Caden: Rebels Advocate (Book 2)
Page 18
With my plan in place, I swing the sledgehammer over my shoulder and go nuts. It comes down hard on the old walls, and ten minutes later, I’m pleased to see the framework underneath still looks pretty damn good, but I’m even more pleased to find that the walls are coming down really quickly. Looks like this demo isn’t going to be so bad.
I’m busy shaking my ass to Demi’s ‘Cool for the Summer’ when a voice behind me scares the living shit out of me. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing? Do you have any idea what fucking time it is?”
I spin around to face the man who stands in my bedroom doorway. “Excuse me?” I grunt in surprise while holding onto the sledgehammer. I mean, if he decides to take a step closer to me, I’m going to lay his ass out. Who the hell does he think he is waltzing on into my home without an invitation? The guy could be a killer for all I know.
I quickly take in the stranger and from the looks of him, maybe I might just let him take a step closer. Hell, a little fun with a perfect stranger would be a great way to celebrate my new project.
My eyes travel from his bare feet, up his strong body and wide chest all the way to his dark hair, and I’m not disappointed. The man is tall with the hottest stubble I’ve ever seen across his sharp jawline. He’s intimidating and from the way he holds his big body, I get a feeling he wants to be, and even with all his clothes on, I can tell he takes care of himself. This man is the real deal. He’s not the kind to mess around. He’s built solely on testosterone and he doesn’t take no for an answer.
“You heard me,” he spits. “It’s ten past seven on a Monday morning and you’re waking up the whole fucking street with all this noise.”
Ahhh… so he must be one of my neighbors. Great. I’ve been here for less than half an hour and I’ve already managed to piss someone off. Good work, Lex. Excellent job.
In any other situation, I’d apologize and turn my music down, but seeing as though this dickhead had the nerve to waltz on in her without bothering to knock and use a tone that would rival one of the devils, I’m feeling like a big fuck off is coming his way.
I give him a sweet smile and find my most condescending tone which I usually reserve for when my husband hunts me down. “Where I’m from, it’s considered a dick move to barge into a woman’s home.” I change my tone to mimic a tour guide. “Now, if you look to your left, you’ll see a hallway that opens up into a wide space. Just to the right of that space is the exit. Thank you for visiting and please make sure to keep your arms and legs inside the carriage at all times.”
His eyebrows pull down as he gives me a confused look. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“With me?” I shriek at this strange man. “You’re the one with a problem. Who barges into someone else’s home without an invitation?”
“People like me who are pissed off with their inconsiderate neighbors,” he yells, making sure he’s heard over the music.
“Well, excuse me for not being a lazy slob. Now, how were you going finding that exit?”
He doesn’t move, just stands there staring at me with his arms crossed over his big chest. “Turn your music down,” he demands.
“Get out of my house,” I throw back.
He narrows his eyes and I see nothing but a challenge. “Turn the music down,” he repeats.
“This isn’t a negotiation,” I tell him, wanting nothing more than to piss him off. “My music isn’t that loud and I have shit to do. So, if you’d like me to turn it down, a ‘please’ would go a long way. Hell, maybe you could come to the door, knock, and wait patiently like a regular human being, and I’m sure I’d be more than happy to help you. But because you decided to storm into my home like a raging bull, you can get fucked.”
His hands clench into fists, but for some reason, I feel like I can push this guy to the absolute limit and he’d never touch me. It’s something in his dark eyes. He’s safe. I don’t know why or how, but I trust him to keep his cool. “You’re infuriating,” he seethes.
“And you’re an asshole.”
I see his jaw clench which only manages to sharpen his jawline even more. “Do you think you’re the first woman to call me that?” he scoffs.
“Oh, I don’t doubt that, but I’m so glad we’ve got that cleared up. Now, kindly take yourself and your bad attitude, and don’t let the door smack you on the ass on your way out.”
He huffs and leans against the doorframe as though he’s a permanent fixture of the house. “I’m not going anywhere until you turn that shit down.”
“And you think I’m infuriating?” I scoff.
“You are,” he confirms with a smirk that blows me away. I mean, this man. Wow. If he wasn’t such an irritating prick, I’d be bent over at the waist begging for him to take me.
“Say please.”
“No way in hell,” he scoffs, crossing his leg over the other, making his point about not leaving. Hell, the dickhead looks as though he’ll stand there all day until I give in.
I take a page out of his book and make a show of getting myself comfortable. I lean back against the window frame, cross my arms over my chest with my sledgehammer down by my side, and bat my eyelashes at him. “Well, looks like we have a little situation here,” I say, trying to sound casually bored with what’s going on.
He narrows his eyes again as though he’s trying to work me out. “How long do you plan on being here?” he questions.
“Until the job is done.”
He lets out a frustrated breath, but a knock steals both of our attention. He leans back out of the doorway so he can look up the hallway to whoever stands at the door. He doesn’t dare move and I cringe, doubting that he’ll move out of my way.
I walk closer to the stranger and do my best to step around him without actually touching him. I look up the hallway and see a man waiting by the open door. “Oh, look at that,” I smile. “A man who knows a little something about common courtesy. You should go and introduce yourself. You could learn a lot from him.”
I walk down to the new man. “How can I help you?” I ask.
“I’m delivering a dumpster,” he tells me. “Where would you like it?”
My morning finally starts looking up. “Excellent,” I grin. “Just put it anywhere you can find a space,” I tell him.
He nods his head and disappears.
While I’m standing by the door, I look back at the stranger in my bedroom. I make an exaggerated sweep of my hand, gesturing for him to leave. “Any day now,” I tell him. “I’ll even hold the door for you.”
He lets out his hundredth huff for the morning and finally gives in. He walks up the hallway but stops by the kitchen counter where my speakers are sitting. In one quick twist of his wrist, he yanks the power cord out of the outlet and straight out the back of the speakers.
I watch in disbelief as he wraps the cord in a tight little circle before slipping it into his pocket with a smirk. “Have a great day,” he tells me with a grin before stepping through the door and smacking me in the face with his heavenly scent.
Holy shit.
Did that just happen?
“You’re an asshole,” I yell after him.
“Tell me something I don’t know,” he throws over his shoulder before disappearing to the dazzling house directly beside mine.
If I was as forward as he was, I’d storm right in there and steal my power cord back. Hell, I’d probably even take something of his, but I know a little something about respecting another being’s privacy.
I huff and even stomp my foot a little. That man had the nerve to call me infuriating. He’s the infuriating one. He’s the one who came into my home and lost his shit. How dare he?
I want to scream, but I resist, knowing he’ll hear it.
I’ll work out a plan to get the power cord back, but for now, I need to calm down and get going on this demolition. I have a lot to do before I get my trusty carpenter to come and help me. Hell, after the past four years, I’ve learned a lot about renovating homes, s
o there’s quite a lot I’m confident in doing, but with that said, there’s a lot of shit I can’t possibly do by myself.
I grab my phone off the kitchen counter and head back into the bedroom. I flick the music on through my phone. It’s not the same but it will have to do for now.
The dumpster guy calls from the front door that he’s done and I head out to sign the paperwork. He tells me he’ll be back in a few days and I thank him before sending him on his way.
With the dumpster in the front yard, I can finally concentrate on turning this shithole in a home.
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For more information on the Rebels Advocate, Kings of Denver & the Denver Royalty series, find me on Facebook
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Author Biography
Sheridan Anne is a wife to a smart-ass husband, Mumma to two beautiful girls, twin sister, daughter, and friend who lives in beautiful Australia. Sheridan writes both romance and young adult fantasy books on a variety of topics and can be found on most days with her family or writing during nap time. To find out more or to simply say ‘hello’, connect with her on Facebook - www.facebook.com/SheridanAnneAuthor/
Other Books by Sheridan Anne
Teen & Young Adult - Paranormal Romance
DESTRUCT – The Guard Trilogy (Book 1) www.amazon.com/dp/B07GPHDDMM
DECIMATE – The Guard Trilogy (Book 2) www.amazon.com/dp/B07GVFMM6T
DOMINATE – The Guard Trilogy (Book 3) www.amazon.com/dp/B07H2HFNMN
An Angel’s Trust – Warriors of Light (Book 1) - Coming 2019
An Angel’s Soul – Warriors of Light (Book 2) – Coming 2019
An Angel’s Destiny – Warriors of Light (Book 3) – Coming 2019
Teen & Young Adult - Paranormal Romance
Broken Hill High (Book 1) – Coming 2019
Broken Hill High (Book 2) – Coming 2019
Broken Hill High (Book 3) – Coming 2019
Broken Hill High (Book 4) – Coming 2019
Romance
Miller – Kings of Denver (Book 1) www.amazon.com/dp/B078LCCRWJ
Jaxon – Kings of Denver (Book 2) www.amazon.com/dp/B078MWD25M
Xander – Kings of Denver (Book 3) www.amazon.com/dp/B07928QNNF
Tank – Kings of Denver (Book 4) www.amazon.com/dp/B079Z49YFD
Logan – Denver Royalty (Book 1) – www.amazon.com/dp/B07F7YZVGB
Carter – Denver Royalty (Book 2) – www.amazon.com/dp/B07FMZVCJH
Sean – Denver Royalty (Book 3) - www.amazon.com/dp/B07FZLLDCH
Cole – Rebels Advocate (Book 1) - www.amazon.com/dp/B07K5XQXWZ
Caden – Rebels Advocate (Book 2) - www.amazon.com/dp/B07KB36XXS
Luke – Rebels Advocate (Book 3)
Jace – Rebels Advocate (Book 4)