“Call me Mercy, and you too.”
“God, can we come in your car!” Phoenix mutters, stepping up to the group. “Riding with Diesel is like riding with a damned slave driver. You laugh, he barks at you, you cry, he barks at you, you fucking fart, the dick barks at you.”
We all burst out laughing.
“Well, if you weren’t such an annoying little shit, I wouldn’t bark at you,” Diesel mumbles.
“Seriously, can we swap?” Phoenix pleads.
“Not sure what’s better, an annoying, farting Phoenix or Molly’s terrible singing,” Jack mutters.
“Fuck that, you keep that girl and her singing,” Diesel says, crossing his arms. “I’ve witnessed it. I’d rather Phoenix.”
I laugh.
“Hurry up, we’re so close, stop chattering!” Matilda says, skipping up to Diesel and poking his ear with her finger.
“Matilda, I swear, I’ll drop you,” he growls at her.
Mercedes bursts out laughing.
“Stop poking the bear, sister.” She giggles. “He’s moody.”
“Not been keeping up the lovin’, Merc?” Matilda laughs, wiggling her brows.
Mercedes winks. “Oh, there’s plenty of lovin’. He’s just got that constant moody thing going on. Like a man period.”
Diesel looks to the sky. “God fuckin’ give me strength.”
I laugh again.
“Well, come on, TJ is waiting in the car,” Matilda says, and I hear Roman snort.
I glance at him, and he winks at me. What am I missing?
“Long story, but you wait until you meet the man Matilda calls her boyfriend,” Jack whispers in my ear. “Roman calls him Calvin Klein. The man is a woman, a pretty woman, but a woman all the same.”
“Oh,” I grin. “Okay.”
“Stop whispering, you lovers, and let’s go!” Matilda claps again.
“Right, let’s roll.”
I follow Jack to the truck, and we all climb back in. I glance back at Molly, who is still sleeping on the back seat, snoring softly.
I shake my head, but I can’t wipe the smile off my face.
Yeah, these people ... They’re the best type.
Without a doubt.
CHAPTER 16
THEN – MADDIE
“Where have you been?”
I have just stepped through the front door when York’s voice hits me like a whip. It’s angry, I can tell right away. I let my eyes travel around the room, until they settle on him sitting on the sofa, leaning forward, elbows on his knees. It’s not too late, maybe just past eight PM. I’ve been working all day, and then Shania was in town for the evening so I went to dinner with her.
I wasn’t long.
“I was at work,” I say carefully, trying to judge his mood.
He’s been good the last week, and his moods have seemed to lessen. At least, that’s what it appeared like. He hasn’t been angry, or yelling, or having highs and lows. He’s slept a lot, sure, but I figured that was because he was trying to stop using. So, seeing him sitting on the couch, his face filled with that familiar rage, has my heart twisting and my body going on high alert.
“You finished work at five. It’s now past eight. I’ll ask again, where the fuck have you been?”
I place my bag down carefully, wondering how to respond. York isn’t a big fan of Shania; he thinks she’s no good for me. I didn’t tell him she was in town, because I didn’t know until half way through the day and I knew he’d be sleeping so I didn’t bother him with a phone call. He’s never gotten upset if I’m late before, so it seems odd he is now.
“Shania was in town for the afternoon, she had been here for work, we caught up before she flew out.”
“Liar!” York bellows, swinging his arm out and sending a lamp off a nearby table across the room. “You’re a fucking liar. Are you cheating on me?”
What?
“York, stop,” I squeak, stepping backwards towards the door. “I swear I’m telling the truth.”
“You’re a fucking liar,” he growls, standing and storming over to me. I have nowhere to go, the door is closed behind me, and I don’t want to turn my back.
I’m frozen in fear.
York stops in front of me, his big body towering over mine. “Is there another man? Have you been taking someone else’s cock?”
I flinch. “No. I swear. I haven’t been doing anything. I really was with Shania.”
“You think I’m going to believe that pathetic lie?”
His eyes are crazed. He’s acting like a psycho. Where’s there paranoia coming from? I know the answer even before I’ve finished asking myself the question.
“I’m telling you the truth. If you don’t believe me, call her and—”
Thump.
His fist connects with my cheek, and my head swings to the side. My knees give out, and I slump to the ground, shocked, in agony, and terrified. I look up at him through blurred vision. He punched me. He. Punched. Me.
“Don’t you fucking insult me, you little bitch. That stupid cow would tell me whatever she thought you wanted to protect you. Now, I’ll ask you again, where the fuck were you?”
“I’m telling the truth!” I cry.
He reaches down, tangling his fingers in my hair and jerking me up. A scream escapes my throat, and my hands go out, trying to claw him off me. He drags me down the hall, me screaming at him to stop. It feels like he’s going to rip my hair clean out of my head, and my cheek is throbbing. I’m terrified. My legs are shaking. My body is numb. I want to fight but fear has its hands gripped tightly around me.
“York.”
I hear Rae’s voice and York stops. She’s standing at her room, staring in shock at the way he’s dragging me as if I’m no more than a rag doll.
“Get into your fucking room, Rae. This has nothing to do with you.”
“You’re hurting her,” she says, her eyes bloodshot.
“Get to your room!” he roars.
“Please stop hurting her,” she begs, and it’s the first time in a while I’ve heard her show genuine concern. My eyes water as York’s grip tightens on my hair.
“Last chance,” he growls.
“York, stop.”