Chapter 15
Why
did she follow Joe Morelli all the way into his father's dark smelly
garage that lazy summer afternoon? Why did she give herself to him on
the hard cold floor that raining night? Why did she open her door and
let him in when he came knocking on her door with her pizza in his hand?
Why did she choose to forgive the savage smirk on his face when he
cuffed her to her shower curtain rod? Why did she shrug at the memories
of him trashing her apartment and jumping out of the meat truck trying
to smack her face? Why did she tell herself "He was just angry. It's no
big deal"? Why did she decide to have sex with him again after all those
things and all those years? Why did her heart skip a beat when he told
his mother and grandma they were engaged? Why did her heart crack and
break when he said "There's I, and there's you, but there's no us"?
And why couldn't she stop wanting Ranger when they were back together?
And why am I feeling old and numb and tired when looking into his eyes?
She
listens to the last breath of the dying flame and for the very last
time asks herself. She already knows the answer. She just needs to be
sure and confirm the answer. She just needs to muster enough courage to
say it out loud. She was raised to be considerate and kind. She was
taught to be polite and nice. She has been told time and time again that
love is overrated. A steady income that comes with a respectable job is
what really matters. All she has to do is to put dinner on the table on
time every night and give birth to children to carry on the family
name. Just like her mother and sister. Just like her aunts and cousins.
Just like her grandmothers and great grandmothers. Know your rightful
place, fulfill your duty as a woman/wife/mother and cherish all the
little happiness and wonder in your ordinary average everyday life. Till
the day you die. Even if you are not really alive.
And
that's not the life she wants. Now she's sure of that. She wants to
spend the rest of her life with someone she can't live without. She's
willing to make adjustments and sacrifices for someone she trusts and
loves. Someone who is always there for her. Someone who helps, guilds
and protects her. Someone who never hesitates to bled money and blood
for her. Someone who never asks anything in return. Someone who loves
her in his own way. Someone whose actions are louder than words. Someone
she has be in love with for years. Someone who is standing right beside
her.
Ranger.
Joe Morelli clenches his jaw. He doesn't like
the look in his girlfriend's eyes. He doesn't like the Mocha Latte
muscular arm wrapped around her shoulders. He doesn't like to be a
loser. He doesn't like to be a joke. He doesn't like to go down without a
fight. He doesn't like to change his plan and sleep alone. He wants his
pizza, his beer, his Yankees game and hot steaming balls-to-the-wall
wild animal sex. He wants his woman back in his bed. It's not over until
he says it's over.
But deep down somewhere in his heart, he knows
he wants to turn around and walk away from Stephanie Plum. Without a
backward glance.
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