I'm back, baby! I hope you haven't forgotten about this little fic —I know I haven't ;)
I was dealing with some personal stuff and the holidays (which are always a gloomy time of year for me) but I am back and I am ready to write again. I missed it like crazy.

The doorbell shrieked throughout the condo, repeatedly.

Keys jingled, denied by the new locks.

Grunts and frustrated cries.

"I know you're home! Your fucking car is parked downstairs." Her voice was laced with pure venom.

"Oh,fuck." Bella's silent curse was shaky. Her brown eyes fluttered from my own to the door that was being assaulted by my soon-to-be-ex-wife several times.

Butterfly was scared, I could tell.

"It's okay," I whispered to her. "She can't get in."

By this point, Bella was almost eating her bottom lip and I was surprised that I hadn't seen any blood break through the skin.

I needed a smoke, badly. Still, I couldn't risk Tanya seeing me on the balcony.

"You have no right, locking me out of my home!" The whining and wailing continued along with sobbing. The neighbors must think all sorts of things about me now, not knowing my side of the story.

The role of victim fit her perfectly. Tanya was always looking for ways to make people want to care for her.

Butterfly shuffled around nervously, the edge of my shirt she was wearing crumpled up in her fists.

I walked over to her and brushed away the strands of hair that had fallen out of her bun.

"Shh, it's okay." I ushered again, feeling guilty for bringing her in the middle of this.

I was glad that we finished putting the boxes of clothing in the hall. We didn't have a lot of time to spare, it seemed now. We just locked up again about ten minutes before Tanya came knocking at my door.

"What if someone saw me in the hall and goes telling on you?" She asked me, concern veiling her perfect face.

"No one saw us, Butterfly."

The yelling in the hallway got me riled up, and I gripped the lighter in the front pocket of my jeans tightly.

"Fuck this," I muttered and reached for the pack of cigarettes on the kitchen counter, taking one out and lighting it up, taking a deep drag in an attempt to calm myself down.

"I won't live here much longer, anyway." I shrugged and puffed out the smoke, watching it unfurl around the chandelier over the cooking island.

"Can you spare one?" Butterfly reached out but I interrupted her, taking a cigarette for her and placing it between her luscious, full lips before I lit it for her.

"Do you have an ashtray?" She looked around and met my gaze. A devilish grin spread onto my face when I grasped some silk flowers by their stem and threw them across the floor. I took the crystal vase by its neck and placed it on the kitchen counter, between the two of us.

"Tiffany's, wedding gift." I nodded to the object, light casting off of the surface. I thought it was hideous, but Bella's mouth gaped open.

"Don't you want to sell that?" She asked, fingering the scalloped edge of the vase with her free hand.

"I told the realtor everything inside comes with the condo. There's nothing some soap and water can't clean up." I explained.

"You're really selling this place?"

"Yeah. I can't stand living here anymore, it's all her all over the place. With the money that I get from this, I'll be able to buy something much more me. Something smaller, more cosy, not as…" I trailed off.

"Obnoxious and Real Housewive-ish?" Bella finished.

I snorted.

"Definitely." I agreed.

Somewhere between the second cigarette and me running off to use the bathroom, the hallway silenced.

She was gone.

I hoped it was for good.

I pulled out my phone to call Carmen, asking if she'd found me a job.

"But, are you okay?" She asked me when I told her everything that happened.

"I am, Car. I'm fine, I just want to go to work." I rubbed my face and walked over to the glass sliding doors, allowing crisp, fresh air to enter the condo.

"You can go with Paul tonight, if you're up for it. There's the jewelry auction and he could use a right-hand man. The guest list expanded up to one hundred people, so it's not really wise to send him alone."

"Sure, I have the details in my email. Tell Paul I'm picking him up at six."

Butterfly sat down on the lounge chair that faced the view in the living room, her socked feet twitching nervously as her head rested on her pulled-up knees.

"What's wrong? She left, you know." I squatted down so I'd be a eye-level with her.

"I'm kinda scared to leave now. What if she's downstairs, waiting for you and she sees me leaving? She'll think something is up between us." Her voice was soft and she looked so vulnerable.

"I have work at six, but you can stay here if you'd like." I frowned.

"Is there?" I wondered.

"Is there what?"

"Is there something between us, Butterfly?" What was it about this woman that managed to make me blush this much? It was like I was fifteen all over again.

"I think we both know something is up, Good Guy." She smiled at me and put her hand on top of mine on the chair. Mine was so much bigger than hers, and there was too much jewelry on mine. The ring on my left hand was a dagger through my heart.

"Is it true that you're keeping your distance because I am married?"

"Did you speak to Rose?" Bella didn't lift her eyes from our hands, but instead fiddled with the gold band on my ring finger with a frown on her face.

"Yeah."

"Let me just clarify one thing, Good Guy." She sighed. "I don't just kiss anyone in a private room," she smiled.

"I'm glad you don't," I snickered.

"You wanted to talk, right?" Bella asked.

"Of course."

"Why don't you take me out on a date, then?"

"Could I kiss you again?" I blurted out, which made her laugh.

"I don't know, do good guys do that on a first date?" She teased.

"Oh Butterfly, I haven't had a first date in forever. I can hardly remember."

"It's about time you find out then," she winked at me.