Simple Perfection

that.”
    I knew crazy. I had seen it all my life. And right now I was positive she wasn’t kidding. This was no idle threat. Something had snapped in her head and she was going to kill me. I had to do something. With my side throbbing, I wasn’t sure I could fight back. I would beg, then catch her off guard and knee her in the ribs.
    “No, please. Just talk to Woods. I didn’t do anything. I swear. Don’t, oh God.”
    “I’m done talking to Woods. You took what was mine. He chose you. Fine. He can have your skanky, crazy ass. But first you’re gonna fucking pay for taking what was mine.” She slapped me across my face so hard everything went blurry. “Hurts, don’t it, bitch? You’re a psycho. Why Woods thinks you can make him happy, I don’t know. He’ll learn. He will fucking learn not to screw with me!” she roared, then kicked my sore ribs again, taking my breath away. I had to fight back. If she kept this up I wasn’t going to be able to fight back.
    I started to move when she grabbed my hair again and jerked me up, only to slap me again. I couldn’t keep from crying out in pain. I needed to focus on saving myself but the pain was overpowering me. My vision was blurring and I used all my willpower to push it away. I had to keep it from taking me away.
    “Let her go.” Blaire’s voice came through the darkness like an avenging angel and I cried in relief. Then I turned to see her standing there with a gun pointed at Angelina. Holy shit. She has a gun.
    “What the fuck?” Angelina said. Her hold on my hair only tightened. I should have done something to fight back now but I was more scared of the gun in Blaire’s hands than of Angelina at the moment. Did she know how to use that thing?
    “Let go of her hair and step away from her,” Blaire said with command. I was impressed and terrified.
    Angelina laughed. That was it. The girl was insane. She had a gun pointed at her and she was laughing. I was scared to breathe. “That’s not even real. I’m not an idiot. Go mind your own fucking business and stop playing Charlie’s Angels ,” Angelina said.
    Blaire’s gun made a sound that I knew meant she was ready to fire. I had heard that click on television before. “Listen, bitch. If I wanted to I could pierce both your ears from here and not mess your fucking hair up. Go ahead, test me.” The look in Blaire’s eyes might have been meant to warn Angelina but I could detect the truth in her words. I believed her and the relief washed over me. She could actually use that thing.
    Angelina let go of me and I quickly moved away from her while I had a chance. I believed Blaire could use that gun but I didn’t want to be anywhere near her target.
    “Do you have any idea who I am? I could end you. Your ass is going to sit in jail for a very long time for this,” Angelina said, but the fear in her voice wasn’t lost on me, and I doubted Blaire missed it, too.
    “We’re in the dark and there are three of us. You don’t have a scratch on you. Della’s bleeding and bruised and it’s our word against yours. I don’t care who you are. This doesn’t look good for you.”
    Angelina moved back as if she could run from a bullet. “My daddy will hear about this. He’ll believe me,” she said with a shaky voice.
    “Good. My husband will hear about it, too, and he’ll sure as hell believe me,” Blaire replied.
    Angelina laughed. “My daddy can buy this town. You have fucked with the wrong woman.”
    “Really? Bring it on, ’cause right now you’re looking at a woman with a loaded gun who can hit a moving target. So please. Bring. It. On,” Blaire replied like a complete badass. I wanted to be like her. I wanted to be tough.
    I pulled my legs up and wrapped my arms around my knees and prayed this would end without her having to use that gun.
    “Who are you?” Angelina asked. I hadn’t realized that Angelina didn’t know who Rush Finlay’s wife was. He was a celebrity because of his father. I thought the whole world knew who Blaire was.
    “Blaire Finlay,” she replied.
    “Shit. Rush Finlay married a hick with a gun. I find this hard to believe,” Angelina said in her snide, uppity tone. She really did think she was above everyone else.
    “I’d believe her. She’s holding the fucking gun.” Rush’s voice came from behind Blaire. I let out the breath I was holding. Thank God he’s here.
    “Are you kidding me? This town is insane. All of you,” Angelina said, on the verge of