Love Thy Neighbor (Friend-Zoned)(30)

Thank f*ck that works. After a few more seconds of staring, she backs away. Once I hear the bedroom door close, I suggest, “Maybe you should leave before someone has an accident.”

Cole, being the big tough guy he is, gloats, “Just coz I got the girl you want.” He tuts. “She don’t want you, man. Back off. Leave her to a real man.”

I step closer to him, my voice perfectly calm, “Let’s talk outside.”

He narrows his eyes at me in suspicion but backs into the hall. I follow him out and shut the door behind me. I smile the most fake, friendly smile I can and hold my hand out to him to shake. He looks confused but takes my hand.

Big. Fucking. Mistake.

Quick as a flash, I flip him onto his stomach, twisting his arm behind his back at an awkward and unnatural angle. I dig my knee into his side knowing the pressure in his kidney will be excruciating in just a moment. This guy is shorter than me but has more muscle. Muscle can be good, if you know how to use it. Cole clearly doesn’t.

I lean forward, digging my knee further into his side. He groans loudly and I hiss into his ear, “You will stay away from Nat. I won’t tell you again. Don’t f*ck with me, Cole. You have no idea what I’m capable of.” Using my knee to balance myself, I use my free hand to take a piece of paper out of my back pocket. I open it up and read, “Cole Taylor Lewis. Prescription medication: Antipsychotic, antipsychotic, antidepressant, antipsychotic and more antidepressants. Five-year stint in juvenile hall for attempted rape and assault on a minor. Assault charges up the wazoo.” It’s my turn to tut. “Cole, Cole, Cole. You’ve been a busy guy, huh? Well, lucky for you, your life lost some of its busy because you’re not seeing Nat anymore. Get me?”

Cole hisses through a groan, “You don’t make decisions for her! She’s my girl!”

I nod solemnly and tell him, “No. I don’t make decisions for her. But I’m making one for you. You know what happens if I talk her into pressing charges against you. Which I can. I’m her friend and she trusts me.”

Cole barks a harsh laugh, “With what? You got no evidence, man.”

I take out my phone and open the gallery with the twenty photos I took of Nat’s swollen, bruised face after she passed out. I put it in front of his face and his body stills.

Yeah, I got you, f*cker.

“You will not attempt to see Nat again. If you do, I’m coming after you, and only one of us will come out of it alive.” Cole sniggers, and I smile an acid smile that I know he can’t see. Reaching into my back pocket, I take out my beautiful sterling silver handled switch blade hunting knife. I lean forward and open it right in his face.

He stills and chokes out, “What are you doing?”

Without stopping, I reply clinically, “Showing you how f*ckin’ serious I am, you rodent.” With the blade opened, I move my knee into the center of his back, pushing his arm back so far it should pop out of its socket any moment. He huffs, puffs and groans an almost scream and it makes me happy.

A little too happy.

Yeah, I’m a monster. But at least I know it.

Endorphins rush through my brain, making my body feel warm and light as a feather. Knowing I have him immobilized, I put the sharp blade to his temple, apply some pressure and slowly, and most definitely painfully, run the blade down his cheek opening the flesh deeply for approximately four inches. He shrieks like the * he is and my eyes roll back in ecstasy.

God, that feels good.

The scar that comes from that should be a good reminder to him to watch who he f*cks with.

Cole’s stopped screaming, but his body shakes in silent sobs. I ask him, “So, tell me what your plans are, Cole?”

He chokes out between sobs, “Stay away from Nat!”

I pat his bloody cheek and say, “Good boy. Old dogs learning new tricks and all that shit. Good for you.” Looking down at my bloody hand, I cringe and wipe the blood onto the back of his shirt.

I stand and help him up. The only word I could use to describe Cole’s facial expression would be horrified. Still sobbing, he cradles his gaping wound with shaking hands and I tell him pleasantly, “Take care now, Cole. Always a pleasure.”

Taking the hint, he takes off down the hall and into the elevator. I snicker. If he took off any faster, he would have flown. I sigh when I look down to the floor at the large pool of smeared blood. Luckily, the floor is tiled.

Clean up time.

Heading back into Nat’s apartment, I hear the bedroom door open. Music blasts as Helena pokes her head out and looks down at my bloody hands. She looks back into the room, says something I can’t hear then comes to join me, closing the door behind her.

I’m surprised as f*ck when she doesn’t ask questions. She just goes under the kitchen sink to get some disinfectant and paper towels, then walks into the outer hall to clean up Cole’s blood.

I clean my hands over and over with dish soap. Blood is hard to clean and the smell of it is rank.

Once I’m certain there isn’t any more blood on me, I join Helena in the hall. Leaning against the wall, I open my mouth to explain but she cuts me off. Mopping up the red mess, she softly says, “Thank you.”

My brow bunches in confusion. I don’t answer. She mops up more blood before looking up at me. “For caring about her so much you would do this.” She opens her arms out to the blood-stained floor. Without looking back at me, she says softly, “She needs someone like you, Ghost.”