by Nikki Ash
“Lady, this shit ain’t your fucking business. I suggest you worry about yourself,” scary guy number one says, getting in my face. He places his hands on my shoulders roughly, attempting to shove me out of the way to get to Marco, but I plant my feet firmly in the ground, refusing to let him get to him.
“Bitch, you need to move out of my way.” He’s too strong and my body begins to sway against my will. I don’t want him getting to Marco, but I’m not going to be able to go up against these guys.
I consider yelling for help, but suddenly his hands are off me and he’s practically flying into the side of my vehicle. When my heart slows down, I realize Caleb has scary guy number one up against the side of my car, and scary guy number two doesn’t even try to help. I don’t blame him. Angry Caleb looks downright frightening.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing putting your hands on her? Did she say you could put your hands on her?”
Chapter Six
Caleb
To say Christmas was a clusterfuck of epic proportions would be an understatement. The morning started out great. Faith woke up to a million presents under the tree from Santa. Kayla, Bentley, and I watched her rip apart the paper, not even caring what was in the boxes. I swear she loved the wrapping paper more than the items inside. Unfortunately when Kayla asked Bentley to grab her camera it all went downhill fast. Bentley found a prenuptial agreement she was hiding that her shitty lawyer mom put together and shit hit the fan. He left, then she left, and after a few hours, she came back in tears and spent the rest of Christmas day crying on my shoulder.
This isn’t the first time Kayla has fucked up. She hid her pregnancy from Bentley in the beginning and moved back to Florida to live with her parents. I hate that she did that, but I know she was scared and quickly owned up to it. I think the reason Kayla and I became close was because I watched how protective she was of those she loves, especially Bella and Liz. Liz and Kayla are best friends and for years she helped her raise her daughter. I guess I choose to see the good in her. I choose to trust her to an extent, probably more than I trust any woman, but I also don’t have to sleep with her or marry her. I know she’s been through a lot of shit and has pretty crappy parents. I don’t like some of the choices she’s made, but my job is to be her friend and let her and Bentley figure their shit out.
When I think about how I’m able to open up and trust Kayla, and even Liz, it makes me wonder if maybe I could one day open up to a woman who isn’t engaged or married to one of my friends. I think it’s definitely easier to let a woman in that you know doesn’t have a chance of hurting you. Kayla and Liz can’t do anything to me. They can’t use me or cheat on me—I’m not vulnerable to them. I just can’t imagine being in a situation where I ever feel so out of control ever again.
And if Kayla and Bentley’s shit wasn’t enough to fuck up Christmas, I got a call from my father’s attorney requesting to speak to me in person. While he’s an old friend of my father’s, I don’t know what the fuck he could want from me, and after seven years, I can’t imagine there is anything left to say. The fact that my father couldn’t even call me himself and had to have his lawyer call me instead speaks volumes. If he wants to talk, he can call me his damn self.
It’s been three days since Christmas and since Kayla has finally got it together long enough to go to work, I decide I’m going to go train for a little bit. After a couple hours of working out, Marco shows up. I ask him how his Christmas was and he just shrugs his shoulders. Something is definitely going on with this kid. Yeah, shit has always been rough for him, but he never used to let it get him down like this.
I offer to spar with him and show him some new moves and he lights up. While we’re working out I notice Hayley observing us. She doesn’t have the look of lust like she used to, though, and for some reason once again it’s making me want her. I’m pretty sure a therapist would have a field day with my fucked up logic. Her smile is more friendly and less flirty and without thinking about it I smile back at her. She gives me a small wave and I can’t help but watch her as she walks away. I would be blind not to notice how sexy she is. How did I seriously not notice her before?
“Do you like her?” Marco asks, taking me away from staring at her perfect ass as she enters her office.
“Huh? Like who?” I ask, confused.
He nods toward where Hayley just was and grins.
“We’re just friends,” I say before throwing a punch to his gut to make him block.
“Really? Cause you look like you wanna give her some cooties,” he sings while waggling his eyebrows before busting out laughing. I throw another punch to his stomach and he drops to the ground laughing and singing some stupid song about kissing in a tree.
I jump on top of him and start grappling with him. He gets serious and tries to throw me off when his phone rings. He taps out and gets up to go check it.
“Hey, I gotta go,” he says, frowning down at his phone.
“Where do you need to be?”
I notice he once again doesn’t make eye contact. “I gotta go help my mom out. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
“Yeah, okay. If you need me you know my number. Right?”
“Yeah, I do,” he says distractedly, gathering up his stuff quickly.
I take a quick shower to rinse off then head to the parking lot to go home. While checking my texts I see one from Kayla.
Kayla: Bentley and I made up!! We’re getting married New Year’s Eve!! You’re a groomsman!
As I’m texting her back, I look up before crossing the street and see Marco and Hayley near her car, only they aren’t alone. The two guys I saw Marco talking to the other day are also there, and one of them appears to have his hands on Hayley while Marco is hiding behind her.
I throw my phone in my pocket and run over to them. When I get closer I hear him threatening her and everything goes red. Without even thinking, I grab the fucker by the back of his shirt and throw him up against the car.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing putting your hands on her? Did she say you could put your hands on her?” I scream into his face. He looks shocked, and out of the corner of my eye, I can see his pussy friend trying to decide if he should intervene. He takes a step back. Good choice, motherfucker.
“I don’t know what the fuck is going on here, but whatever it is, you don’t ever put your hands on a woman without her permission. Got me?”
He nods like the scared pussy he is, and I release him. Now that my hands aren’t on him, he gets his balls back. “Marco owes us and we will be collecting. You heard that, Marco? You can run, but you can’t hide.”
“What the fuck does he owe you?”
“That’s between Marco and us, loco,” he says, walking away. I don’t take my eyes off either of them memorizing everything I can about them. I have a feeling this won’t be the last time they come around here. Just before they get in their car, the other guy looks right at Hayley. “You are a pretty little bitch. Maybe you can help Marco give us what he owes us. I might be willing to make a deal.” He winks at her and gets in the car.
Whatever she said to them, put her on their radar, and guys like that don’t let shit go. That wasn’t just a comment. That was a threat, one they will most likely try to make good on.
I look over at Hayley and Marco and they both look terrified. I want to find out what the guys said to her and what Marco owes them and I will soon, but I want them both to calm down first.
“Where are you guys going?” I ask.
Hayley’s body visibly relaxes and Marco comes out from behind her. “We’re going to get some dinner… Umm… Would you like to join us?” Hayley asks nervously, making me realize I need to work on how I act toward her. I don’t want her feeling like she can’t even speak to me.
“Absolutely. Let’s take my truck.”
She doesn’t argue. After locking up her car and getting into my truck we head to a local bar and grill Hayley suggests. While we’re driving the
re, her phone rings. She gives me an apologetic look and accepts the call. I can only hear her half of the conversation, but it’s obvious she was supposed to go out with some guy and is canceling last minute.
“Hey Greg… I’m sorry. I was just about to call you… I’m going to have to cancel… Yeah, something came up… Sure, I’ll call you when I know I can make it… Okay, bye.”
For some crazy reason the thought of Hayley on a date with another guy forces my fists to tighten on the steering wheel. It makes me want to lock her up and keep her for myself. Only she isn’t mine.
Once we are seated and the waitress takes our drink orders I reach into my pocket and take out a twenty-dollar bill, handing it to Marco.
“Why don’t you go get change and play some video games?” I nod toward the game room in the corner.
His eyes widen in shock, breaking my heart. The kid has probably never played a video game. He looks down at the money and back up to me unsure.
“Go on, and don’t come back until you’ve spent it all.”
“Thank you!” he says, before he takes off running to the video arcade room.
“What did they say to you?” I ask Hayley, getting straight to the point. I need to know how bad this is.
“Nothing really. They wanted something Marco took that didn’t belong to him. I told them they shouldn’t hold a child accountable and they told me to mind my own business. The one guy tried to get around me to speak to Marco, and when I wouldn’t let him, he called me a bitch. That’s when you walked up.”
“It’s got to be the drugs… or money.”
“I’m terrified for him, Caleb. Those guys were scary.” It’s definitely not what I should be thinking about right now, but my name coming from Hayley’s mouth is like an instant jolt straight to my dick. I have never felt like this before, and I have no idea where it’s coming from, but it’s been happening more and more lately. It’s like the minute she stopped outwardly wanting me, I can’t stop thinking about her.
“I’ll talk to Marco and see what’s going on. Whatever it is we’ll figure it out.”
Hayley’s phone dings and when she looks down at her phone she frowns.
“Everything okay?”
She looks back up and I notice a light blush spreading across her cheeks.
“Yeah, as you kind of heard in the truck, I was supposed to go out on a date tonight. I joined some stupid dating site in attempt to meet someone. Anyway, I canceled when I saw Marco outside. I know it was rude of me to cancel last minute, but he’s being kind of mean about it.”
Does this woman not realize how beautiful she is? Why would she think she needs a dating site? Every guy around her that’s single practically drools over her, and she definitely doesn’t need to put up with some asshole who doesn’t understand life happens.
“Maybe it’s not too late to meet him. I can stay with Marco... Then he won’t be so mad.” I have no idea why the hell I’m even suggesting that. The thought of her leaving us to go on her date makes me sick.
She frowns but quickly replaces it with what looks like a fake smile. “That’s okay. I already told him we could reschedule.”
I want to ask her why my suggestion made her sad but then Marco comes running back, out of money, and sits down, grabbing on his drink, and my mind immediately goes back to Marco and keeping him safe. There’s no way I’m letting anything happen to this kid. The waitress comes over, and after we order, I figure now is as good a time as any to ask Marco what’s going on.
“Marco, can you tell us who those guys were and what they were talking about?”
He instantly looks nervous, bouncing his eyes back and forth between Hayley and me.
“You can trust us, Marco,” Hayley adds in a soothing voice that makes me want to see how well she can soothe my dick. What the fuck is going on with me?
“Umm… Well… The guy you put up against the car is Hector and the other guy is Santos. I ran an errand for them to make some money and my mom borrowed the money I owe them. She promised to pay it back. She said she just needed to buy Chloe diapers. But she hasn’t given me the money back yet, and Hector and Santos want the money because their boss Antonio needs it.”
Fuck. His mom took the money he owes these guys, probably to buy more drugs. This isn’t good. I can easily pay them back, but this isn’t just about money. Guys like them don’t like to be stolen from. This is about pride, about sending a message. They will definitely be sending a message.
“Okay, how much do you owe them?”
“Two thousand dollars.”
Holy shit! What the hell are these guys doing trusting a fucking twelve-year-old with that kind of money? Hayley hasn’t said a word. She looks scared as shit for this kid. I don’t know much about Hayley, but I know she comes from a good family, and while I do as well, I also come from a home where my stepmom runs a strip club, which is shady as fuck, and used to pimp out her teenage stepson. Oh, I didn’t mention that before? Yep, my dad met Gloria at a strip club and decided to marry her and then fund her opening her own strip club. I used to see some crazy shit go down at that club when I would have to go see her.
Then working at the clubs on the strip, watching the deals go down every night, you learn real quick how fucked up life can be. I’ve stood in on too many deals to count at the clubs. To make extra money I’ve taken private bodyguard jobs to escort guys into business meetings. You have no idea how corrupt Las Vegas truly is until you’ve sat in a few of those meetings.
The difference is, those meetings were with legitimate businessmen—even if they are corrupt—not fucking gang members hanging out on the streets. The men I’ve dealt with aren’t hiring twelve year old’s to deliver their drugs for them.
“We’re going to go by the bank and I’m going to give you the money to give to those guys, okay? But Marco, you can’t keep running errands for them. They aren’t good guys.”
“I know but the money they pay me helps my mom. It gives Chloe her formula and diapers. My mom doesn’t have a job right now.”
“We’ll figure it out. Just promise me, no more running errands for them. Got it?”
“Okay,” he agrees, but I can see the fear in his eyes. There’s more to this than he’s telling us.
After we’re done eating, I run by the bank just before it closes and take out the money. I drop Hayley off at her car and take Marco to his house. I’m not stupid enough to just give the kid the money.
“I want you to call or text those guys and tell them you have their money. I’m going to wait here while you give it to them.”
“Okay.”
After a few minutes, the guys pull up and get out of the car. We’re parked in front of Marco’s house and I tell him to stay in the car while I get out to deal with the guys.
The guy Marco said was named Hector walks up to me first. “Que pasa, loco? Where’s Marco?” What’s up?
“Here’s three grand. The two grand he owes you and one more for your trouble.” I take the envelope of money and shove it into his chest. “Leave Marco alone.”
“Hey now, nobody forced him to do anything. He needed money and we offered him a job.”
“Yeah, well, consider his employment terminated as of now.”
“Whatever you say,” he says with a smarmy smirk.
I walk back to my car knowing this shit isn’t over but not sure what else to do. Marco gets out and I walk him up to the door. I can hear the baby screaming inside, so I follow him in. The house is fucking gross and smells like piss. The baby is on the floor on a blanket, red-faced, screaming and crying her head off without her mom anywhere to be found.
Marco goes straight to her, picking her up with expertise as he tries to soothe her. His mom walks out looking strung out on drugs just like the last time I saw her. Before she sees I’m here, she yells at Marco.
“Where the fuck have you been? I need you to get some formula for the baby! And I’m fucking exhausted from dealing with Chloe. It’s your turn to watch
her…”
Before she can finish, I clear my throat indicating they aren’t alone. She doesn’t even have the audacity to look apologetic that I just witnessed her treat her kid like absolute shit. She walks by me to her room and slams the door shut.
Marco goes to the cabinet and pulls out a can of what I imagine is formula since he pours some into a bottle, heats it up, and feeds it to the baby.
“I bought some last night, but she was asleep when I got home and wasn’t awake yet when I left this morning,” he says, like it’s perfectly normal for that bitch to speak to her kid like that. I’m speechless. I’m watching a twelve-year-old act like a father to a baby when he’s still a fucking baby himself.
“Hey, I’m going to take care of this, Marco. I promise you.”
“Please don’t report my mom. If you do, they’ll take away my sister. They’ll put us into foster care. Some of my friends went there and told me it’s really bad. Please don’t do that,” he begs.
I don’t even know how to respond to any of this. This is all so over my head, but there has got to be an answer.
“Okay, buddy. Let me think about it for a little bit and I’ll figure it out.” I take some money from my pocket and hand it to him. “Don’t show your mom this. It’s a hundred dollars. Use it to feed your sister and you. If you need money, you come see me. Okay?”
“Okay, thank you.” He burps his baby sister and then lays her down on the couch, patting her to sleep.
Chapter Seven
Hayley
It’s New Year’s Eve, which means it’s also Bentley and Kayla’s wedding night. We’re all standing at a local chapel on the strip listening to them say their vows to each other. Once Kayla decided she wanted to marry Bentley after almost losing him to her ridiculous insecurities she decided not to waste any more time. If she could have she would’ve married him the minute he said yes. Yep! You heard me right. She proposed to Bentley the second time around and of course he said yes. She wanted to get married immediately but agreed to New Year’s Eve to give her brother, Zach, time to get here for the ceremony.