Setting The World Right
Rage had blinded him before. Got the best of him so many times. He’d moved to the woods, to serenity, to heal and forget everything that had happened.
Seeing Amanda, the woman he loved, the woman who carried his child, sprawled out like a broken doll on the concrete sidewalk sent a jolt of pure, unadulterated hatred rocketing through his veins. The world turned red, closed in around him. Rage chocked his throat.
“Hey asshole!”
The guy at the top of the steps pointing down at Amanda like some version of a king in his pathetic castle, spraying spittle and glaring hatred, turned to look up.
The last color faded from his face that was already far too pale. He looked like he thought he was god’s gift to mankind in his expensive clothing, standing on the steps of a million dollar house. The fucker probably had a five hundred thousand dollar car in that triple car garage.
Big fucking deal. In Jason’s experience, all men crumbled the same, rich or poor.
He couldn’t look at Amanda. Couldn’t pick her up to see if she was alright. He would lose his shit completely and then he didn’t know what he’d do. Probably leave the guy half dead and that would help no one.
“Who are you calling an asshole?”
Phil curled his hand around the banister post on the porch and pointed an angry finger in Jason’s direction, thrust his shoulders forward and shored up his courage.
But the courage faltered fast as Jason neared. He ate up the sidewalk with his long strides. He watched Phil’s nostrils flare, a sure sign of fear.
He reached the steps and mounted them one by one. His boots scuffed heavily, the dull thuds pounding through a brain that refused to focus on any thoughts that didn’t involve pounding the scumbag in front of him right into the dirt. He’d knock him down first, probably with a single punch. Give him a blow or two after that for good measure. Maybe mop the porch with him before he sent him sprawling out onto the concrete like he’d sent Amanda. Jason had just pulled up and witnessed the entire exchange from the moment the door opened right until he threw Amanda down the stairs.
Phil must have seen the murderous intent in Jason’s eyes because, like a fool, he swung first. He could have dodged and run back into the house. Jason was actually a little shocked the guy even had the courage to try and hit him.
He easily dodged and Phil left himself open for a whole lot of punishment. Jason didn’t deal the blow though. He didn’t want this to be over so easily. Instead he ducked low and rammed his shoulder into Phil’s chest. The gasp of air rushing out was the most satisfying sound Jason had heard in a long time.
He kept going, using his weight to propel them backwards until Phil was pinned up against the front door of his own house. Jason edged his shoulder away, reached up and slipped his hand around Phil’s throat. He didn’t tighten his grip, but Jason got the hint. He went slack with fear and shut his eyes, waiting for the blow to land.
Jason drew back his fist. He was halfway to a bone crunching blow when Amanda’s scream rent the stillness of the morning.
“No! Jason, no!” She was there suddenly, beside him, on the porch. His brain cleared enough to focus on her moss hued eyes. “Don’t,” she plead. “Please. He’s not worth it. Don’t do this. Let’s just go.”
He understood what she wasn’t saying. That the slime ball he currently had in a choke hold had the money to make him pay. That Phil would press assault charges if Jason hit him. Amanda didn’t want that. She was clearly distressed and after what he’d just seen happen, he didn’t want to put her through anything more.
His fingers slowly unraveled, releasing their choke hold on Phil. “I want you to take a good look at her.” Jason turned the guy’s head and his eyes nearly bugged out. “Look at her. She’s the reason you were spared this morning. Money or not, cops or not, lawsuit or not, I would have loved to wipe your face in the dirt. Don’t think it won’t still happen. Pursue us in any way and I will come and make sure you pay. That isn’t a threat. It’s a promise.”
What blood was left in Phil’s face rushed out. He turned completely white and when Jason released him, he collapsed against the door, sliding down like a straw man.
Jason turned silently and strode down the steps. Amanda didn’t hesitate. She followed him silently, her bare feet padding on the cool concrete.
Half way down the driveway, Jason spotted a set of car keys sticking out of the pocket of her jeans. He reached down and extracted them. He raised a brow and she nodded once, in obvious agreement. He stalked back up the porch and Phil, coward that he was, started cowering again. Jason threw the keys at him. They landed with a dull metallic clink on the porch.
He turned and stalked back down the driveway. Amanda was already gathering her things out of the car. He loaded up the rest for her, throwing it in the back of his pickup while Phil watched, open mouthed.
After it was done, Jason helped Amanda into the passenger side. He hopped into the driver’s side of the bench seat and started the truck up. The old beast roared to life and Jason floored it away from Phil’s house. He felt oddly satisfied even though he’d been cheated out of the beating that Phil was due. It wasn’t really his to hand out anyway. Not if Amanda didn’t want him to.
He glanced over at her, but she sat quiet, staring straight ahead. She wouldn’t look at him. Wouldn’t, or couldn’t, he wasn’t sure which.
“I wasn’t going back to him,” she finally said.
“I know.” His hands clenched hard on the wheel. He wasn’t sure how he knew, but he knew. Amanda couldn’t do it. She couldn’t betray him like that. Whatever she was doing back there at her ex’s house, it wasn’t because she wanted to have a life with him. “We can talk more at the cabin.”
He started the long drive back to his home. A home that he might just get to share with a woman as beautiful and amazing and genuine as Amanda, if she let him.
Her silence filled up the truck, her only response, as they took the first turn in a series of many that would lead them back to the place she should never have had to leave.