Rose for Rose: Book Two in the Angels' Mirror Series by Harmony L. Courtney Read Free Book Online

what it was that made her feel that way… if it were all the old, musty smells or the thought of his wife dying in the living room so many years ago, she wasn’t sure.
    “Hold yo horses, Andrea, and keep yo voice down, why dontcha,” Arthur called as she finally heard footsteps approach the door. Within moments, it was unlocked, and he ushered her inside quickly, rebolting the door after slamming it closed.
    “Wha happen to bein’ discreet, Andrea? Can’t you do an’thin’ right?” Dressed all in black, Arthur looked like he was ready for a funeral.
    From the scowl on his face, she imagined it was the funeral of an enemy he was feeling forced to attend. The thought made her giggle, now even more nervous than before.
    Why did he always insist on meeting at his place instead of hers, anyway? What was the big idea? It made her do all the work in their relationship, what little of one there might be after all this was said and done.
    “Whatchu laughin’ at, girl? Ain’t nothin’ funny ‘bout you lyin’ to me, sayin’ I’m yo baby daddy an all dat. An you bes’ not done tole anyone else, neither, ‘cause you done already cause me a heap o’ time in my life, behin’ dem bars, you hear me?” He stared down into her face, and she moved back a few steps.
    Soon, her back was against the door, the knob boring into her tender flesh.
    “Listen, Arthur,” she began hesitantly. “I know you think I had some sort of fling with your brother, but honestly… neither of us saw it that way. We were rehearsing for that play. You know, the one we were going to do at the senior center? But now, that’s all water under the bridge, and I hope you can forgive me, even if it’s for something that never happened,” she continued, tears coming to her eyes.
    “And as for the baby, you know I would never-”
    “Don’ be givin’ me dat bull,” he shouted, slapping her face.
    The impact made her recoil even more, and her stomach revolted. Within moments, she emptied the contents of it all over the both of them, earning another slap.
    Arthur grabbed her by the forearms and forcefully threw her into a chair.
    “You. Stay,” he said as he grabbed some rags in one hand and unlocked the basement with the other. Vomit dripped down his silk shirt and onto his black denim jeans and Nikes.
    The neat freak isn’t quite so neat now, is he , Andrea thought even as the vomit smell was overwhelmed her.
    She had to hold herself in check in order not to vomit again. Her clothes, no barrier to the rancid moisture, compounded her queasiness. She rose, intending to make it to the sink before she could get ill again, and all of a sudden, felt her hair being yanked from behind.
    “I tole you sit down… but you never did lissin to me, did ya, Andrea? Well now I be mad, iffen I wasn’t befo’,” he said, grinding his teeth at her as he spun her around and headed for the basement. “So I guess I’s gotta teach you a lessin, afta all. A lessin fo’ cheatin’, fo’ lyin’, and fo’ jus’ downright dis’bed’ence,” he continued, pulling her down the stairs.
    Andrea’s feet couldn’t keep up with Arthur’s speed and she stumbled her way down the stairs. Her head felt like it was on fire, and for a moment, she wondered what would happen to her. But within seconds, he was flinging her onto his bed and tying her wrists and ankles to the frame of it.
    The rope had already been sitting in a coil nearby.
    Carefully opening her eyes, she saw multiplied reflections of Arthur removing her shoes and then throwing the rags he’d grabbed onto her person, scrubbing furiously. “You jus’ never learnt well, did ya,” he finally said as he moved toward the dresser and began to gather up some clean clothing. “You will, though. I gu’rantee it… you learn and never make the same mistakes again,” he said, gritting his teeth again.
    Once he had his things gathered, he set them down on the chair nearest the bed… and Andrea saw him at