Page 21 of These Jagged Edges

"Is there any way he can find them?" I gesture my thumb over my shoulder towards the house to my boys.

Henry grabs my shoulders gently in both hands. "There's no way he can ever find you or those boys, Evie. I promise. The boys are safe, and so are you. As far as he's concerned, you're dead. I had a buddy from up north file the death certificate and send him some ashes."

"My God, Henry! You could lose your job. What’s wrong with you!"

Henry gives me a crooked smile I've seen Mercy wear once or twice. "Gray area, little sister, and seeing the relief on your face just now was worth it."

"EVIE!"

I knew Sophie would call Lou, I'm just surprised it took her this long to get here. The big man before me cringes before turning to face the wrath of my pale blonde best friend.

"Lou."

She stomps up my porch in dirty overalls and a blue bandana on her head, looking every bit the beautiful mess she is. She looks between us and narrows her eyes. “Henry Joseph Wilder! We promised not to tell her! What the hell is wrong with you!”

"She needed peace of mind and to know she has more people to lean on than you and Joe!"

She points a finger in his face. "That's all she needs!"

"No, Louisiana, that's all you need. Evie has a whole town full of people who love her and those boys. The girl is walking sunshine! Everybody loves her!"

Watching the two is like watching two toddlers fight over their favorite toy. It's messy and loud, and after the trainwreck of a day, it's the last thing I want to be a part of. I put my hands on my hips and prepared to handle these two like my children.

"Whoa! Both of you stop!" I turn to Lou. "He told me, Lou, and I'm okay. I'm glad he did. Now I can breathe a little easier, and I'm so proud of you for going to him to help me." I know how hard that was for her to do, but I wouldn't dare say that in front of him.

"Evie, it's not that simple," Lou says, looking down.

I tip her chin up. "Lou, life’s too short not to fix the things we can fix while we're here."

Henry's radio goes off, and he looks at Lou as if telling her goodbye is the hardest thing he's ever had to do. "Come get breakfast with me in the morning? As friends?"

Lou says nothing, and the big man visibly deflates and bids us a good night before heading down the steps. I give Lou a look that says what the fuck are you doing? I can see her panic before saying, "Wait! What time?"

I can’t see his face, but I can hear the smile in his voice as he tells her seven at Joe's. Before she can even rebound from that encounter and turn her sass my way, I decide to just lay it on her, "I let Maddox kiss me today, and then went completely catatonic and had one of my episodes."

I haven’t had an episode like that in over a year, and the last one was in Vic's garage, bless his heart. All I remember was him asking me to hand him the belt from the top of his toolbox. When I came to my head was in Lou's lap, and I was still in the garage. That one had lasted an hour. The second Lou yelled I was good, Vic barreled through the door. Misty eyed; he gave me a stern look before wrapping me in a tight hug. Vic got rid of every belt in his house after that.

Lou's eyes almost budge out of her head, and what do you know, for the first time in her life, she's speechless. "Close your mouth before you choke on a bug and come inside. I need a damn drink." I turn on my heel, leaving her on the porch, mouth still agape.

Chapter Nine

EVIE

Puttingmy car in park and I groan, relieved that the day is finally over. My feet are throbbing after working a double today. The new waitress never showed; Joe had already promised the boys a trip to the bakery and a sleepover. So, I stayed and worked because who was I to get in the way of double chocolate chip cookies and chocolate cupcakes? I slowly trudge up to my house and pull my keys out.

"Finally."

Without thinking, I pull the taser out of my purse, turn, and fire, pumping whoever it is full of 50,000 volts of sit the hell down, as Vic calls it.

I hear a disgruntled ‘fuck’ as the person hits the porch like a sack of potatoes. I silently thank Vic for the gift and quickly flip the light switch on, bright golden light floods the porch.

Shaking, I take in the vast pile groaning on my porch. I will my feet to move closer and push the fear from my mind. Reaching for the arm of the black jacket, I notice the logo on the back of it in colossal writing, The Boxing Den.

Oh, fuck me.

Just then, the pile rolls over, and I shriek. Clutching a hand to my heart, jade eyes find mine, and I confirm the person I just tased the hell out of was Maddox Wilder.

"Shit, woman," he groans. I notice the gash across his nose, and his glasses are cracked on the right lens. Blood seeps down his face making me feel nauseous.

---