antics going on inside.
Harry pulled Valerie into his arms and kissed her full on the mouth. “Stop being a tease.”
Luke’s stomach churned with disgust. “Go home, Roxie.”
He felt like he was standing in the middle of a circus sideshow.
“ You go home,” Roxie retorted. “I’m on a mission. It’s called getting revenge.”
Enough was enough. Luke marched up to Harry’s window and was about to knock on the glass pane when he spotted Paul, Valerie’s husband, leaning over Roxie’s shoulder.
“What’s going on?” the unsuspecting man asked. He had no clue his life was about to change dramatically.
Roxie shrugged as if apologizing and pointed toward Harry’s condo. “You might as well know the ugly truth, sonny.”
Luke followed the man’s gaze into the bedroom. Harry and Valerie were entwined in a passionate embrace and completely oblivious to the outside world.
Understanding flickered across Paul’s face, followed by shock. “Valerie?” His cheeks and neck grew red, then scarlet. “Val-er-ie!”
The world shifted into slow motion.
At the sound of Valerie’s husband screaming his wife’s name for the third time, Harry leaned away from her and stared out the window. His gaze locked on Andi first, then, recognizing Paul, his eyes grew wide with fear.
Valerie’s husband dove through the window, destroying the screen in the process. After recovering from the tumble, he grabbed Harry by the neck and shook him violently.
Valerie screamed.
Andi screamed.
Meg and Roxie screamed.
Luke sighed.
Harry’s head flopped back and forth as he tried to pry Paul’s hands off his neck.
“This is what I get for accepting the Euphoria account.” Luke held on to the windowsill as he lifted one leg inside. If Paul had paid more attention to his wife, she might not have reached out to Harry. If Harry had closed the window and blinds, Roxie wouldn’t have caught them. And if no one had screamed, the whole neighborhood wouldn’t be gathering in the common area. They were probably expecting to see another dead board member. Luke hoped not.
“Super hunk to the rescue!” Roxie announced.
“Knock it off!” Luke grabbed Paul’s upper arm, effectively breaking the hold on Harry’s neck.
Harry gasped for air, coughed, and rubbed at the red fingerprints left on his pale skin. The music ended abruptly and an eerie silence filled the air. They all exchanged angry glares, then Valerie’s husband pulled back his fist and punched the board president square in the nose.
Valerie screeched.
Andi, Meg, and Roxie stood outside the window with mouths agape.
Harry fell back against the mirrored closet door. It shook from the impact and the vibration caused his toupee to slide off his head and land on his shoulder. Harry reached for his nose just as crimson liquid began to ooze from his nostrils.
The scene exploded with one obscenity after another. Not only could Valerie’s husband cuss like a sailor, he could probably spell every one of the names he called his wife as well.
“I knew I shouldn’t have married you.” He pointed his skinny finger at her. “I want a divorce!”
“I . . .” Valerie bit her lip while tears slid down her cheeks. “I never slept with him,” she proclaimed to everyone—the group looked at her as if she had risen from the bowels of hell.
Keeping a safe distance from the outraged man, Harry followed Valerie out of the room, holding his nose while blood seeped between his fingers.
Valerie’s husband crawled back out the window a hopeless, dejected version of his former self.
Everyone waited for what would happen next. Still standing in the bedroom, Luke stuck his head out the window and stared at Roxie, Meg, and then Andi. “Are you happy now?”
Roxie propped her hands on her hips. “Don’t go getting your knickers in a knot, young man. No one here told those two to play kissy-face with the window wide open for all to see and hear. If you want to blame someone,
Harry pulled Valerie into his arms and kissed her full on the mouth. “Stop being a tease.”
Luke’s stomach churned with disgust. “Go home, Roxie.”
He felt like he was standing in the middle of a circus sideshow.
“ You go home,” Roxie retorted. “I’m on a mission. It’s called getting revenge.”
Enough was enough. Luke marched up to Harry’s window and was about to knock on the glass pane when he spotted Paul, Valerie’s husband, leaning over Roxie’s shoulder.
“What’s going on?” the unsuspecting man asked. He had no clue his life was about to change dramatically.
Roxie shrugged as if apologizing and pointed toward Harry’s condo. “You might as well know the ugly truth, sonny.”
Luke followed the man’s gaze into the bedroom. Harry and Valerie were entwined in a passionate embrace and completely oblivious to the outside world.
Understanding flickered across Paul’s face, followed by shock. “Valerie?” His cheeks and neck grew red, then scarlet. “Val-er-ie!”
The world shifted into slow motion.
At the sound of Valerie’s husband screaming his wife’s name for the third time, Harry leaned away from her and stared out the window. His gaze locked on Andi first, then, recognizing Paul, his eyes grew wide with fear.
Valerie’s husband dove through the window, destroying the screen in the process. After recovering from the tumble, he grabbed Harry by the neck and shook him violently.
Valerie screamed.
Andi screamed.
Meg and Roxie screamed.
Luke sighed.
Harry’s head flopped back and forth as he tried to pry Paul’s hands off his neck.
“This is what I get for accepting the Euphoria account.” Luke held on to the windowsill as he lifted one leg inside. If Paul had paid more attention to his wife, she might not have reached out to Harry. If Harry had closed the window and blinds, Roxie wouldn’t have caught them. And if no one had screamed, the whole neighborhood wouldn’t be gathering in the common area. They were probably expecting to see another dead board member. Luke hoped not.
“Super hunk to the rescue!” Roxie announced.
“Knock it off!” Luke grabbed Paul’s upper arm, effectively breaking the hold on Harry’s neck.
Harry gasped for air, coughed, and rubbed at the red fingerprints left on his pale skin. The music ended abruptly and an eerie silence filled the air. They all exchanged angry glares, then Valerie’s husband pulled back his fist and punched the board president square in the nose.
Valerie screeched.
Andi, Meg, and Roxie stood outside the window with mouths agape.
Harry fell back against the mirrored closet door. It shook from the impact and the vibration caused his toupee to slide off his head and land on his shoulder. Harry reached for his nose just as crimson liquid began to ooze from his nostrils.
The scene exploded with one obscenity after another. Not only could Valerie’s husband cuss like a sailor, he could probably spell every one of the names he called his wife as well.
“I knew I shouldn’t have married you.” He pointed his skinny finger at her. “I want a divorce!”
“I . . .” Valerie bit her lip while tears slid down her cheeks. “I never slept with him,” she proclaimed to everyone—the group looked at her as if she had risen from the bowels of hell.
Keeping a safe distance from the outraged man, Harry followed Valerie out of the room, holding his nose while blood seeped between his fingers.
Valerie’s husband crawled back out the window a hopeless, dejected version of his former self.
Everyone waited for what would happen next. Still standing in the bedroom, Luke stuck his head out the window and stared at Roxie, Meg, and then Andi. “Are you happy now?”
Roxie propped her hands on her hips. “Don’t go getting your knickers in a knot, young man. No one here told those two to play kissy-face with the window wide open for all to see and hear. If you want to blame someone,
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