RIDE YOU DOWN

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

JAKE

“Argh!” I groaned in pain, hitting my back on the floor, the chocolate box I carried falling right on me.

You have got to be kidding me. This is not how I expected my first day of peace and quiet to start.

“Who sent you!” I heard a mean gritted voice fill the hallway. I shut my eyes, exhaled, and lifted myself off the floor only for me to come face to face with an iron baton, pointed at me.

My eyes came in contact with the boots she was wearing, nice brand, nice choice, I traced my eyes up to find this angry little bird standing in front of me.

Her brows arched, anger, and disgust not far from her face at all.

Ah, this must be her.

Raven.

Eli’s landlord and my new landlord,

Great.

She pushed the baton until it was pressing on my neck, “I asked you a question! Who the hell are you! Who sent you!” she snapped.

“Jake… Eli’s cousin.” I answered. “Your new tenant.”

Her brows furrowed even closer, “What sort of tenant peeps at his landlord’s apartment.” she grunted, “You have two seconds to reveal your gang or I’ll have your dead body sent back to where sent you here.” she threatened without batting an eye. She didn't stutter, she didn't flinch.

Holy f**k, it wasn't an empty threat.

I pulled out my phone and called my cousin, Eli, because that boy was a lunatic and I was going to kill him.

“Yo, Cuz, did you settle yet? Please tell me Raven didn't give you s**t?” He rambled over the phone.

Raven gasped as she snatched the phone from me, “Eli, you are so dead, make sure you do not return to this town because if you do, I’ll have your head.” She ended the call and tossed it back to me.

Without another word, she removed the baton and turned to leave. Getting to her door she halted and turned to me, “No matter what you do, do not talk to me.” she sneered and slammed the door right behind her.

Wow. Not even a sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you?

I swear to God, I would be the one to end Eli.

A few weeks ago, I was looking to move from the city to a quiet and peaceful environment, and unfortunately for me, my cousin came to visit while I was town hunting. Then he offered for me to stay in his apartment because he was going on a trip with his girlfriend and wouldn’t be back in a year.

I should have refused.

I mean, I did refuse but he has a way of making people take his offer and so here I am, living with a sociopath that clearly hates me.

Well, come to think of it, this is for the best. I didn't come to this city to make friends, I came to enjoy a simple and quiet life, away from… everything I left in the city.

******

RAVEN

ME: Eli what the f**k? You can’t just leave and bring someone into my house.

ELI: Yes, I can. I paid for 5 years, I am not owing a cent, and the contract I signed with you didn't say anything about me not having a roommate or switching ownership.

ME: Eli, are you f*****g kidding me! You know how I am with… men.. You know what I went through and why I don’t want to have anyone around me… why would you do something like this?

ELI: Raven, I’m sorry, I really am, but I promise you, Jake is not a bad person, and he just needs a place to stay for a couple of months… He.., had it rough lately and I just wanted to help my cousin, I promise he won’t be a problem.

Eli’s last message stayed on my mind. He had it rough? Who? That 6-foot-3 man out there? Is the one bulky enough to look like a gang leader? That guy had it rough? What could he possibly have gone through?

I rolled my eyes.

ELI: Jake is a good guy, Rave, you have nothing to worry about. He is a total nerd.

ME: If he messes with me, I’ll kill him.

ELI: Ha ha… In bed, I hope.

ME: f**k off.

ELI: oh please, you’re probably just starving… Of s*x… you should get laid, and let go of all your toxic energy… men are scum… don’t let that define your existence.

I didn't reply to his message after that. I leaned Into my chair with my eyes shut.

Eli only knows half of what I went through as a girl, in the hands of men. What they did to me, the people I care about. My mother.

I clenched my eyes, trying to bury those memories.

“No!”

“Let her go. Please.” I begged, on my knees, before the man who called himself my father. My mother is kneeling next to him, her hands tied together, tears rolling down her eyes.

I turned to my older brothers, “Don’t let him do this to her, she is your mother!” I yelled at them but they all turned away.

“Raven, women don’t have a place in this world. This is a world of men. Mum knew what she was getting into when she married Dad. This is her purpose.” My oldest brother said without a single remorse for his mother, the woman that gave birth to him.

“Take her away!” my father ordered.

“No! Mum! Mum!”

I jumped out of bed, sweating, panting, tears rolling down my eyes, my fist tightly holding onto the bed sheets.

“You’re okay.”

“You’re okay,” I whispered to myself, wrapping my arms around myself to keep myself calm. I got out of bed, went to the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of water, and gulped it down.

I need air. Fresh air.

I grabbed my bike keys and stormed out of my apartment.

I looked at my neighbor's apartment and I smelled cookies from his apartment which I ignored and went for a ride.

It’s been two weeks since my neighbor Jake moved in and I must say, he is really good at following instructions because I have not seen him since that evening when I kicked him for peeking into my apartment.

Not that he bothers me at least, the smell of his cooking proves that he is alive.

“What do you mean the engineer is not around, my baby needs to be serviced.” I blurted over the phone with Jade who for some weird reason was panting and I knew she was not out for a ride, while I stood outside on the highway, with my bike not working.

“Rave, I am in the middle of…” she moaned.

“Jade, are you having s*x right now?”

There was silence from her end but I could still hear the guy grunting in the background, “Rave, I have a new engineer that can work on your bike, trust me, he is very good, but he doesn't open.. Ah.. Fuxk..he doesn't open every day. I’ll send you his address… oh baby.. You should go check him out.” She ended the call immediately and I was left to stand there, trying to remember everything she said without recalling the fact that she was moaning into my ears.

She sent the address and I had no choice but to push my bike to the location.

I stood outside the garage. It’s obvious it’s for personal use but I’d do anything to fix my baby up.

“Hello, is anyone here?” I called out, tilting my head to see if there was anyone in the store since no one answered.

“Hello?” I called out again but there was still silence. I moved in closer, there was a slight opening and I squinted my eyes to look when I heard someone clear his throat behind me.

“I could also kick you for peeking into my workspace.” I heard that familiar voice, deep, gentle, stern.

My brows furrowed as I turned to see my neighbor standing before me, with a fit white armless top, flexing his biceps stained with engine oil and paints and an olive green overall, with tools in one of the pockets and a mini towel inside the lower part of the pocket.

“How may I help you, Bird.”