Page 22 of From the Ashes
“To tell Cain to fuck the fucking hell off,” I call back.
I yank the door open and storm toward the elevator, making my way up to Cain’s apartment. I’m sure he can hear me coming because my footsteps are as loud as a stampede of African elephants. Stepping up to his door, my heart hammers in my chest, and my teeth grind together in annoyance that my body is tingling at being here. I slam my closed fist on his door, pounding like he does on mine. “Cain Barrington, you open this fucking door right now!” I yell at the top of my lungs.
The door swings open, and I push my way through before he can even see it’s me. Turning around, I throw all my weight with my shoulder, shoving my clenched fist right into his face. He weaves to the side effortlessly, and my fist collects with the wall, causing my knuckles to jam hard into the drywall. Pain radiates through my hand into my wrist and up my arm.
“Ow, fuck!” I cuss, dropping my arm and waving it from side to side, trying to numb the pain.
“Um… cutie pie, why the hell are you throwing weak-as-shit punches at me?” Rodberg queries as his face comes into view, the red haze slowly diminishing from my mind.
I shake my head upon seeing it’s him and not Cain I lunged at. Taking a breath, I slump my shoulders as I rub my sore, bleeding knuckles. “Sorry, I thought you were Cain. Where is he?Cain!”I yell out, moving in further.
“He’s ahh… not here. He got called into work. But he won’t be long if you wanna climb onto Iron Rod’s lap and rotate a little?”
I curl up my lip. “Eww, gross. No thanks,” I murmur and continue looking around.
Something catches my attention that definitely wasn’t like this last time I was here. I walk up to one of the many holes. “Rodberg, what’s going on with the walls?”
He chuckles. “Cain’s beensuperhappy since you left him. He gets excited sometimes and likes to punch the walls when you don’t respond to him. He’s sooo much fun to have around these days.” Rodberg’s tone drips with sarcasm.
Opening my eyes wide, I take a breath.Cain’s still got his temper I see. But he’s obviously affected by this breakup like I am. Furrowing my brows, I look at the biggest hole in the hall. “He punches the walls?”
He smirks. “Yeah, guess he gets that from you. Hey, cutie pie?”
I scoff, rubbing my knuckles. “Fuck off!”
“Okay, okay, settle down.”
“Will you tell him to stop trying to contact me and to leave me the hell alone?”
Rodberg screws up his face and clicks his tongue to the roof of his mouth. “There’s only so many times he can punch the wall before it crumbles and falls, Makaylie.”
“What the hell’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means I refuse to make him angrier than he already is because I like my face the way it is. And now I have noticed it… you seem pretty angry yourself. You know… I hear that when two people who are angry at each other then reunite, they usually have some pretty awesome makeup sex. Can you make sure when that happens that it’s here, and can you wait till I’m home?”
I scoff, rolling my eyes. “You are so disgusting!”
He chuckles. “Yeah, I know,” he replies as I storm toward the front door. “Hey, cutie pie?” he calls out to me before I can slam the door behind me.
“What?”
“He does love you, and he misses you. I think…” he pauses, “… you miss him too.”
“What? Why would you think that?”
“Because you look like shit.” He smirks. “And people with broken hearts look like you do now. Also, can I suggest when you see Cain, you wear something a little less… well, anything other than what you’re wearing now? And for God’s sake, have a damn shower. You stink, woman.”
I scowl, throwing my hands in the air. “Fuck.You… and your tiny Iron Rod,” I say, slamming the door shut and setting off briskly back to the elevator. Once I’m in, I press the button a million times, and the doors close.
My chest rises and falls rapidly as I try to keep it together.
I’m seething,
I’m angry.
I’m hurting.
I’m sad.