Double Vexation ( A Harper's series. book 11)

Winds Of Change

Stepping from a fresh shower, I cried off then wrapped my hair up in the towel. Shoving my arm's through my oversized comfy robe I secured it tightly about my waist. No matter how long I've lived here I can't get accustomed to the New York winter's. Tugging a pair of wooly socks onto my feet, I exited the bathroom.

Passing by Jensey's room I noticed that she had already left for work. Why wouldn't she have, after all it's nearly ten in the morning. I slept in late because I have to work tonight and could use the extra winks. Grabbing the cereal box from off the top of the fridge I filled a bowl up. I opened the fridge then to only find the milk carton empty. Staring at the empty carton as if it may magically refill itself I mumbled. "Jesus Jensey, you never replace anything" .

My eye's then spotted the container of watermelon that Duel had brought by last night. Slowly I lifted it from it's perch on the shelf and red the golden label. As I silently read the old English inscription on the label a hint of excitement bubbled up inside of me. This wasn't just your ordinary market bought watermelon. This came from a delicacy shop that had seasonal foods shipped to them directly from tropical places and was sure to cost a small fortune. No way could you find watermelon this time during the dead of winter here. However I didn't want to eat it strictly because whom the giver was. I started to sit it back on it's shelf to rot away but it looked so juicy and fresh that my stomach won the battle.

Grabbing a fork from the drawer, I slid onto a still at the bar. In seconds I had the ribbon undone and the kid removed. I released a deep moan as I savored my first bite. It was as sweet as it promised to be. Being so engrossed in my eating I never heard anyone slip inside my apartment until they stood before me. Pausing with my fork stuck into my next bite I asked in a mix of shock and worry. "What are you doing here? How did you get in?"

I'm certain Jensey would have locked the door behind her when she left out this morning, she's very cautious about such thing's today. They have me their usual slick grin and I wondered what this visit was about. I can't honestly say that we are friends and I don't really know if we are enemies either. Whatever the reason that brought them here leaves me unsettled. I will always have this trust factor when dealing with people such as this. However it was in my best interest to not show fear and meet whatever challenge that laid ahead of me head on. That's what thing I've learned from these characters... Never show weakness. Clearing my throat, I sat up straight. "I believe I asked you a question?"

Their smirk seemed to curve upward even more at my strong use of word's. Without my invitation they hopped up onto the stool across from me and propped their elbows onto the bar and rested their chin into their hands. "I believe you know the answer to the questions already?" They finally spoke.

Great, answering a question with a question. I hate when people do that, it's so annoying. There was only one thing we had in common. "Duel?" I grunted in disgust.

Zoe gave me a wink. "Precisely" . She crooned.

Rolling my eye's a blew a deep breath out. "Are we really doing this again? Look, as I stated before you have no worries, do as you please with him. I want nothing to do with him or any Harper for that matter. Now with that said you can see your way out the same way you got in".

Zoe stared at me for a moment but didn't make a move to leave. Shaking her head in irritation she spoke with a threatening chill in her voice. "I'm not here because I want Duel. We've already had that discussion. I'm here because I don't like to see Duel hurting. I will always care for him and watch over him as we all do. I'm warning you to not play any game's with him.... Because if you do...." .

She left her last thought unspoken and for my imagination but this time I wasn't nearly as afraid as I normally would be. No, this time I felt a royal heat rise within me along with a raging temper. My voice sounded like razors as I begin to speak. "Who the hell do you think you are to sneak into my home issuing threats? Let's get one thing straight honey, I'm not the one seeking Duel out, he's coming to me. No matter how many time's I send him away are what cruel word's I toss at him he keeps coming back like a stray dog. There are no game's being played here, if there are he's playing them alone. I just want to live a Harper free life. That includes you and him. Am I understood?"