Page 66 of Until the Ink Dries

She paused and turned the needle off.

“You haven’t been upstairs all this time?” she asked.

I lifted a brow because I wasn’t used to her asking me this many questions.

“Nah, I’ve been gone for the last couple of hours. What’s up?” I asked.

“I figured maybe Charlie was running around and playing. I mean, we rarely hear her, but we also barely have appointments on Sunday. It’s been a lot of thumping and noises coming from up there. If I had known, I would have called the cops, Benny.” She said with wide eyes.

I glanced over at the couch and laid Charlie down. Before storming into my studio to grab my gun. Then walked back towards the front.

“Call the cops, because whoever in my shit is leaving in a body bag. You mind watching Charlie for me?” I asked.

Tami nodded quickly before pulling out her phone. She turned to her client and cleaned her up. I could tell she was more than likely letting her know they would need to reschedule. I made my way through the shop so I could take the back door that led to the stairs. I glanced over at the door that I could have taken outside, only to see the lock broken and the door cracked open. If I had taken this way earlier with Charlie, I would have known something was off.

I checked the chamber on my gun to make sure it was on go. I crept up the stairs and tapped on my door, causing it to swing open slightly. Now that I had made it into my apartment, I could hear glass shattering and screaming. But the screaming and mumbling sounded familiar. A sinking feeling settled in the pit of my stomach, but I ignored it as I advanced towards the noise that headed for my room.

I passed Charlie’s room, and it was just as wrecked as the rest of the house. Her teddy bears were stabbed and sliced open, so was her comforter. Charlie’s TV looked as if it had taken a few swings from a bat. My baby was going to be broken when she saw this shit. I continued down the hall and through the crack in my bedroom door. Clothes were flying everywhere.

“I hate this muthafucka!” I heard screaming.

I stopped in my tracks immediately and put the safety back on my gun. I didn’t need to guess who had fucked up my house. I stepped into my room and Tierra was wearing one of my shirts. Her hair was wild as fuck around her head, makeup running, and her eyes looked as if they couldn’t focus. I could tell she was high off something stronger than liquor. I wanted to wring this damn woman’s neck.

“What the fuck are you doing!” I yelled.

Startled, she glanced over her shoulder in my direction, then smiled.

“I was just sprucing up our place. You don’t like it?” she asked, then giggled.

I turned away from her for a moment before returning my attention back to her.

“Hell nah, I don’t like it! Get the fuck out now and take my shit off.”

She smiled and laid across my bed, spreading her legs to show me she didn’t have any panties on.

“That’s all you had to say! Is this where you fucked that uppity bitch? I saw her here. Why the fuck was she here?” she asked with a sneer.

I couldn’t do anything but chuckle because I really wanted to knock this bitch’s head between the washer and the dryer, but I was raised better than that. I hated even associating her with the word bitch, but no other word fit. I walked over to the bed and snatched her ass out of it, and led her out of the room.

Tierra kicked and screamed the entire way. She tried reaching out to scratch my face, but I leaned out of her reach. I released my hold on her the moment we got to the living room. I glanced around the room, broken by the amount of damage she had caused. She had broken every glass surface in the room and stabbed my sofa, along with the pillows and paintings.

“You think this shit right here gone bring me back in your life?” I asked, pointing at all the damage she has done.

Tierra looked around as if it was her first time seeing the shit she had done. Her hands flew to her mouth while her eyes widened.

“I—I can fix this, Benny! I can get new stuff. We can buy new things and start fresh. Long as you leave that bitch alone, she doesn’t know you like I do. I’m the one who gave you a daughter! Not her!” she pointed at herself, jamming her finger into her chest.

“If you thought there would be you and me, those drugs have really rotted your fucking brain. The police on the way. If I were you, I would try to get a head start before they come pick yo ass up.”

Before she could say a word, Charlie was walking through the door, rubbing her eyes as if she had just woken up. I cursed beneath my breath because how the fuck did Tami allow her to get up here?

“Daddy, why did you leave me downstairs? I want to get into my bed. I’m sleepy.” She said before finally looking up and taking in her surroundings.

Charlie looked between Tierra and me, then back at the mess her mother had caused unbeknownst to her.

“Mommy—is that you?” she asked, her voice cracking.

Tierra brushed a piece of her wild hair behind her ear and smiled. Then squatted down to her height. I glanced down at the ground and noticed a knife by Tierra’s foot. I didn’t want to think Tierra would do anything to hurt Charlie, but I couldn’t put it past her with the way she had fucked this place up. I took a few steps at a time while Tierra focused on Charlie.

---