Page 38 of Stevie
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Staring at my laptop screen, I rub my face with my hands as Greyson and I continue to look over everything we could dig up on Vincent Landry while sitting at Nuts about Dough. It’s not where I want to be, but between Stevie telling me I’m smothering her and Zora calling to say Nika nearly stabbed a man for commenting on Stevie’s video, I felt it best to come in and check on everything. Plus, Stevie kind of kicked me out again.
It’s ridiculous; she just had major surgery. I don’t want her moving around so much. I get that it’s helpful in the healing process, and the doctor said at her visit yesterday that she wants Stevie to start being more active, but I don’t want her to overdo it. I don’t want her to do something without being there to ensure she’s okay. Being away from her while she’s vulnerable is such a shitty feeling. It’s that helpless feeling again, like I get with my sisters or mom. All the what-ifs start, and then my chest starts to hurt.
I blink as my phone buzzes. I pick it up, thinking it’s Stevie asking me to return home. I’m disappointed when I see Indy’s name on the screen.
Indy: Hey Brooks. Last minute, I know, but Luca has a cold. Anyway, can you sub with him tonight at the hospital?
Me: Maybe? Can I call you in twenty minutes?
Indy: Absolutely! No pressure! If you can’t, I’ll ask Dex.
Yeah, she’s definitely going to have to ask Fox’s cousin, Dexter, to do it. I don’t know much about him other than he’s some big sports player, I couldn’t tell you what team or even sport. All I know is there’s no chance I will be able to give those kids the attention they deserve with my mind on Stevie and this fuckstick.
I glance back at the unremarkable man in his social media profile picture. Vincent is thin, with long, scraggly blond hair and piercings all over his face. He looks unwashed as he sits with some pretty young woman on his lap. She looks like she’d rather be anywhere than in his lap, and it makes me wonder if she might be his newest ex-apprentice.
“Interesting,” Greyson mutters, and I look at him as he leans over my chair.
“What is?” I ask as he pulls up another social media account, and there’s another photo with a different young woman with long dark hair like the previous one and the same uncomfortable look on her face.
“Those photos are two years apart, and it’s the same facial expression. Does he have another?” Greyson asks, more to himself as he starts typing away while I glance up to look as Nika eyes me. I feel like she might be mad at me for siding with Zora on the “no stabbing the customers” rule.
“Fucking shit,” Greyson sighs, and I know what he’s found.
“It’s her, isn’t it?” I ask, feeling nauseous. Greyson nods before moving to show me the photo on the screen. It’s weird seeing Stevie with long black hair. I look at how she’s standing, so proper and tense, with the tightest smile and nervous eyes. I glance at the caption, and I have to force down the growl.
Puppet begged like a good girl, so I gave her a set.
Gave her a set?I look over the photo of her again and notice the redness on her face.Her dimple piercings.He gave her those. One of my favorite things about her, he gave her.
“You alright?” Greyson asks. I glance at him and shake my head.
“No, man, I don’t think I am.” I let out a dry laugh. “I think I need to figure out where he’s staying, and fucking end him.”
Greyson gives me a nervous laugh. “Brooks, I love you and will always be your alibi, bail, and lawyer. I will help you bury the body, but–”
“Who bury the body?” Nika’s voice causes a literal shriek to leave me.
“Nika! What the hell? You can’t just sneak up on people like that!”
“Why no? I sneak, and then I hear more. Now, who bury?” Her eyes focus on my screen, and I watch them narrow. “Kuja…” she hisses as she storms up next to me. “This the man! He hurt my Stefa! Where? You tell Nika where!” I look from the angry woman to Greyson, then back to her.
“Nika, with all due respect, I don’t think you should be involved in this.”
“No, involve? What is?”
Greyson chuckles as he sits backward on the chair next to mine to get closer to her eye level. “It means,” he smirks, shaking his head. “Don’t you have a sweater to kni–” Nika punches him in his throat faster than I could blink, and Greyson is left gasping for air.
“Jebi Se,” she spits at the sputtering man. “You think because Nika is old and you have the cock you know the best?” She laughs and shakes her head. “I was taking over the villages while your djed was making the mistake of not pulling out. Do not fuck with me, boy.” She warns through gritted teeth before making a motion with her head. “Now, get the fuck out. A woman is speaking.” Greyson stares at me before shaking his head and leaving the cafe.
“Nika,” I say slowly as she inspects her nails. I can’t believe I’m having to have a conversation like this with Stevie’s old grandmother. “You can’t go around assaulting people.”
“Really? I did. Now, no bury the body. Svinja.”
“I… Nika, I don’t speak Croatian.”
“Ah… you Americans. Learn the one language and think you set for life. I know eight languages, and I own a donut shop. You work it the bodyguards, and you speak only the English?” I chuckle and shake my head.
