Page 8 of Fire
Mac had won most of the hands as the hour wore on, which was good. It was because of her talent. She was ready, and if everything went as planned tomorrow night, my debt would be paid, and I wouldn’t have to deal with Dice again.
~
When it came time to take Mac home, my dad still hadn’t come home. There were more important things to think about than where my dad was, but being the dutiful son that I was, I decided that I would look for him if he wasn’t back when I got home from dropping Mac at her place. I was pretty sure he was out drinking, just like he did every other night. I couldn’t remember the last time he hadn’t called me to come and pick him up. Ever since he lost his job, his drinking had gotten worse.
Shaking my head, feeling a little peeved at my dad, I blamed myself for not doing anything about his drinking. Mac didn’t know about my dad’s drinking problem, but that wasn’t to say she didn’t notice something was wrong when we left my house. “Where do you think your dad went?”
I was too embarrassed to tell her about my situation. Knowing Mac, she would want to help. “Who knows? He probably went to the store or something.” I wasn’t lying. He could have run to the store, but it was unlikely.
Twenty minutes later, I was parked in front of Mac’s house, kissing her goodbye. Her lips were soft, and as I dipped my tongue inside her warmth, all the shit happening around me disappeared. Breaking our kiss sooner than I wanted, Mac’s sweet eyes met mine. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
When I nodded my head, Mac opened the door and got out. I waited until she was in her house before pulling away from the curb. I pulled out my phone and called the bar where my dad usually went as I drove away. After tonight, his days of drinking would be over. He had to stop. If he continued on this path, he would drink himself to death. Losing my mom was hard enough. If I lost my dad too, I didn’t know what I would do.
~6~
Axe
I could have kicked myself in the ass for treating Kenzi the way I had. But treating her that way was better than the alternative. No way could I let her know what I had to take care of. This shit had to stop. Van Wilkerson was about to get an earful.
After ensuring that Kenzi got inside the apartment building safely, I drove away. I should have thought this through a little better. I did not know where Van was, but I was pretty sure he no longer worked at the recruiting office. The number that he called me from was still in my cell, which was a good place to start. Grabbing my cell from the center console, I unlocked the screen and went to my recent calls. Van’s number was the only unknown call in my call log, so it was a no-brainer.
“We need to meet,” I snarled the minute Van picked up the call.
“What is this about, Riley? You aren’t trying to renege on our arrangement? Because if you are, it would be a stupid move on your part,” Van shot back, his arrogance shining through.
“I’m done with you and with your threats, Wilkerson. Since you aren’t willing to meet, I guess we are done.” I was pissed, and I just might have signed my own death warrant.
“Before you can turn around and head back to your upscale apartment, your little girlfriend will be dead. Did you honestly think that I didn’t know your every move? You don’t want to fuck with me, Riley. Our meeting will happen as planned.”
I flung my phone on the passenger seat and looked for a place to turn around and head back to the apartment. If Van so much as introduced himself to Kenzi, he was a dead man. I didn’t want her anywhere near my past. Van was ruthless and would do whatever it took to get what he wanted. It shouldn’t surprise me that he would stoop so low as to use my feelings for Kenzi against me. It was his M.O.
Parking my car next to Kenzi’s VW Jetta, I turned off the engine and sprinted toward my apartment building. The words that Van said kept running through my mind.“Before you can turn around and head back to your upscale apartment, your little girlfriend will be dead.”Van fucked with the wrong person.
I climbed the staircase two steps at a time. I had to get to Kenzi to make sure she was okay. The hallway leading to my apartment narrowed, and I could feel the walls close in on me. I had never known Van to go back on his word. If he were serious about killing her, he would. I could only pray that it was merely a threat to get my attention.
It took me two minutes to get to my apartment, but longer to punch in the code to open the door. I wasn’t sure what I was waiting for. Maybe the possibility of seeing Kenzi lying lifeless on the floor had something to do with it. Getting a grip on my emotions, I willed myself to enter the code and open the door. “Kenzi, I’m back. Where are you, baby?”
She wasn't in the living room or the kitchen, and when I went to check the bedroom, she wasn’t there either. Kenzi wasn’t here. I let out a breath of relief and pulled out my cell. Kenzi’s number was the first contact number on my speed dial list.
“Hey,” Kenzi answered, her voice small and distressed.
“Where are you at, baby?” I asked, keeping my tone as calm as possible.
“I’m at Reyna’s. Why? Is there something you need? I thought you had something to take care of.”
Based on her tone, she was still pissed at me. “It will have to wait until tomorrow. I’ll be there shortly to get you.”
“Umm… there’s no need. I’ve decided to stay the night with Reyna.”
“Come on, Kenzi. Don’t be that way. I’m sorry about earlier.” Kenzi was staying with Reyna because of me. I had to make things right with her. “How about I come and get you, and I take you to dinner—just the two of us?”
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Axe. Please, just give me a little space.”
There was something else going on with Kenzi besides the way I treated her earlier. But knowing Kenzi, it was best to let it go and give her the space she wanted. “Okay, baby. I love you.”
“I love you too, Axe.”
~
