Not Even Close (A New Generation) by Elizabeth Reyes (sight word books .txt) 📕

Frowning, he lifted a finger up at her. “Let me take care of thisand I’ll explain as soon as I’m back.”

Vannah nodded as he rushed off. In his haste to rush out he leftthe door cracked open. At first, she wasn’t going to be nosey, but curiositygot the best of her and she started toward it. This could still be nothing.Maybe it was a client or associate or even family member who needed somethingfrom him.

“Wouldn’t be unheard of, right?” she whispered as she reached thecracked open door and peeked out.

Byron reached the door downstairs and opened it for Irma whostood outside. Pushing the door open a little wider, Vannah took in the tallthin girl with the oddly pale red hair. She watched as a scantily dressed Irma instantlytried to hug him. To Vannah’s relief, Byron backed away shaking his head, makingit obvious he wanted no part of it. There was no missing the awkwarddisappointment on Irma’s face as the rejection seemed to set in. Then her eyesglanced up at the door and met with Vannah’s.

Vannah stood there frozen as the understanding of why Irma was beingrejected seemed to sink in for the girl now too. Clearly upset, she turned backto Byron and pointed at Vannah. At first Byron didn’t turn, instead continued tospeak adamantly, until Irma said something loudly that Vannah couldn’t make outand lifted her hand to point at her again. This time Byron did turn, hisexpression said it all as their eyes locked. Despite his claim that any and allhis downtime this week was spent on Vannah. Judging by the girl’s reaction toseeing Vannah there now, this had to be someone he’d made time for veryrecently.

Eighteen

Strike One

Byron

Damn it all to fucking hell!

Rushing down the stairs, Byron did his best to remind himselfhe’d never been in a place in his life where he felt the need to set boundariesfor chicks. So, he never had. There’d been times he’d even appreciatedunannounced booty calls.

Not tonight.

This was the last thing he wanted tonight. Especially notafter just having dinner with Savannah’s family, but especially not after beingexplicitly threatened that his ass would be grass if he did her wrong.

One look at Irma and he knew without a doubt she was here tofinish what they hadn’t last night. Tonight. On the night he’d just gotten shitstraight with Savannah and thankfully so. Because after the scene at the gym todayhe’d wanted to make sure she knew he would not be okay with her doinganything that might set him off again and have him losing his shit. It’s whyhe’d been so quick to make sure he got that straight. Now this!

“Fuck my life,” he muttered as he opened the door.

“Hey!” Irma said smiling broadly as she reached out to hug him.

Feeling like a dick, but having no other choice, he held her atbay and shook his head. “Can’t do this, Irma.”

Her face jerked back. “What do you mean? The game got boring, sowe left, me and my cousin, that is. I figured I’d come back here, and you and Icould go back to where we left off last—”

Byron closed his eyes when she looked up behind him and wentsilent suddenly. Her face turned back to him. “You have company? Is that it?”

“Yeah, I’m busy right now. I can’t—”

“Are you kidding me?” She got louder. “Does she know your bed isstill warm from my naked ass?”

“Lower your fucking voice,” he said hushing his own words, evenas he felt his heart spike. “You and I have never—”

“What is she sixteen? You fucking little girls now, Byron?”

“Shut the—"

“Look at her!” She pointed up again.

Taking a deep breath, Byron reluctantly turned up to look at thecracked open door of his apartment as his eyes locked with Savannah’s. He wasonly locked in her eyes for a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity beforeshe closed the door.

He turned back to Irma feeling a fire inside him. “Not that it’sany of your business, but I don’t mess with minors.”

“She sure as hell looks like one.”

“I don’t give a shit what she looks like to you,” Byron spat backfeeling his insides flare with every inference she made regarding Savannah. “Allyou need to know about her is she’s the only one who belongs up therenow.”

Her eyes went wide as she jerked her face back. “Is that right? So,just this morning it was okay for me to be lying naked in your bed, and suddenlyyou’re in a committed relationship?”

“Something like that.” He squeezed the door he was still holdingopen. “So, now that you know, I need to get back to her.”

“You’re a fucking asshole!”

“You can feel however you want, Irma.” He lifted and dropped anindifferent shoulder. “Just go do it somewhere else.”

“Yeah?” She leaned into the doorway getting loud. “Did youtell her about—”

“Look!” He startled her as he stepped out suddenly, slammed thedoor closed behind him and spoke through his teeth. “I’m sorry shit changed sofast I didn’t get a chance to give you a heads up, but it did. But now you knowand I sure as fuck am not gonna stand here and allow you to do or say anythingto upset her. I know you’re still on probation. So, unless you want me callingthe cops on your ass, I suggest you get the hell out of here.”

If a glare could kill, he’d be six feet under already. “Go fuckyourself.”

Byron watched as she stalked away. “I know how bad a restrainingorder can be for someone on probation. Don’t make me have to get one. You hearme?” He called out loudly. “I won’t put up with any bullshit, Irma.”

No, he sure as fuck wasn’t. Not when it came to Savannah. He wasdone trying to understand it, but in as short a time as he’d known her, he feltas protective over her as he did his own nieces. Just hearing this bitch say anythingabout her, had him ready to roar. Waiting until he was sure she’d driven away; hetook a