“Don’t answer,” Mac says.
“I wasn’t going to,” I say. “Let’s do this.”
“Fuck yeah, darling,” Taz says.
“You’re sure?” Raf asks. “This is your family.”
“No, it’s not,” I say to Raf. “I don’t even know him. Everything’s been a lie.”
“This is family,” Aric says.
“Okay, we’re not getting fucking mushy here,” Mac says. “We have to finish this.”
Mac points to the door and everyone leaves.
I walk to the bed and grab the bag of money.
When I turn, Mac is standing right there.
He touches my face again.
“I thought we weren’t getting mushy?” I ask.
“I’m not getting mushy, sweetie. I’m just looking at you.”
“Why?”
“Because I’ve never loved someone the way I love you.”
I can’t believe what I’m about to do.
I stand behind all the guys.
I’m hidden by them.
They’re all so tall, wide, big. Muscles and attitude all around.
I hear the sound of a vehicle and my heart starts to slam inside my chest.
This is happening.
The vehicle stops and a door opens and shuts.
“Where is she?” my father’s voice asks.
“Your daughter or your mistress?” Mac asks.
“Fuck you,” my father says. “I’ll call the police right now.”
“I dare you to,” Mac says. “You know you can’t. I know you can’t.”
“What is this then? You want to threaten me? I can make a phone call right now…”
“You already would have,” Mac says. “I think I got all the answers I need.”
“Where’s my daughter? What did you do to her? Why did you take her?”
“I didn’t take her,” Mac says. “Right, Jolie?”
I walk forward.
Les and Taz break apart.
When I see my father, I want to cry.
But I remember all the secrets. All the lies. Everything he’s done. To me. To my mother. The danger he put us in without us knowing.
And I just walk.
I keep my face straight.
I carry the bag of money.
“Oh, Jolie,” he says. “Oh… god… you’re okay…”
“I’m not okay,” I say. “Neither are you. Who are you?”
“It doesn’t matter,” he says. “I can fix everything. Just come with me. That money… I can fix it all.”
I unzip the bag and take out the plane tickets. “What are these?”
“No, no, no, Jolie,” he says. “Don’t do that. That has nothing to do with you.”
“You were having an affair,” I say.
“Yeah, I was… I am… I love your mother very much.”
“But not enough to keep it in your pants,” I say.
“Jolie.”
“You wanted me to go to law school to protect you,” I say. “Right? You were going to have me help you. Everything was made that way. You were using me. You used me…”
It all hits me hard.
He didn’t just use me. He wasted my life. He wasted my time.
I reach down into the bag and take out a couple blocks of money.
“I’m keeping this,” I say.
“Sure,” my father says. “Whatever you want, Jolie. That money is all yours if you want. Okay? It’s all yours. Yeah. You take it. You do something good with it. Just get away from those guys. They aren’t real.”
“And you are?” I ask. “You’re a liar.”
“I am.”
“This money… just tell me the truth about it. Is it really yours?”
“Sort of, Jolie.”
“You owe money,” I say. “Gambling debts.”
“I do,” he says. “I have a problem.”
“The people… the people you work for… they own you, don’t they?”
“Jolie…”
“Tell me the fucking truth!” I scream.
My father lowers his head and sighs. “Okay.” He picks his head up. “Okay. I owe money to a few different people, Jolie. Okay? That’s all. Nothing I can’t handle. So I do some favors here and there. I take care of it.”
“Or you get beat up,” I say. “I saw pictures of you.”
“That was a long time ago,” he says. “I’m better off now. I promise. Just come home, Jolie. We can fix all of this. Your mother is worried sick about you.”
I look at the money.
There’s no way I can take it.
It’s got to be dirty… or fake… or something like that.
I drop the money back into the bag and drop it.
Then I kick it over.
The plane tickets spill out.
That’s when my heart begins to break.
He was really going to fly to Hawaii with Tanya. Just to get out of our lives. Out of my life. Not that he was really even in my life.
“So now what happens?” he asks.
“You go face the music,” Mac says. “Make sure it’s known by whoever you work for that they stay away from us. You do not want to start a war here. Believe me. You don’t know what you’re up against. Pay your fucking debt and walk away.”
“Take the money then,” my father says.
Mac walks up next to me and grabs my hand.
“Oh, I see what this is,” my father says. “You’re throwing your life away for this guy?”
“I’m finding my life with him,” I say.
“You’re a fool,” my father says. “Like your mother.”
Mac takes a step and I pull at his hand.
“Focus,” I whisper.
Mac lets out a growling sound.
Then he grabs some of the cash out of the bag.
I’m not done yet though.
I pick up the plane tickets off the ground.
And I rip them up.
That won’t stop my father from seeing Tanya. Or running away with her.
But it feels good to rip those tickets up.
I point to him. “I’ll talk to Mom when I’m ready.”
I turn and walk back to the guys.
Then I pause and look at Taz.
“Hey,” I say.
“Hey, darling,” he says.
“Feel like punching my father in the face?”
“I’d be honored to,” Taz says.
“Just one punch though, okay?”
“I swear on my life.”
I keep walking.
I don’t want to see it happen.
But just knowing he’s going to get hit makes me smile.
Mac catches up to me and slides his arms around me.
“I guess this means you’re mine forever now, sweetie.”
I turn my head and look at him.
“I guess so.”
He starts to kiss me.
And I hear Taz hit my father.
My life is a fucking mess.
But Mac makes it feels so good.
15
MAC
I scoop Jolie up from the porch and have her in my arms.
She looks at me with drunk eyes and we start to kiss.
“Ugh, what a bitch.”
Jolie stops kissing me and looks around. “Who the fuck just said that.”
“Oh, shit,” Les says.
He jumps from the railing to the porch.
I look at Jolie and nod.
I put her on her feet.
We’re having a freedom party for Jolie.
She doesn’t have to hide anymore.
Everything I need to know about her father I know. So I made sure to give Declan a call to let him know it’s all over. That means Declan is going to let everyone else know that Jolie is safe and sound. That her parents were just over worried for no reason. I don’t think it’s that simple, but it’s Declan’s job to figure out.
And if the cops come to bother Jolie about it, she’s
going to tell them she took a road trip on her own. That she made the decision to quit law school and her parents were pissed at her for it. So she left and went off on her own for a little bit. She was upset and threw her phone into the ocean, she just wanted to be left alone.
Simple as that.
Again… is it simple?
I don’t know.
But that’s the plan for right now.
Jolie looks around the porch.
It’s pretty full.
She points to some blondie near a pillar.
Blondie’s standing there with a low-cut shirt, her arms are under her breasts to push them high up in the air. Her blood-red, pouty lips and I don’t give a fuck face tell me this is going to be trouble.
“Mac, what are you doing?” Les whispers to me.
“Letting her go,” I say.
“Did you call me a bitch?” Jolie asks Blondie.
Blondie shrugs her shoulders. “Does it really matter?”
“What did I do to be a bitch?”
“Nothing.”
“I know what this is,” Les says from behind me.
I look back. “What is it?”
“She thought she was coming to get you tonight,” Les says. “That’s Nicole. She’s been after your dick for a while now, bro.”
“Shit,” I say.
I look forward just in time to see Jolie take the cup out of Nicole’s hand.
She takes a drink and then laughs.
“What is this? Fruit juice?” Jolie asks. “You don’t even know how to drink, you stupid cunt.”
“Holy shit,” Raf yells.
“You know what?” Nicole asks. “You are a bitch. You don’t even belong here.”
Without hesitation, Jolie pushes Nicole.
Down the steps.
I jump forward and slide my hands around Jolie’s waist to make sure she doesn’t fall too.
Nicole hits every step on the way down and ends up on the sidewalk.
The entire porch is silent.
“You’re fucking wild, sweetie,” I say.
“She’s not dead,” Jolie says.
Yeah, Nicole isn’t dead, but she’s crying.
“I’ve got this,” Taz says.
He walks to the steps and hurries down them.
I laugh. “Fucking Taz…”
“He loves them trashy and easy,” Les says.
Jolie turns to Les. “Did you just call Violet trashy and easy?”
“What?” Les asks. “No.”
“Watch your mouth, Les,” Jolie warns.
“Whoa, you are on fire tonight, sweetie,” I say to Jolie.
“Hey, I have an idea,” Aric says. “We can do something a little fun and crazy.”
“Bring it on,” Jolie says.
This drunk side of her is amazing to see.
“What are you thinking, bro?” I ask.
Aric smiles. “I have to check the fridge for something really quick.”
We’re on the top of the grassy hill nobody is supposed to be on.
Sitting under a dim lit light.
“This is childish,” Jolie says.
“Oh, I’m sorry, did the booze wear off?” Aric asks her.
He hands her an egg.
She looks at me.
“It’s fun,” I say.
“Seriously?” Jolie asks.
“Watch,” Aric says. He stands up and points. “That guy right there. His name is Tim. Timothy. Right? Stupid punk. I’m going to hit him.”
Aric lines up his throw and then the egg is sailing through the air.
I know who we are.
I know what we do.
But who says we can’t have a little fun, right?
The egg comes down and hits Tim right on the shoulder.
Jolie bursts into laughter.
She covers her mouth.
“Sorry,” she says.
Tim looks right at Aric.
“What the fuck?” Tim yells.
“Come up here and say that,” Aric yells back.
Tim keeps walking.
He knows if he comes up here, he’ll get his ass kicked.
“Your turn, sweetie,” I say to Jolie.
She stands up. “I can’t throw that far.”
“Then we move closer,” Aric says.
We walk down the hill to the stone wall that separates the hill from the walkway.
“How about her?” Jolie asks and points to a girl.
“Go for it,” I say.
Jolie throws the egg.
It hits the ground right in front of the girl.
The girl jumps back and looks around.
“Sorry!” Jolie yells. She looks at Aric. “Give me another one.”
Jolie throws another egg. She hits the girl in the leg.
“What is your problem?” the girl yells.
“You are!” Jolie yells.
She laughs again.
She stumbles and falls into me.
“I want to do it again,” she says.
Aric puts the container of eggs on the stone wall.
“Have fun,” he says to her.
Jolie grabs two eggs. And she starts bombing them at anyone she feels like.
Laughing the entire time.
And everyone who looks our way… when they see me… they know to stay away. They know what will happen if they even think about it.
There’s one egg left.
Jolie has it in her hand.
“Oh, shit, look at this,” Aric says. “We have company.”
I look and see Taz walking with Nicole.
Holding her hand.
“Hey, sweetie…”
“Oh, I’ve got it,” Jolie says. “That bitch called me a bitch.”
“She’s walking with a limp,” Aric says.
“A fall down a set of porch steps will do that,” I say.
Taz stops walking and turns to face Nicole. He kisses her. Her hands grab at the back of his shirt.
They’re in a perfect position…
Jolie throws the egg.
It smacks Nicole right in the back of the head.
Yolk splatters in her hair.
“Yes!” Jolie yells.
Both Nicole and Taz look at us.
“Fuck you, bitch,” Jolie yells.
She lunges forward and almost goes over the wall.
I pull her back as I start to laugh.
“You’re assholes,” Taz calls out.
“Now she smells like egg and fish,” Jolie cries out as she laughs again.
I fall to the ground and take her with me.
She put her head to my chest.
Aric climbs the wall. “You two have some fun. I’ll go find more eggs.”
He jumps off the wall and it’s just me and Jolie now.
We look at each other.
“I like having fun with you, Mac,” she says.
“Yeah, it’s not all that bad, right?”
“I just threw eggs at people.”
“You never did that before?”
“No.”
“You never did anything like that before?”
“Nope,” Jolie says.
“Wow… I have a lot to teach you.”
“We’re kind of too old for some of that stuff though, aren’t we?”
“Not even close,” I say.
“How are you such a bad guy… but you can have fun…”
“I blame you for that, sweetie,” I say.
I stroke her cheek.
I’m smiling at her.
But her smile fades.
“Mac…”
“Jolie…”
“I’m drunk.”
“Yes you are.”
“I’m never going to see my father again, am I?”
“I don’t know.”
“He’s going to end up dead.”
“Yeah, I know,” I say.
“And my mother…”
“She seems to be clear of it all,” I say. “Which is good.”
>
“Doesn’t matter. She’s got to be hurt. Crushed. And I have to go see her soon.”
“Whenever you want, sweetie.”
“Mac…”
“Jolie…”
“What happens now?”
“With what?” I ask.
“Mama Dae. Ado. All of this.”
I sigh. “Everything will work out.”
“I’m so sorry about Mama Dae. I don’t know her enough to judge her the way I want to… but nobody should have to go through that.”
“I agree,” I say. “But it’s reality, Jolie. That’s the thing about it all. It’s reality. We’re here one second and gone the next. So that second you’re here you better fucking enjoy it at least a little bit.”
“Do you enjoy it, Mac?”
“I enjoy everything,” I say. “But I enjoy you the most.”
“You would say that,” Jolie says. “You just want to get into my pants.”
“I already know I’m getting into your pants.”
“Oh… do you now?”
“If it’s not you, it’ll be someone else.”
“Fuck you, Mac,” she says with a smile.
I slide my hand into the back of her hair and I pull her toward me for a kiss.
I keep her body tight against mine.
We’re hiding under the stars, kissing, pretending everything about us is innocent.
We’re not innocent.
And the crazy shit happening is far from over.
It’s nice to see Jolie able to just be free.
No need to hide in a big hoodie or under a hat on her head.
Of course when she walks through the kitchen in the morning, she’s wearing sunglasses and looks like she’s trying to hide.
“Coffee, sweetie?” I ask with a smile on my face.
Jolie lets out a groaning sound.
“I take that as a yes,” I say. “You really like those sunglasses, don’t you?”
Jolie shows me both of her middle fingers.
Les is sitting on the counter.
He shakes his head. “I guess that whole freedom thing bit her in the ass.”
Jolie moves her middle fingers toward Les.
I pour her some coffee and put it on the counter so I can kiss her good morning. Again.
I slowly lift the sunglasses and rest them on the top of her head in her messy hair.
Her eyes look tired and hungover.
“I’m fine,” she says. “Just groggy.”
“I bet,” I whisper. “You want anything to eat yet?”
“Coffee first. Then a shower. Then something greasy.”
“Not a problem, sweetie,” I whisper.
Mess Us Up (Brooks Crest Book 3) Page 14