Ruthless Creatures by J.T. Geissinger

N A T
J
February arrives, bringing heavy snowstorms
that shut down the town and close school for
days. I spend time with Sloane, focus on my painting, and
mark off a black X on my calendar for every day that brings
me closer to seeing Kage again.
anuary passes.
My birthday is marked with a red heart.
The week before my birthday is Valentine’s Day, which I
celebrate by eating an entire pint of ice cream for dinner alone
on the sofa while watching TV. Sloane’s out with Brad Pitt, Jr.,
probably getting stuffed to the gills with his pretty dick.
Kage sends one hundred red roses and a diamond necklace
I won’t be able to wear out of the house because it’s so huge.
I don’t care. I wear it around inside with my bathrobe and
slippers, feeling like a queen.
A lost, lonely queen, pining for her besotted lion.
Twice when I go outside to leave for work or take out the
garbage, I see footprints in the snow around the house. I can
tell by the size they’re a man’s. I know who they belong to.
But I won’t tell Kage that Chris is still sniffing around,
because I know what will happen, and I don’t want blood on
my hands.
A thousand years later, my birthday arrives.