Page 23 of Beyond Oblivion

“Okay,” I said, thinking. “Maybe we can go talk to them together.”

“You’re not listening!” she yelled. She closed her eyes, exhaled, and continued in a calmer tone. “I can’t tell them, and you… You’re the one person I know who can say a few stern words and he’ll go away. My only other option is to go home and try to convince him myself.”

“It doesn’t sound like that’s going to work. You should call the police, Maddie.”

“You don’t understand,” she said, her eyes glistening. “Aaron won’t just leave. If I have to call the police, I’m afraid he’ll do something stupid and… I mean yeah, he’s got issues but he doesn’t deserve to die. He might push the cops to do something he can’t take back.”

“Who is Aaron? You told me Dayton before. Is this guy new?”

“No,it’s Aaron.”

I shook my head, confused.

“You’re not listening to me. He’s threatened suicide-by-cop before!”

“You definitely said Dayton. Dayton Wells, right?”

She closed her eyes tight, her breath shaking just enough to seem real. Then she looked at me, her expression wounded—like I’d just kicked a puppy.

She let out a shaky breath, then lifted her gaze, eyes glistening with just the right amount of betrayal. “You know, the only difference between me and Mackenzie is that she didn’t live long enough to see you turn your back on her.”

The floor might as well have dropped out from under me. My stomach twisted, a sick, hollow weight settling in my chest.

Before I could even process, she turned away, sniffling like she was holding back tears. “Forget it. I’ll handle it myself.”

“Okay! Okay, Maddie.” I held up my hands. “I’m sorry, I’m listening.”

She turned back, a mix of relief and something else in her expression. “I couldn’t live with myself if he… If they… It’ll take one conversation with you for him to leave and never bother me again, my parents won’t freak out, and Aaron doesn’t choose his expiration date. You’re my best and only option.”

“So, am I the knight in shining armor in this little adventure, or am I the Rent-A-Thug? Because let’s be real, the latter comes with a price tag and an automatic twenty-five percent gratuity.”

She exhaled, immediately relieved. “Both. Whichever is needed. Please?”

“And then what? What if the kid doesn’t skedaddle? What’s the game plan here?”

“It won’t get that far. We talked about the accident. He knows who you are and he’s terrified of you—of all of the Maddoxes.”

I stared at my truck and thought about all the possible scenarios, and then nodded once. “Okay. I’ll follow you home, but I’m not doing hard time over a punk kid, Maddie. I’ve got a wife waiting for me. If he doesn’t leave, if he gets even a little bit squirrely, we’re calling it in.”

She nodded quickly. “Okay. That’s completely reasonable. Thank you so much.”

“What does he drive?” I asked.

“A white Tesla.”

I squinted one eye and tilted my head to the side, disgusted. “Of course he does. Nothing says scary stalker like a glorified golf cart.”

Rain pelted the pavement as Madison darted to her car, her shoulders hunched and arms shielding her head from the downpour. I hopped in my truck, my thumb hovering over the small ignition button for a second before I pressed it, waiting as the low rumble of the engine came to life. The dashboard lit up, and I could feel the faint vibration through the steering wheel as the truck settled into a steady hum. Headlights reflected off wet asphalt as Maddie reversed, her taillights glowing like embers in the storm. I trailed her out of the parking lot, the wipers thudding against the windshield as we made our way down wet roads to her apartment.

I debated telling Camille what I was up to. Either way, she was going to be pissed. The windshield wipers couldn’t keep up with the beat to the screaming death metal blaring through the speakers to match my mood. I remembered the swell of pride and excitement I felt when Madison first stepped into my shop, but now she was a walking liability. The old me would’ve been itching to jump out of the truck, not thinking twice to teach that little Neanderfuck a lesson he wouldn’t forget. But hiding this from Madison’s parents—and especially my wife? Yeah, that crossed the line from hero to enabling accomplice, and considering the difference in her age from mine—inappropriate, despite any noble intentions. I was the adult in this scenario, and the closer I got to Madison’s apartment, the more my intuition screamed that in the end, I’d be viewed more as a Judas than Jesus.

Madison parked in her spot just in front of her apartment door, and I parked in the row one back, leaving open the drive lane between my Dodge and her sedan to give a nice buffer zone for any potential rumble. I scanned the lot for a white Tesla, keeping Madison in my peripheral. Once she grabbed her bag and purse from her car and made the short walk to the door to unlock it, twistydick slowed to a stop, blocking her vehicle in. His car was still running, the headlights cutting through the spitting rain.

Aaron shoved his hands into the pockets of his khaki pants, still in his work polo, his name badge haphazardly clinging to his shirt. He slowly made his way to Madison, tail tucked between his legs. I watched them for a few moments, observing his body language. He was nervous, not at all like the domineering guy she’d described. Madison kept looking over at me, waiting for me to intervene, but I didn’t see the sense in escalating what looked to be just an uncomfortable conversation. At first, it seemed like he was begging, but when she shook her head no and turned to grip the knob, he grabbed her arm.

I jumped out and slammed the door, jogging over to them.

Aaron turned, hands up like he was surrendering. “Okay, okay, okay!”

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