Damaged Beyond Repair by Kashmira Kamat (KittyKash) (best short books to read TXT) 📗

I put Minnie to bed as Alana waited for me in the parking area. I picked up the car keys and made my way towards her. I led her towards the Lexus ES and she raised her eyes to me, impressed. "Nice ride."

I laughed. "Don't be too impressed, I sold my old apartment and bought the car and the new condo. I'm still paying the installments."

"Doesn't matter. You're self-made, and I'm proud of you." She said from the passenger side of the car.

"Thanks, baby." I pulled the car into drive and maneuvered it onto the smooth road.

"What if Minnie asks for a pony one day? Would you give it to her?" Alana was amused.

"If it's within my power, I would certainly get a pony." I said.

"Minnie is so lucky to have a father like you. She is your princess."

"And you're my queen." I quickly added. "I would do anything for you, Alana."

There was a knowing smile on her face, but she looked away. I hoped that she would see the hidden meaning in my words. I wanted to know if she would want to spend her entire life with me, but the voices in my head told me to hold onto it until the time was right.

Alana was silent most of the way, fiddling with the deck and scrolling through the songs in my phone. Cracking through my phone was easy because I never kept a code since Minnie always played games on it. I sneaked a glance and wondered if Alana was checking my phone for texts.

Turns out she wasn't. She placed it back in the console.

"What, you're not going to snoop around in my messages?"

"I trust you, Rowan. If a guy can go down on his knees and beg me to come back to him, that proves the guy isn't going anywhere." She batted her eyes at me. "Besides, I know I'm better than those skinny, tall models you've worked with."

"You give yourself too much credit." I laughed, teasing her back.

She punched me lightly on my shoulder.

We finally reached in twenty minutes, and I parked the car below near her building entrance. Alana's eyes were closed and her head lolled over the glass. She was sleeping so peacefully that I didn't want to wake her. I kissed her forehead and whispered. "Wake up, sleepy head."

She mumbled something in her sleep and snuggled back in the seat. I rummaged into her little purse for her apartment keys and found them. I parked the car and slowly helped her out of the car as I decided to carry her to her apartment. Once inside her apartment, I placed her on the mattress, tossed her shoes aside and pulled the blanket over her.

I positioned myself at the edge of the mattress; she snuggled closer to me, catching my hand in a death grip. I watched her sleeping for a few minutes as I smoothened out the hair from her forehead.

I saw a pile of dirty dishes in the sink so I thought I should help her while I was here. I rolled up my sleeves and began washing the few dishes and mugs. I was almost done, wiping off the excess water on her counter when I heard Alana's phone buzz. I thought of ignoring at first but instead of hitting voice mail, it rang again. Temptation was a bitch.

I glanced at Alana, she was fast asleep. Wouldn't hurt if I answered it, right?

"Hello." I answered it.

"Uh—Can I speak to Alana please?"

A Male voice?

"She's asleep at the moment. Do you have any message?"

The guy on the other end seemed reluctant at first, but continued. "No. Just tell her Gabriel called."

I was ready to explode. Gabriel had always pushed the wrong buttons. I'd seen the predatory gleam in his eyes the moment I met him that day in the hospital. I'd known his intentions towards Alana were anything but getting friendzoned. I thought I'd already marked my territory. I hadn't been around for almost two years, so I wouldn't know if they had shifted gears from co-workers to BFFs. Alana had an uncanny ability to attract unwanted attention. Her overly friendly attitude mostly was the reason. I knew one thing for sure, there was going to be a murder on the block very soon.

"You should stop calling her." I told him flatly.

"Who is this?" He asked, a few seconds later he said. "Oh, is this Rowan Masters?"

"Yes." I said. "You're her best friend?"

"Guess I'm."

"Well, now you're not. Because I'm going to be her new best friend." I declared.

"Dude, are we like in kindergarten or something?" Gabriel chuckled at the other end.

"Goodbye."

"Wait!" he said. "We need to talk."

"Alana and I are together, so whatever you have up your sleeve, isn't going to work."

"This isn't about Alana." Gabriel added. "This is something else and it's very important."

Before I could say anything, Gabriel continued. "Look, I'll call you and we can set up a date to meet up."

I laughed incredulously, "Why the fuck would I want to meet you?"

"Because I have information about your friend Cooper."

That had my attention. "How do you know about that?"

"Wait for my call." He said.

"Hey!" I called out but Gabriel had already hung up.

Alana sat upright in bed in her midnight glory. She stifled a yawn. "Who was it, Rowan?"

The Rowan two years ago would have conveniently erased the call from her phone and would have said No one, baby. Just a wrong number. But, I wasn't that insecure, selfish, overbearing man anymore. Of course I was still the same underneath all those layers, but I'd learned to control my feelings. I could distinguish between what was right and wrong.

"It was your friend Gabriel." I said.

She swallowed. I could see the panic rising in her eyes. That's when I realized what a monster I'd been before for her to think I would lash out.

I kissed her full on the mouth, slow and deliberate as I said. "He wants to speak with you. I think you should call him in the morning."