Page 37 of Vengeance

Tara shakes her head. “What happens if the Slashers show up? I didn’t even think-”

“If they show up, they’ll get a side of me they don’t expect,” Lex says and starts walking up to the front door with Lily right behind her. Turning back to look at Tara, she feels herself growing impatient. “Are we doing this or not?”

Hurrying, Tara nods. “Yes.”

“The Slashers should expect the unexpected by now. You did stab one of their men to death in your kitchen.”

“Let’s do this,” Lex says and nods towards the door. “Tara, you know her and Matty. You need to start the conversation.”

Her eyes widen. “Are you going to hit her?”

“God, I hope so.”

Lily laughs and shakes her head. “Yeah, you’re definitely gonna need a lawyer.”

Knocking, they hear things thrown inside, and Tara knocks louder. All they receive is a shout from Lenetta telling them to go away.

“How do we break down the door?” Tara asks, her chest heaving.

Laughing, Lily steps back. “Not it.”

“Before we go to extremes, why don’t we just...” Lex says and turns the doorknob. The door opens, and she smiles. “...try the door?”

“Matty!” Tara shouts and runs inside.

“That’s not starting a conversation,” Lex says and looks at Lily. “This won’t be entirely my fault.”

An older, angry woman stomps over and stands before them. She’s plump and wears clothes that age her at least twenty years. “What are you doing here, you little bitch? You’re the reason I’m in this mess in the first place.”

“Where’s Matty?” she asks, not backing down.

Lex has to give her credit. She looks like she might pass out, but she’s not letting this hag get the better of her.

“None of your goddamn business.”

A door opens down the hallway, and a little boy stands there. “Tara!”

“Matty!”

“You finally opened that damn door. Good, because you’re gonna get it!” Lenetta shouts.

Lex slams her against the wall. “Yeah, that’s not happening.”

“Get off me! You broke into my house. I’ll have you arrested!”

“That’s why I brought my lawyer. But I’d be careful, you dumb twat. We heard you screaming from outside, so we took it upon ourselves to make sure everything was okay in here. And it definitely is not okay. Plus, you threatened a boy you had locked in a room. Go ahead. Do something. I dare you,” she says and releases her.

Lily stays on the porch, but she’s able to see everything happening when she leans in. “You really don’t have a great case, ma’am.”

“You’re a lawyer? You look more like a stripper on her way to dance at a bachelor party,” Lenetta says. “You expect me to believe this bullshit?”

“I don’t give a shit what you believe. I’m actually a partner at my firm, but you do what you think you need to.”

“Matty, it’s okay,” Tara says. “You can come here.”

The little boy shakes his head. “I can’t.”

“Why not?”

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