, scurrying to the shabby dresser drawers that held my clothes. I pulled out the sexiest outfit I owned and threw it on. I examined myself in the full length mirror. An extremely tight, low fitting pair of jeans that hugged what little curves I had perfectly. A simple black tank-top, black heels, and a red and black necklace that mom had given me for my birthday last year. I pulled out my curling iron, curling my hair, giving it a bit of volume. I put on little makeup, hoping not to over- do it like the blonde Allison had. I didn’t know where I’d go, frankly I didn’t care. I would walk around the block fifteen times if I had to. My only concern was getting the hell out of this house. I glanced in the mirror once more, sprayed a light mist of perfume and decided to face the asshole and his tramp.

In the living room I could see Jude and Allison sitting on the love- seat, deep in conversation.

“Sorry to interrupt, just wanted to let you know I’m going out. Mind if I borrow your car? You wouldn’t want me walking the streets alone at this hour, now would you?” His attention turned to me; his mouth practically fell open when he saw my clothes. I giggled to myself as his eyes opened wide in surprise.

“You look great, Sam. Where on earth are you going dressed like that?”