Page 59 of Thornhill Road

Mustang ignored her as he helped MK into the first pair of shoes he saw. When her feet were covered, he picked her up a second time, brushing Trix out of the way as he headed for the front door.

“Hey! I’m talking to you!”

Still ignoring her, he stopped in the still open doorway, his eyes on Tess as he said, “MK, this is my friend, Tess. She’s gonna take you to the truck, alright?”

Tess nodded as MK murmured, “Okay, daddy.”

He set his little girl on her feet, and Tess reached for her hand.

“Hi. I’m so glad to meet you,” Tess said as they started for the truck.

MK looked back over her shoulder at Mustang, but Tess kept talking, recapturing her attention.

“Your dad always calls you MK when he talks about you. Do you mind if I call you Mary-Kate?”

Trix was still making a fuss behind him, but he tuned her out, blocking the exit as he watched his woman with his little girl.Seeing them hand in hand did something to him—something he felt down deep.

He’d known since the moment he laid eyes on Tess he wanted her.

After he’d had her, he knew he wanted more.

The more he learned about her, the more certain he became.

Without knowing it, she was who he’d been waiting for.

MK’s hand tucked inside of hers, he admitted he didn’t just want Tess for himself.

He wanted MK to have her, too.

Someone kind, nurturing, and beautiful inside and out.

There was plenty of him she hadn’t yet seen—but he’d show her.

He’d make sure she accepted it. Accepted him.

He wouldn’t have it any other way.

As soon as he’d lost sight of them on their trip down the stairs, he shifted his focus, turning his attention on the reason he was there.

He got in Trix’s space, and her eyes got wide as she backed into the door.

“You? Shut the fuck up,” he yelled.

He then looked into the living room. Trix’sfriendwas on his feet—his blunt abandoned on the coffee table as he stared at Mustang in a dazed uncertainty.

“What’d I tell you?” sneered Mustang as he barreled toward the man. “What’d I tell you, motherfucker?!”

This time, when he had him by the shirt, Mustang didn’t hold back. He slugged him hard across the cheek. Once. Twice. Three times.

Trix started yelling as the man tried to cower away from Mustang. He couldn’t get small enough, Mustang’s grip on his shirt preventing him from crumbling to the floor.

“Fuck, man. It’s just weed!” he cried pathetically.

“I warned you, you dumb fuck. Did I not? Pretty sure I did.”

Mustang punched him in the nose, until he heard it crack, then punched him once in the throat before he finally let go. The man collapsed in a heap on the floor, choking for air.

“What the hell is wrong with you?! Who do you think you are? Get out of here, you jackass!” screeched Trix.

---