Page 39 of Stevie
“I speak Spanish. I said I didn’t speak Croatian.”
“Pfft. And why no? Croatian a good language!” Leaning back, I cross my arms over my chest and stare at the woman in amusement.
“Well, I’ve never needed to learn it.”
“Well, now you do. Your girl is mostly Croatian, the parts that matter.” She mutters the last part, and I snort out a laugh.
“Not a fan of Stevie’s dad, huh?” She waves her hands dismissively.
“You no fan of expired meat. His meat expire long before his heart did.” I turn in my chair and cough to hide my laugh.
“I’m sure he would appreciate being remembered so fondly.”
“He do one good thing, and it take him a minute to do. I know this, it was between the commercial break of the spinning wheel show. You know the one? Guess the words and win the prizes. Zora think I can’t hear, I hear all. She also bad faker,” Oh my god, this woman has to stop. I’m going to die from laughing but also, I don’t know how happy Stevie would be knowing I now know how she was conceived. “Man very dim in head, and he have the soft cock handshake. You no trust a man who puts a soft cock in your hand as introduction.”
“Uhh… yeah,” I laugh lightly. “I can honestly say I wouldn’t want a soft cock in my hand.” She nods before looking me up and down.
“Are you marrying my Stefa?” I nearly fall out of my chair at her question.
“Uhhh…” Laughing nervously, I look around for someone,anyone,to help me. Naturally, I’m left here alone with this psychotic old woman. “I wouldn’t say we are at the marriage portion of this relationship.” Man, is it getting hot in here?
“Relationship? You mean…” I watch realization dawn over her weathered face, and a devious smile emerges. “Ha! Zora! Mama right! The vision of the bear!”
I’m about to ask her what she is talking about when someone busts through the door. It’s fucking Vincent, and I jump to my feet instantly.
“Where is the bitch?” he snarls as he shoves Zora, who is walking out of the kitchen, into the counter.
“Hey!” I roar as I approach the would-be man and grab him by his shirt. “You seem to have a problem keeping your hands to yourself.”
Vincent spits in my face before smirking. “Could say the same for you. Putting your cock in my pussy.” He barks out a laugh, “Not that I did much in that nasty, broken thi–” I punch him across his face before dropping his unconscious body to the ground.
“Really? One punch?” That’s depressing. “Nika! NO!” I yell as I grab the old woman as she is charging Vincent with her cleaver.
“Ne Bear! He hurt my Stefa! I kill many men but none more worthy! You let me down!”
“Nika!” I say as I set her on her feet and grip her shoulders. “If anything happens to you, Stevie will die. I will handle Vincent.”
“What will you do?” Zora asks, pulling Nika to her side. I sigh as I grab my phone and tap out a text, telling Greyson to come back to the cafe.
“I don’t know, and it’s best that you two don’t find out.”
“Brooks,” I freeze at Nika, calling me by my name; it’s jarring. I look at the woman, and for the first time, I see a scared grandmother, and it’s heartbreaking. “I… I come from a time when men take what they wanted from the women. You keep head down and mouth shut. Only once for me, and then I took to the fights. I come here to the America to protect my bejbes. My Zora and later, Stefa. To know I failed my Stefa, and to know that coward is here, still taking…” she scoffs while shaking her head. “You no fail our girl. No other chances. You make him go, or you give him to me. This ends now.” It’s an odd conversation to have with your girlfriend’s mom and grandma while her ex is unconscious on the floor of their donut shop. But then again, nothing with my girl has ever been what you would consider “normal.” I give Nika a nod just as Greyson walks back in.
“You!” Nika huffs. “You no bury the body. That how you end up trading the cigarettes for chips!” Greyson looks from Nika to me, then to Vincent and back.
“Okay, I’m not sure what’s going on, but if that crazy woman punches me in the throat again, I’m going to be pissed.”
* * *
“Please!” Vincent screams through his snot and tears. “I-I don’t know why I’m here!”
“You haven’t even touched him yet.” Greyson sighs as if disappointed. Vincent has been in our holding room at the office for twenty minutes and is in near convulsions. I look from the cowering man to Greyson, who is leaning against the wall with a bored expression on his face.
“You know exactly why you’re here,” I sigh in agitation. “You won’t leave Stevie alone.” His sniveling stops, and he looks up at me.
“What the fuck did that bitch tell you? Because I haven’t been around her fat ass since–” I walk over and grip his throat with my hand. Vincent struggles against the cuffs, securing his wrists to the chair as he stares into my eyes.
“Call her that again, and I’ll break your fingers,” I warn lowly. “Do we have an understanding?” Vincent gasps in response, and I let his throat go.
