The Boss Lady (6 page)

“I asked her if you ever touched her.”

“Touched her like what does that mean?”

“You know what I mean. She would tell me.”

“There’s nothing to tell, Jesus.” I’m not like that.

“No I know there is more to the story. There is something you’re not telling me.”

“No, there isn’t.”

“Has to be, my mother was singing your praises like you were a saint.
She said you drove to her place and replaced her toilet.”

“Your mother is a very nice lady. Obviously you were adopted.”

“You think you’re funny?”

“Sometimes.”

“Hanging out with little girls isn’t funny. It’s criminal.”

“I’m not a criminal.”

“Whatever, they’re going to release you tomorrow.”

“Good to know.”
How did she know? Did she talk to my doctor?

“I will pick you up in the morning because my daughter wants to make sure you get back to that raggedy ass thing you call a pick-up truck.”

My truck was old but it wasn’t ragged. “I could find a way to pick up my truck.”

“I’m sure you could. You keep finding a way to get back into my house.”

“Thanks but no thanks. Keep your ride.”

“Your keys are in my house. My daughter will flip the fuck out if you don’t get
you to your truck.”

“I’m not up to anything with your daughter I swear. I just listen to her when she talks. It’s lonely being an only child.”

“Okay whatever Dr. Phil. My daughter wants to stay here with you tonight. She thinks you’re in danger or something I don’t know.”

“She seems comfortable and it’s late. You should just let her stay asleep.”

“I’ve got work to do.” Nicole walked over to the one desk in the room. She removed her MacBook from the leather-bound laptop bag. I got a look at her ass when she planted it in the chair and ignored me. She was deep into whatever she was doing and I turned on the TV and just relaxed.

I had at least two nurses visit me throughout the night. I drifted off because of the meds but when I woke up I noticed Nicole a
nd Kelly asleep in the lounge chair together. They were both under a blanket. It was cute.

Nicole’s
high heels were on the floor near the chair. Those black pumps were sexy as hell. I turned away and went back into another drug induced slumber.

CHAPTER FIVE

I woke up the next
morning in the hospital. Mother and daughter were gone. I realized I was without a cell phone but I had a wallet. I had to buy something to wear out of here.

The phone rang in the hospital room and I answered not expecting a call. It was Kelly. She told me they went home to shower and change but they would be back to pick me up. She gave the phone over to her mother.

Miss Nevels the devil told me she would pick me up at three. I didn’t object to anything she said in her painfully cordial brief speech. She said it in a way that made it clear that I shouldn’t object to anything. I had time to shower and change before my release. I got myself together and presentable. I signed my release papers and waited twenty minutes for my ride.

I wished I had another option but my pickup was parked at Nicole’s house
in her driveway. I guess I could have called a taxi-cab but my car keys and cell phone were inside her house so I was going to have to ring the doorbell to get them from her.

So I had to take the ride that Nicole offered me. It was Kelly’s idea of course. She begged her mother to pick me up from the hospital. No one even knew I was in the hospital and I wanted it that way. I didn’
t want the attention.

I was picked up by
Nicole. She pulled up to the curb in her shiny black Mercedes Benz S-Class 500. This car fit her personality. This car was a nice waste of money. But she had money to waste. The passenger window automatically rolled down.

“Get in.” Her evil voice jumped at the car an
d accosted me. Shit! I opened the door and climbed in. I didn’t have any belongings. I purchased sweats from the hospital gift shop so I didn’t have to wear my bloody jeans. I threw them out along with my bloody cut up shirt. The paramedics cut the shirt off me in the ambulance. I had my sneakers. I purchased fresh boxer briefs and socks.

“Hey Mr. Lukas.”

“Hey Kelly.”

“Seatbelt.” Kelly called from the backseat. Nicole pulled away from the curb and I buckled up.

“Yeah Mr. Lukas seatbelt.” Nicole gritted through her teeth. I looked over at her and she had fire in her eyes. Why is she always curt with me? She turned the car radio on.

“Thanks for the ride.” I said to try to break the tension.

“Huh, thank Kelly. I would have left you out on the curb.” She smirked.

“Kelly can’t drive a car so I’m thanking you.
Take my gratitude and…” I leaned in close to her and whispered. “Shut your trap.” I leaned back in the passenger seat.

Nicole took her eyes off the road to regard me thoroughly.
“Whatever.”

We rode in silence until we got back to Nicole and Kelly’s house. Well Kelly sang along with the radio while her mom and I ignored each other.

This
was the longest, awkward, uncomfortable ride ever. I walked inside and went straight to the kitchen. I gathered that my car keys were in the kitchen along with my cell. Nicole followed me.

“You seem to really know your way around my house.”

“Is that a question?”

“It’s an observation.”

I spotted my belongings on the counter right next to the refrigerator. I scooped them up. I was trying to run out of that house. Nicole made me feel like I was under a microscope. She made me feel like I had done something wrong when I knew that I hadn’t.

“Mr. Lukas, where are you going?”
Kelly asked.

“Home.”

“You’re supposed to eat dinner with us. We have to watch you to make sure you’re okay. That’s what the doctor said to my mom.” When did this conversation happen? I was sleep a long time in the hospital.

“I’m okay. I have my pain medicine. My arm barely hurts.”
I could feel Nicole’s eyes observing me as I interacted with her daughter.

“My mother said you were going to have pizza with us.”
What’s up with this kid and pizza?

My eyes went directly to Miss Nevels the devil. “Kelly I think your mom wants me to go.”

“No she doesn’t. She promised me.”

“Kelly if he wants to go home, l
et him go. He’s probably very tired.”

“Yeah I’m real tired.
”

“Sleep on the couch.
” Geez she’s just as bossy as her mother. “My mom will order the pizza. We can watch one of your favorite movies.”

“Kelly I really need to get home.”

“You would rather be at home alone then with me.” What the fuck? This kid was pulling my strings. “Someone tried to kill me. I would feel safer with you here. My mom can’t fight a kid perv. You have muscles. I’m going to be afraid if you leave.”

I wasn’t sure what part of this was true or just a ploy to get her way. Kelly was a smart kid and she was probably manipulating me. I k
new it but I just couldn’t say no to her. She was just like Hailey. She would con me into doing whatever she wanted. I just couldn’t say no. I was pathetic.

“Kelly I will stay until you go to bed.”

“Until I fall asleep.”

She was bargaining with me. “Fine.” I caved.
I’m too soft when it comes to this kid.

“I got to go to the bathroom. Don’t, go, anywhere.” Kelly warned me and I saw a bit
more of her mother’s bossiness in her threat.

Kelly ran up the back stairs leaving me alone with her mother. I went into the frig and grabbed a bottle of water.

“Make yourself at home.” Nicole must have Energizer batteries in that smart mouth of hers.

I grabbed the
prescription pill bottle out of my pocket. I had been prescribed Vicodin for the pain. I took one pill as Nicole watched me.

“Lukas, don’t piss me off.”

“Yes boss.” I took my water bottle and left her alone in the kitchen. I went into the den area where the two thousand dollar flatscreen was housed. This is the TV that started this whole commotion. I turned the TV on and flopped down on the couch. I sat alone for a while until Kelly returned and took a seat beside me on the couch. She sat on my pain free side. She rested her head on my shoulder and we watched Madagascar on cable.

Nicole came into the den
once the pizza arrived. She dropped it on the coffee table along with two plates and a roll of paper towels. Kelly and I ate and Nicole disappeared. She probably retired to her evil lair. I wondered where she was but after I ate I fell asleep. I wasn’t sure how long I was out but the Vicodin might have put me to sleep.

I woke up when I felt Kelly’s face leave my bicep. I stirred awake and Nicole was standing over me pulling her daughter off of me.

“Hey.” I said as I opened my eyes. Nicole ignored me and tried to lift Kelly’s sleeping body. “Hey I’ll take her upstairs.”

“No, I got her.” She whispered but she could barely lift her
sleeping daughter.

“No, that’s too many stairs. I will take her.” I was completely alert now. I stood and wrenched Kelly from her arms. I cuddled Kelly against my chest and I didn’t feel any pain in my shoulder but it was
tight and stiff.

I heard Nicole huff and puff at me behind my back but I ignored her. I heard Nicole’s heels tapping the steps as she followed me up to Kelly’s bedroom.
Who would attempt to pick a kid up in high heels and carry them up a staircase? Who wears high heels in the house? Miss Nevels the devil, that’s who.

I passed Nicole’s bedroom and went into Kelly’s
bedroom. I placed her on the bed. Kelly had her clothes on but she was shoeless. I pulled the covers back and tucked her in real good. I stood back and looked at her sleeping and I realized that Nicole was watching me. I turned to leave and almost ran Nicole over.

Miss Nevels the devil followed me out the bedroom and down the stairs. I patted my pockets for my car k
eys. Shit where did I put them? I searched the area by the pizza box.

“Why are
you still here?” Her voice hit me from behind.

“I’m looking for my car keys.”
Which was obvious so why did she ask?

“I don’t like you.” Did she just say that to me?

I stopped frantically searching for my truck keys in the couch cushions to glare at her. “Sorry, I don’t like you either.”

“You could have gone home. You got my kid thinking you’re some kind of super-hero. I don’t like you. You think you’re so clever.
You make me so mad I could hit you.”

I’m
no one’s super-hero. “You can hit me but don’t get upset when I hit you back.”

“I wish you would hit me in my house.”
Nicole was staring at me and daring me to make a move.

“Nicki, I’
m not afraid of you. That bully bossy shit doesn’t work on me.” Why did I call her Nicki? I guess it just sounds better to my ears.

“Get out
of my house.”

“Calm down.” I chuckled when I thought about what Tony had told me about black women
and the words calm down. “Nicki calm down.” I couldn’t help myself. I had to say it again.

“You don’t tell me to calm down.”

She was up in my face. I think she was really going to hit me. Her fists were balled.

“Be quiet before you wake Kelly. She’s had a hard
couple of days.”

“No yo
u be quiet.” She barked in her snotty version of a hushed tone.

“Shhhhh!”
I said.

“You shhhh, don’t shhhhh me.” She glared
at me and poked me in the chest with her finger.

I had enough.
I was tired of her trying to constantly emasculate me. I grabbed her by the wrist and jerked her to my side. I pulled her to follow me. I was practically dragging this domineering woman behind me. Her high heels were tapping on the hardwood floors. I drug her to the door that connected the garage to the house. I quickly opened the door. When I forcibly pulled her through the door I closed it. Now we could speak freely. I let go of her wrist.

“Why are you such a condescending
bitch?”

“If you call me a bitch one more time
I’m going to fuck you up.”

I don’t normally call woman bitches but here goes.
“Bitch.”

Oh shit. She was fast. Her hand jumped from her side and slapped me hard across the side of my face. I was too stunned to respond. Keep calm or choke the shit out of her? Keep calm or choke the shit out of her?

Nicki Nevels is truly the devil. She was daring me. She had her fists balled.