Chapter 20
Sam
After checking the lock on the garage one more time and saying goodbye to Ricardo, I still have a sense that something isn’t right. I check the home security app on my phone and everything is clear, so I stop Ricardo before he leaves.
“Hey, you wanna stay for a beer quick?” I ask.
“Yeah. I’ll stay, thanks. Besides, I got a weird feeling.”
“You too, huh?”
“Yup.”
While we talk, I scan the wide sidewalk, looking for anyone suspicious. Oh, hell, I know who I’m looking for. I bet he’s gonna be here tonight. I bet he followed us here. If so, this ends now.
I lean back against the rough exterior of my house, shooting the breeze with Ricardo. We stand within the slanted line of the light coming from the top of the garage door. Waiting. Ready. He’ll be here shortly, I’m sure.
And right on cue…
“That’s my boy, not yours.” A male voice comes from the shadows just outside the light. Bingo.
“Is that right?” I answer and put my beer down. “You’ve got an interesting way of showing it.”
“You stay the hell away from him.” Matthew steps into the light and shows his face. His hair is tousled, his clothes still frumpy, his speech slurred.
“And why should I do that?” I smirk and stand tall as he approaches.
“You don’t know who you’re dealing with.” Several inches shorter than me, he puffs out his chest, trying to look tough, but I see through him when he stumbles. He’s drunk.
Ricardo sets his beer down on the concrete and steps forward.
“Yeah, I kinda do. Deadbeat. Drunk. You fucking locked up your family.” My index finger taps his nose and he swats it away. “You had your chance and you messed up. Now it’s my turn.”
His piercing eyes lock with mine as his hand curls into a fist. “She’s mine. I’m gonna get her back. I’ll kill you if I have to!”
He pulls his arm back, winding up for the punch. I catch his swinging arm before it gets anywhere near my face, and Ricardo joins me. We push him a little too hard up against the sharp edges of the wall and knock the wind out of him.
“Stay away from her. And stay away from me and my business,” I say.
He huffs and tries to jerk away from the grip I have on his arm, but the two of us hold him back.
“Or I’ll have you arrested. I’ve got you on my security cameras at work, and you’re on camera right now. I have access to lawyers who could make sure you never see the light of day again.”
He freezes. Now I’ve got his attention.
“She’s moved on. She’s mine now. Go home before I call the police.”
His eyes search mine and seem to fall toward surrender with each passing second.
My voice softens a bit as I say, “And you know what? I’m gonna do you a favor. I’m gonna take care of your boy for you. I’ll keep him safe and feed him. I’ll rock him to sleep and play ball with him. But you gotta get sober, man. You have to get well or you’re going to do more damage than you already have. Go home and get some help.”
“Matthew?” Eve is standing at the open service door of the garage.
“Eve!” He fights against us, trying to get to her, but we hold on tighter.
“What are you doing here? Why aren’t you at Riverside?”
“I needed to see you.” He smiles, looking hopeful.
She storms toward us. “So you follow me around and stalk me? What the fuck?”
“I just came here tonight to say goodbye, but these fuckers won’t let me go.” He pulls away from us, and we let him. He loses his balance, stumbling to the concrete.
“What is wrong with you? You can’t do this anymore, Matthew. I should call the police! I should have called the police before!” Her voice is low and powerful, her eyes darkening in anger with every word. Her posture is straight, poised, and proud. God, I love her. “Get out of here. Now.”
He stands up like he’s going to walk towards her, so I keep my arms out to protect Eve if needed, but he stops and stares at her, then finally looks down.
His posture changes; he looks defeated. “Okay. But I’m coming back. You’ll see, Eve. We’re still meant to be.”
He quietly walks away, his figure swallowed by the shadows of my neighborhood. I barely see him get into an old beater of a car. The raspy engine rumbles to life, and the muffler drags intermittently as he drives away.
I hope he’ll leave us alone now. That was his last chance.