Chapter 188

“Ah,” she said, looking back up at him, her glasses slipping down her nose. She took one hand and used the back of it to push her glasses back up and brush a stray whip of hair out of her face. He noticed that her fingers were stained with something dark and red and he wondered just what the hell she had been doing next door. “No,” she managed to say, her voice soft, “it’s fine.” He straightened and took a step forward. “Are you sure? I don’t mind.” What the hell was he saying? He had no interest in helping her, he didn’t want to get to know his neighbor, and he didn’t want to know her name. “I’m Mason,” he said all the while telling himself to shut the fuck up and walk away. She backed away from him, dragging the bag with her. Whatever was encased in the black bag made squishy wet sounds as she moved and he noticed more red stains on her clothes. Not that her clothes were all that inspiring. She wore a floral dress that hung on her like a sack and reached below her knees and an old gr