Page 19 of Entangled With The Hellhound

“He said I was being paranoid, and basically I was a headcase that needed rest.”

After hearing Roxy’s answer, I really wanna fuck up this detective. He either has his head so far up his own ass he didn’t check for the truth, or he’s in on whatever the fuck is going on with Raymond.

“Well, sweetheart. You’re not paranoid. So, I’m gonna have to stay here until we figure out what the deal is.”

“Ummm. Yeah. No.” Roxy didn’t even hesitate to disagree.

“I mean, I can just let Raymond come up in here and do whatever he wants. But, I don’t think you’d like it.”

“Well, listen… I’m not one of those chick’s that will tell you I don’t need help and then end up murdered. Cause I am not about that life or, in this case, death. I can admit that I’m scared as fuck. But, I can’t just let some strange man live with me.”

I chuckle at her, “You’re place isn’t secure enough where we can keep an eye on you from outside. I need to be inside, so if Raymond tries to pop up…”

I leave the sentence hanging to let her come to her own conclusion. If Raymond wants to get at Roxy, then he will have to go through me. And nobody goesthroughdeath… nobody.

“So, you want to stay here with me?” Roxy points to herself, and I nod.

“Yeah, I need to be here,” I point at the floor of the apartment. “Right here. Like I said, so if anything happens, then I don’t waste any time getting to you…”

“Because you’ll be here already…” Roxy finishes my sentence, but the reluctance is coloring her every syllable.

“Right… so you’re going to be my bodyguard? I don’t think that’s gonna work, though, cause I’m self-employed, I need to keep my appointments, and you seem like a busy guy. I’m sure you don’t have time to be watching over my every move.” Roxy worries her bottom lip with her teeth, and the movement stirs the beast in my jeans.

“Don’t worry about any of that. I’ll be here if you need me. That’s all that matters. You can work like you normally would. We don’t need you doin’ anything different anyway. It would look suspicious.”

“This is really crazy, Stone. I just met you, and now you’re staying with me…”

I shrug, “it is what it is, sunshine. You’re stuck with me for the time bein’ unless you gotta another Hound in mind you want stayin’ here. I can always call Big Country to come look after you.”

“He might be safer,” Roxy mumbles, but I hear her smart-ass anyway.

“I only have one bedroom. And the couch might be too small for you.” She looks around like she’s trying to solve the world’s problems. But the answer is easy.

“No worries. How big is your bed?” I start walking toward the back, where I assume the bedroom is, knowing that she will follow me, and she does. I thought she would put up more of a fight, and the fact that she didn’t proves just how scared of Raymond she is.

When we get to her bedroom, I look around, and there’s make-up stored everywhere that I look. Shelves and containers are neatly packed in every imaginable space. I mean, how much fucking make-up does one person need. Hell, I understand it’s her job, but fuck! All I know is there must be some ugly motherfuckers out there fooling people if they wear that much shit on their faces.

“You gotta lot of shit in here, Rox,” I comment.

“I’m an artist, and I’m sensitive about my shit, Stone. I need all this for my work.” Roxy crosses her arms over her chest, and I chuckle at the song reference.

I place my hands up in a surrendering motion because everything is in some type of order. It’s not messy and unorganized, so I won’t complain too much.

I go and sit on the King sized bed and bounce up and down a couple of times. Before nodding my head. It’s big enough for me. Not a California King, but it’ll do.

“Get off my bed with your outside clothes on! Who raised you?”

Roxy sounds so much like somebody’s mama that I instantly hop my big ass up. She purses her lips again and rolls her eyes before wiping down the spot on the bed. I shake my head because I see now that she is anal about cleanliness. It could be worse; she could live in filth.

“My bad. I was just seeing how comfy it was.”

“For what? You will not be sleeping in here. I have an air mattress that I can put in the living room.”

“Damn, little lamb. I come to protect you from the boogie man, and you put me on the floor? That’s tough.”

Roxy chuckles, “Stone,youare the boogie man.”

I chuckle too, but she doesn’t know how right she is.