The kids are in their rooms, doors shut, televisions blaring when I get home. Such an extreme difference from when I was a kid, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ll spend the rest of my life working my ass off so these kids have the things they want, not only the things they need.
Jenni’s in the shower singing at the top of her lungs. I’d like nothing more than to step into that shower and get her nice and dirty, but I got shit to do.
I take my time as I wash the blood from my hands and face, knowing that I should change my shit before Roxy comes out of her room. Maggie would have a field day if word got back to them that I had blood on my clothes. Not a lie in the world would get me outta that mess. I head down the hall to the bedroom, I stop when I hear pounding on the front door. Now I’m pissed off. Yaking at the handle of the door, it swings open with ease.
“What the fuck…”
My words die as I see an older man standing on my porch. Thin face with sharp edges, and a salt and pepper goatee to match his graying slicked back hair. He’s wearing a thick wool coat and black leather gloves. His lips are in a thin line as his eyes rake over me, his eyes widening as he takes in my appearance. My bloody appearance. I can feel my blood boil as judgement rests so clearly on this son of a bitch’s face. How dare he step foot on my property, on Fury ground, and disrespect me. My jaw tics, fists clenching at my side as we have a silent standoff.
Footsteps hit the steps as another guy approaches. This one is younger, but just as put together. Clearing his throat, the old man speaks. “I’m looking for Sarah.”
“Don’t know no bitch by the name of Sarah, buddy. Get the fuck off my property.”
His eyes cut to behind me. “Sarah Jennifer Hoyt! You need to come out here, now!” he growls.
“The fuck?” I take a step forward to beat the shit out of this fucker, but I feel her hand on the base of my back, stopping me.
“Daddy?” she questions, and my heart sinks.
Coming up beside me, her hair is still dripping. When she doesn’t try to get any closer to the two men, I begin to breathe. Her arm wraps around my waist, and I know it’s going to be all right. It’s fucking crazy how her simple touch can put me at ease.
Her head swings to the younger guy. “Micah?” Worry laces her voice. “What are you doing here? Is Momma okay?”
“Sarah.”
He uses that name again. The sound of it is foreign to my ears, and my jaw tics in annoyance. When I glance down at Jenni, she’s already looking up at me. Fear set in her eyes. She swallows, her throat contracting under the pressure. Pulling her into my body, I need to make sure that she knows there’s no reason for her to feel anything but my strength.
“I’ll ask again, Daddy. Is Momma all right?”
The old man doesn’t make an effort to talk, but the younger guy clears his throat. “Your mother is fine, Sarah.”
“Why the fuck do you keep calling her Sarah?” I growl. “And who the fuck are you?”
Jenni squeezes her arms around my waist. It’s her time to reassure me. Crazy how we can feed off each other. How, without thought, we give and take from each other. Silently supporting.
“We call her Sarah because that is her God-given name.” The old man sneers, eyes full of disgust.
“This is my father, Daniel Hoyt, and this is Micah, my…um, a childhood friend.”
“The man you’re intended to marry,” her father confirms.
I stiffen. “The fuck?”
“No.” Jenni straightens her shoulders, shaking her head with determination, becoming more of the woman I know. “That’s not true.”
“It is.”
“No. It’s not. I–”
“Your time is up, dear daughter. It’s time to come home and be the woman you were raised to be. Enough of playing and living in Satan’s playground with,” he flicks his fingers to me, “Satan’s children. I forbid any more of your foolishness. Micah is ready to wed, he has been called to serve, and so you shall be ready too.”
“I’ve been gone for months, and you’re just now coming to me?”
“I don’t have the liberty to run off, Sarah.”
“Please stop using that name, Father. You know I haven’t gone by that since I was a young child.”
“I have responsibilities, Sarah,” he states, ignoring her request. “My congregation needs their leader. How can a flock continue down its destined path without their shepherd? I can’t go traipsing all over the country on a whim. Not when so many look to me for guidance. There was never a good time. Besides, the Lord spoke to me. I prayed from the moment you left, and the Lord told me to allow my lamb to reach the den of the lions. Only then would you see your path and come home. Now I’m afraid that I might have misheard the Lord’s instructions.”
He shakes his head. “So many sins mar your once pure soul. Such a waste, you’ve become such a waste. But no worries. We’ll cleanse you. You’ll be pure of heart, body, and soul again. I’ll see to it.”
“Hold the fuck up–”
“Tylan.” She lowers her voice. “Can we do this somewhere else? I don’t want the kids to hear.”
“Kids?” Daniel questions, tilting his head. “I see. Of course, he has kids. Oh, child…” He shakes his head. “What have you gotten yourself into?”
I’ve had about enough of this shit. “I don’t know what backwoods shit you think you got going on, but you need to step the fuck off. Both of you. Get the fuck off my property.”
I take a step forward, making them retreat off the porch. They stumble back, but I continue to charge forward with Jenni hot on my heels. They both stop once they reach the end of the grass where a sleek white Cadillac sits idling next to the curb.
“Tylan? Please.” She pulls my arm, making me give her my undivided attention. Her gaze moves to her father, and then back to me. “He’s my father. I–I need to explain.”
“You know he doesn’t give a fuck what you think, right?”
She doesn’t answer, but the tears that start to build in her eyes is my undoing. Turning back to the men, I give them the only option I feel comfortable with.
“I want you the fuck away from my family, but she wants to talk. You’re lucky your daughter means something to me, or I wouldn’t even entertain the idea. So here the deal; you and your minion are gonna accompany me to my clubhouse. There and only there is where you’ll have your time with your daughter before you bounce yourself right the fuck outta here.” I turn toward Jenni. “Now, get some more fucking clothes on, and I’ll make sure your Daddy gets where he needs to be.”
There’s a war raging within me. I want to snap these fuckers in two. Make them bleed until they know they have no business here. She’s not their concern, not anymore. I’ll be damned if he thinks he’s going to take the one ray of sunshine in my otherwise, dark, fucked up world. I’m not willing to go back to the person I was before she showed me the light. If I have to permanently dispose of these two fuckwads to do it, then I will. Father or not.
As soon as Jenni retreats into the house, her father opens his mouth again. “This is none of your concern. Her time here with you is over.”
I straighten to my full height. “I don’t fucking think so.”
“And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.”
“I don’t give a fuck what Bible crap you tried to throw at me, but if I were you, I’d turn my shit off, or you’re liable to lose your car. You know, it being parked in the Devil’s playground and all that.”
Instantly Daniel begins to instruct that pansy ass Micah to secure his vehicle and the sound of their dress shoes clicking on the concrete. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Sin and Savannah standing on Bianca’s porch, watching. The audible gasp that hits my ears tells me that Savannah’s as surprised to see him here as I am.