Chapter 10
Claire walked into the living room after clearing away the dinner dishes. Daisy had already gone home after agreeing to go out on a date with Leon the next night. Claire didn't want to be in the same room as Vince because he kept giving her his 'look.'
"I'm going to bed now. I have to be up early for work tomorrow. Who's gonna take me?" She asked the group.
Everyone looked up at her.
"How early?" Brian asked.
"I have to be there at eight. So I'm leaving at seven thirty." She stated.
Everyone groaned.
"The first person who falls asleep will take you." Dom said, leaving no room for argument.
Claire shrugged. She could live with that, "all right. Goodnight everybody," she said then headed up to her room.
Vince watched her go, and then turned his attention back to the TV. He waited fifteen minutes before claiming he was tired as well and was heading up to bed.
"Hey bro just take my room. I'll sleep down here tonight." Leon informed him.
Vince nodded then went up to the bedroom.
Leon smiled to himself as he watched Vince leave the room. Dom noticed, "something funny bro?"
He asked.
Leon shook his head, still smiling. "Naw bro. I just remembered something I knew I was right about." he said cryptically.
Dom looked at him confused, then shrugged.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
When Claire went downstairs the next morning she saw Leon asleep on the couch. She frowned.
I wonder why he switched with Vince, she thought.
She continued into the kitchen and started the coffee maker. She dug around in the cabinet for a mug and the sugar bowl. She turned around and jumped when she saw Vince standing there.
She couldn't help but notice his chest in a white wife beater. Her eyes grew big when she saw his jeans weren't buttoned just zipped. His feet were bare. He looked like he just woke up and pulled his clothes on quickly.
"Morning." She said softly.
He nodded but didn't say anything. He was staring at the cup in her hand.
"Coffee?" she asked as she handed the cup towards him.
He took it and sat at the small table in the kitchen. He watched her as she made another cup for herself. She was dressed for work. She wore a black skirt that reached just below her knees. Along with a red short sleeved button up dress shirt, black clunky dress shoes on her feet. They gave her another inch or two in height. He stared at her hair. It hung in a single braid down her back. He frowned. He liked it better when it was loose. Vince looked away quickly. Stop it. Looking at her isn't going to help me. She's not Mia. Just let it go already, he thought angry with himself for noticing what she was wearing and how her hair was done.
"There's French toast in the oven on a plate for everyone. I didn't have time to make anything else. Thank you by the way, for yesterday," she informed him. She left the kitchen before Vince could say anything.
Claire went upstairs to grab her purse and keys. She stopped at the front door to grab her denim jacket from the coat hanger. Just as she opened the door she felt someone grab her arm. She turned to glare at whoever it was. She froze when she saw it was Vince. He was giving her his 'look.'
"Where are you going?" He demanded in a low voice.
"Work," she said softly not wanting to wake Leon.
He didn't look too happy about her answer.
"Wait here." He said, and then went upstairs.
Claire watched him go. Why was he so concerned about where she was going? It was then she remembered. Someone was supposed to take her to and from work.
Damn it! The last thing I need is to sit in a car with HIM. If I go now I'll be gone before he comes back, she thought.
Claire turned and headed out the front door quickly. She rushed for her car and climbed in. Just as she turned the key in the ignition the passenger door opened. She looked up startled. She rolled her eyes when she saw Vince climb in next to her.
He looked at her. She knew he knew. His eyes told her he knew she was going to leave without him. Claire looked away. She remained silent the entire fifteen minutes it took to drive to the bank she works at. She pulled into the parking lot and shut off the engine.
"What time you get off?" He asked her.
Claire turned and looked at him in shock. "You don't have to come back and pick me up. I can call--"
He cut her off, "what time?" He repeated, not looking at her.
Claire turned her head and looked straight. "Three." She answered softly.
"I'll be here. Don't leave the building until you see me here." He told her firmly.
Claire didn't answer. The last thing she wanted was for him to come back for her. What was wrong with him? He didn't even like her. Why the hell would he want to pick her up? Claire was confused. Maybe his shell is starting to crack a little. She thought.
"You got it?" he demanded.
Claire sighed, "Yeah I got it. I thought you weren't suppose to drive?" She asked, as she turned to look at him again.
"Not for long. The eight hour drive would have taken me three days." He explained curtly.
"Oh. Do you remember the way back to the house?" She asked.
Vince looked at her like she was a child. "Yeah."
Claire left the keys in the ignition and climbed out of the car quickly.
Vince watched her walk across the lot to the entrance of the building. His eyes strayed to her hips. He closed his eyes tightly and growled lowly to himself.
Stop it! I'm not touching her. EVER! So just quit looking at her like that, he told himself.
Vince waited until she was inside the building before driving back to the house.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Around one in the afternoon there was nothing left for Claire to do so her boss let her go home early. She called the house to get someone to come and get her, but there was no answer. Claire shrugged. "I'll just take a taxi." She said to herself. Not really caring if anyone got mad at her. It was silly for her to be taken back and forth anyway. She was a grown adult. She didn't need a babysitter.
When she was finally home she realized she didn't have her house keys. Claire rang the doorbell but no one answered. "Damn it!" She muttered to herself. She should have remembered that Vince had her keys. Claire sat on the bench on her front porch and debated whether or not to call Brian's cell phone. Better not. He'll just get mad and I'm not in the mood to deal with his shit, she thought. She looked around and wondered where Vince was. She had been sitting there for a couple of hours when she saw a car pull up.
Her eyes got wide; it was Sam's black Honda civic that pulled up in front of her house. Her heart started racing. Oh god Vince where are you?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Vince pulled up outside the building at exactly three. He honked once and waited for Claire to come out of the building. After ten minutes he scowled at the entrance to the building.
Where the fuck is she? I don't have all day damn it! He thought, frustrated.
Vince climbed out the car and went inside to ask for her.
"Excuse me, can you tell where I can find Claire O'Conner?" he asked the first person he saw that works there.
The woman looked at him and her eyes widened, and then she smiled at him warmly. "And just who are you asking about our Claire?" She said in sultry voice.
Vince scowled at her, "a friend. Is she here?" He asked impatiently.
"Oh no. She left a couple of hours ago. She finished everything she needed to do early. Hey where are you going?" the woman yelled as Vince ran out of the bank.
Vince ran for the car and pulled out of the parking with a sequel of the tires.
He headed for the house as fast as the car would let him. God damn it! What did I tell her? I swear to god if I have to chain her to my wrist she's going to do what I tell her! He thought angrily. Vince glowered at the road.
All he could think about was what would happen to Claire if that Sam guy showed up and he wasn't there.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Claire panicked when she saw Sam get out of the car. She stood and was about to run next door to see if anyone was home, but he ran up to the porch and stopped her.
"Where do you think you're going? We have some unfinished business," he said as he gripped her arm tightly and shoved her towards the front door.
"Open it," he demanded.
"I.I c-can't." Claire hated that her voice trembled. She didn't want him to know she was scared of him.
He shook her, "don't fucking lie to me. Open the fucking door now!" he hissed at her viciously.
"I don't have the key. I let them borrow it," she said barely above a whisper. Oh god! Please someone come home. Vince where are you? She thought. Claire prayed she could stall Sam long enough until Vince arrived. Vince would figure out soon enough she wasn't at work. She hoped.
Sam growled at her. He turned and kicked in the door and shoved her inside. He slapped her across the face, "that was for fuckin some other guy behind my back. You're mine Claire. Don't ever forget that. Where is he now?" He sneered at her.
"Fuck off Sam. I will never be yours. He's a better man than you'll ever be." She yelled at him. There was no need to mention she and Vince weren't anything to each other.
Sam's eyes narrowed, as his face grew red, he hauled back and punched her in the face. "Shut the fuck up you stupid bitch! Everything would have been fine if you had just listened to me. That fucking girl didn't mean anything. If you were fucking me like you should be then I wouldn't have to get it elsewhere. It's really all your fault Claire." He said heatedly.
Claire fell to the floor and held a hand over her eye. "Why the fuck would I wanna fuck you when I have him? You'll never have me! NEVER!" She yelled as tears flowed form her eyes. Immediately Claire wished she had kept her mouth shut. She saw the look in Sam's eyes. He's going to kill me, she thought. She closed her eyes, wishing she had stayed at work and waited for Vince.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Claire walked into the living room after clearing away the dinner dishes. Daisy had already gone home after agreeing to go out on a date with Leon the next night. Claire didn't want to be in the same room as Vince because he kept giving her his 'look.'
"I'm going to bed now. I have to be up early for work tomorrow. Who's gonna take me?" She asked the group.
Everyone looked up at her.
"How early?" Brian asked.
"I have to be there at eight. So I'm leaving at seven thirty." She stated.
Everyone groaned.
"The first person who falls asleep will take you." Dom said, leaving no room for argument.
Claire shrugged. She could live with that, "all right. Goodnight everybody," she said then headed up to her room.
Vince watched her go, and then turned his attention back to the TV. He waited fifteen minutes before claiming he was tired as well and was heading up to bed.
"Hey bro just take my room. I'll sleep down here tonight." Leon informed him.
Vince nodded then went up to the bedroom.
Leon smiled to himself as he watched Vince leave the room. Dom noticed, "something funny bro?"
He asked.
Leon shook his head, still smiling. "Naw bro. I just remembered something I knew I was right about." he said cryptically.
Dom looked at him confused, then shrugged.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
When Claire went downstairs the next morning she saw Leon asleep on the couch. She frowned.
I wonder why he switched with Vince, she thought.
She continued into the kitchen and started the coffee maker. She dug around in the cabinet for a mug and the sugar bowl. She turned around and jumped when she saw Vince standing there.
She couldn't help but notice his chest in a white wife beater. Her eyes grew big when she saw his jeans weren't buttoned just zipped. His feet were bare. He looked like he just woke up and pulled his clothes on quickly.
"Morning." She said softly.
He nodded but didn't say anything. He was staring at the cup in her hand.
"Coffee?" she asked as she handed the cup towards him.
He took it and sat at the small table in the kitchen. He watched her as she made another cup for herself. She was dressed for work. She wore a black skirt that reached just below her knees. Along with a red short sleeved button up dress shirt, black clunky dress shoes on her feet. They gave her another inch or two in height. He stared at her hair. It hung in a single braid down her back. He frowned. He liked it better when it was loose. Vince looked away quickly. Stop it. Looking at her isn't going to help me. She's not Mia. Just let it go already, he thought angry with himself for noticing what she was wearing and how her hair was done.
"There's French toast in the oven on a plate for everyone. I didn't have time to make anything else. Thank you by the way, for yesterday," she informed him. She left the kitchen before Vince could say anything.
Claire went upstairs to grab her purse and keys. She stopped at the front door to grab her denim jacket from the coat hanger. Just as she opened the door she felt someone grab her arm. She turned to glare at whoever it was. She froze when she saw it was Vince. He was giving her his 'look.'
"Where are you going?" He demanded in a low voice.
"Work," she said softly not wanting to wake Leon.
He didn't look too happy about her answer.
"Wait here." He said, and then went upstairs.
Claire watched him go. Why was he so concerned about where she was going? It was then she remembered. Someone was supposed to take her to and from work.
Damn it! The last thing I need is to sit in a car with HIM. If I go now I'll be gone before he comes back, she thought.
Claire turned and headed out the front door quickly. She rushed for her car and climbed in. Just as she turned the key in the ignition the passenger door opened. She looked up startled. She rolled her eyes when she saw Vince climb in next to her.
He looked at her. She knew he knew. His eyes told her he knew she was going to leave without him. Claire looked away. She remained silent the entire fifteen minutes it took to drive to the bank she works at. She pulled into the parking lot and shut off the engine.
"What time you get off?" He asked her.
Claire turned and looked at him in shock. "You don't have to come back and pick me up. I can call--"
He cut her off, "what time?" He repeated, not looking at her.
Claire turned her head and looked straight. "Three." She answered softly.
"I'll be here. Don't leave the building until you see me here." He told her firmly.
Claire didn't answer. The last thing she wanted was for him to come back for her. What was wrong with him? He didn't even like her. Why the hell would he want to pick her up? Claire was confused. Maybe his shell is starting to crack a little. She thought.
"You got it?" he demanded.
Claire sighed, "Yeah I got it. I thought you weren't suppose to drive?" She asked, as she turned to look at him again.
"Not for long. The eight hour drive would have taken me three days." He explained curtly.
"Oh. Do you remember the way back to the house?" She asked.
Vince looked at her like she was a child. "Yeah."
Claire left the keys in the ignition and climbed out of the car quickly.
Vince watched her walk across the lot to the entrance of the building. His eyes strayed to her hips. He closed his eyes tightly and growled lowly to himself.
Stop it! I'm not touching her. EVER! So just quit looking at her like that, he told himself.
Vince waited until she was inside the building before driving back to the house.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Around one in the afternoon there was nothing left for Claire to do so her boss let her go home early. She called the house to get someone to come and get her, but there was no answer. Claire shrugged. "I'll just take a taxi." She said to herself. Not really caring if anyone got mad at her. It was silly for her to be taken back and forth anyway. She was a grown adult. She didn't need a babysitter.
When she was finally home she realized she didn't have her house keys. Claire rang the doorbell but no one answered. "Damn it!" She muttered to herself. She should have remembered that Vince had her keys. Claire sat on the bench on her front porch and debated whether or not to call Brian's cell phone. Better not. He'll just get mad and I'm not in the mood to deal with his shit, she thought. She looked around and wondered where Vince was. She had been sitting there for a couple of hours when she saw a car pull up.
Her eyes got wide; it was Sam's black Honda civic that pulled up in front of her house. Her heart started racing. Oh god Vince where are you?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Vince pulled up outside the building at exactly three. He honked once and waited for Claire to come out of the building. After ten minutes he scowled at the entrance to the building.
Where the fuck is she? I don't have all day damn it! He thought, frustrated.
Vince climbed out the car and went inside to ask for her.
"Excuse me, can you tell where I can find Claire O'Conner?" he asked the first person he saw that works there.
The woman looked at him and her eyes widened, and then she smiled at him warmly. "And just who are you asking about our Claire?" She said in sultry voice.
Vince scowled at her, "a friend. Is she here?" He asked impatiently.
"Oh no. She left a couple of hours ago. She finished everything she needed to do early. Hey where are you going?" the woman yelled as Vince ran out of the bank.
Vince ran for the car and pulled out of the parking with a sequel of the tires.
He headed for the house as fast as the car would let him. God damn it! What did I tell her? I swear to god if I have to chain her to my wrist she's going to do what I tell her! He thought angrily. Vince glowered at the road.
All he could think about was what would happen to Claire if that Sam guy showed up and he wasn't there.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Claire panicked when she saw Sam get out of the car. She stood and was about to run next door to see if anyone was home, but he ran up to the porch and stopped her.
"Where do you think you're going? We have some unfinished business," he said as he gripped her arm tightly and shoved her towards the front door.
"Open it," he demanded.
"I.I c-can't." Claire hated that her voice trembled. She didn't want him to know she was scared of him.
He shook her, "don't fucking lie to me. Open the fucking door now!" he hissed at her viciously.
"I don't have the key. I let them borrow it," she said barely above a whisper. Oh god! Please someone come home. Vince where are you? She thought. Claire prayed she could stall Sam long enough until Vince arrived. Vince would figure out soon enough she wasn't at work. She hoped.
Sam growled at her. He turned and kicked in the door and shoved her inside. He slapped her across the face, "that was for fuckin some other guy behind my back. You're mine Claire. Don't ever forget that. Where is he now?" He sneered at her.
"Fuck off Sam. I will never be yours. He's a better man than you'll ever be." She yelled at him. There was no need to mention she and Vince weren't anything to each other.
Sam's eyes narrowed, as his face grew red, he hauled back and punched her in the face. "Shut the fuck up you stupid bitch! Everything would have been fine if you had just listened to me. That fucking girl didn't mean anything. If you were fucking me like you should be then I wouldn't have to get it elsewhere. It's really all your fault Claire." He said heatedly.
Claire fell to the floor and held a hand over her eye. "Why the fuck would I wanna fuck you when I have him? You'll never have me! NEVER!" She yelled as tears flowed form her eyes. Immediately Claire wished she had kept her mouth shut. She saw the look in Sam's eyes. He's going to kill me, she thought. She closed her eyes, wishing she had stayed at work and waited for Vince.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~