Page 52 of Like An Animal
Once Bronwyn went backto her house, I went to the hotel I booked to get ready. I’ve barely climbed out of the tiny shower when the hotel room opened up.
“What the fuck, Jer!” Xavi screams as he walks in and I wrap a towel around my waist. “You fucking ditched me. I had to catch a damn Uber here!”
“I told you I was going to keep my eye on her,” I respond walking out into the main room.
“Then, what the fuck are you doing here?”
“Getting ready.” Isn’t it obvious?
“Ready for what exactly? What is your plan?”
Is Xavi really that much of an idiot?
“One, I’m going to kill her husband.” I drop the towel and grab my jeans, not giving a fuck if Xavi sees my naked ass. He could’ve turned around if he didn’t want to see it. “Two, you’re going to grab the kid and get her out of the house without scarring her for life. Three, I have my own plan for Bronwyn.”
I have a nice long list of things I’m going to do to her. She took something from me, something she knew meant everything to me and I’ll make it clear that I won’t forgive that easily. I will make her pay. She’ll be so thoroughly punished, she won’t ever think of doing this to me ever again.
No, I’m not mad that she tried to frame me. I never fucking was. Not even for a second.
I’m only mad that she married that fuckhead and let anyone else touch her. She belongs to me and she knew that five years ago just as well as she knows it now. That’s why she’s getting ready to run.
“Really? You’re going to stick me on kid duty?”
“Either that or you can stay behind. Then, I won’t have any back up.”
Xavi groans with irritation. I knew that was something he would never want. I don’t really need back up, but it makes him feel better if I have it.
He’s always worried for my safety.
I never thought Xavi was one to worry about anything, but that was before we moved to Newark. He’s changed a lot since then. He’s gotten serious and not in a good way. I always saw him as goofy, a man with golden retriever energy, but he went through a drastic shift. Xavi’s not talking about whatever made him like this, but neither me nor Massimo are pushing him on it either.
I know that look in his eyes, though–the one that has been there since I was arrested–and it paints an ugly picture from my childhood. He went through something life-changing. Even though five years have come and gone, he’s still not ready to talk about it.
He’ll come to us when he’s ready if he ever becomes ready.
“I’m gonna have a smoke,” he mutters before he walks out the door, gently closing it as he leaves.
Yup. That’s a man in crisis if I’ve ever seen one.
CHAPTER 23
THE SHADOW
Xavi throws his head back laughing for the first time in a really long time, but it’s clearly done to mock me. “Seriously, dude? Are you really going to confront Bronlike that?”
I roll my eyes at him as I pull the hood of my jacket over my head. He can make fun of my theatrics all he wants, but I’m making sure there is no way she can deny it’s me who’s taking her.
Even I can admit that I don’t look the same as I did five years ago. So, I dressed the way she remembers me. Black hoodie, dark jeans and boots with the same face paint design I used to use when our band was still a thing.
There’s no way she won’t know it’s me.
“Shut up and get in the car,” I demand as I pull the keys out of my pocket.
“Fine.” He groans as he makes his way to the car. He gets situated in the front passenger seat as I climb in and put the keys in the ignition. On the drive, he calls the plane and tells them to be on stand-by and to send another car to Bronwyn’s house, giving the instruction to leave the keys in the car.
That’s the only way this will run smoothly. Xavi has been tasked with getting the kid out of the house and to the plane. He can’t leave her there by herself to pick us up. That would be dangerous for the child. She’s got to be only four years old. She can’t be left on her own, even if she’s sleeping.
Xavi will keep her safe and protected while I deal with her mother and stepfather.
