“Gina, I think we need to let Becca fill you in. She wouldn’t appreciate me running my mouth, and I am so tired I can barely think straight anyway. Now, if you trust me enough that I won’t leave town after driving all this way to find her, I’m going to try to get a hotel room.” Wearily, I rose from the table. Her hand shot out and grasped mine.
“Nonsense. I have two spare rooms, well, one is technically still Becca’s, but either way, they are both available. You can stay here, and I’m not taking no for an answer. It’s not that I don’t trust you, but you may as well be here when she gets here. Okay?” Her expression brooked no argument.
“If you’re sure. I don’t want to burden you or anything.” Her eyebrow raised, and I tiredly smiled at her tenacity. “Okay, I’ll go grab my bag from my bike, and I’ll be right back in.” When I stood, she followed suit and then embraced me. It was a little awkward at first, but she grasped my upper arms in her hands as she pulled back, and I saw her eyes glisten with unshed tears.
“No burden at all. Rob told me how happy you’ve made our girl. She may not believe me, but I’ve only ever wanted the best for her. While I’m not a big fan of those crazy bikes you and your friends ride, I really just want my baby girl to be happy. Please don’t let me down.”
“No, ma’am—um, Gina. I sure don’t intend to.” Becca and I had a lot to discuss when she got here. First thing being that she was not ever running off on me again. The next being where we went from here. One thing I knew for sure was that Becca and our son were everything to me and she was coming home with me. There was no way I was taking no for an answer, and if I had to stay here to convince her, I would stay as long as it took.
Sleeping in Becca’s childhood bed without her left me with one of the worst night’s sleep in a long time. Should have slept in the spare bed, but I thought being in her old bed would make me feel closer to her as I slept. Unfortunately, my nightmares haunted me each time she wasn’t physically there to ground my soul. The only problem with her winding herself so deep into my heart and soul was she also became leverage for my demons. My dreams were filled with images of her being part of all the worst memories of my military missions. That was something that really fucked with my head.
So, it was no wonder I woke feeling like I had been in a cage fight all night. Between hauling ass down here on my bike, staying up talking with her mom all night, then add my restless sleep to the mix, and I was sucking when I rolled over and literally fell out of the full-sized bed. Fuck, I missed my king-sized bed I shared with her.
The smell of bacon cooking led me straight to the kitchen, and I had to look at the time to see if I had inadvertently slept in too late. I was usually an early riser, but after the night I’d had, it wouldn’t have surprised me. It would seem Gina was an even earlier riser than me.
Gina was piling bacon onto a plate lined with paper towels, and she looked up as I walked in the doorway. Another plate was full of scrambled eggs, and the toaster popped up just as she moved the pan from the burner and turned off the stovetop.
“Good morning, Mason. Sleep well?” she asked.
“Yes, ma’am. Thank you.” No way was I telling her about my night. Some things you just didn’t go sharing with everyone.
“Now what did I tell you about that ‘ma’am’ business, young man?” She gave me a stern look as she held a clean plate out to me. “Help yourself. I’m pretty sure you didn’t feed yourself before heading down here, so you must be hungry.”
“Hungry? Yes, ma—uh, I mean, Gina. I could eat, that’s for sure. Thank you.” Accepting the plate she gave me, I motioned for her to dish up her plate first. “Ladies first.”
Her cheeks flushed and she shook her head at me but added food to her plate. “Coffee is in the pot over there on the counter.”
Filling the cup she’d left sitting by the pot, I inhaled the rich smell of the dark coffee before carrying the cup and my plate to the table and having a seat. We ate in companionable silence for a bit before I asked, “Did Rob say what time he expected to arrive?”
“He has to drop his current load in Lincoln at about seven, so by the time he unloads, drives here, drops the trailer off at the shop, then bobtails back here, I’m guessing about ten at the latest.” She sipped her coffee. “So, it may be my husband’s place to ask this, but may I ask what your intentions are with my little girl? You two have been living together, and she hasn’t talked to me much, so I wasn’t sure… well… Look, it has really bothered me that things between her and I have deteriorated. I’m not sure what all she told you about it.” Her eyes stayed trained on the cup she held cradled in her hands.
“So, first answer, I don’t plan on letting her get away from me, and I’m hoping she’ll make an honest man of me.” I grinned, and she looked up at me and laughed. That was better. “Second, she didn’t really get into details, just that you disagreed with her decision to leave that ass—uh, the guy she was dating.” Shit, my mouth was gonna ruin me with Becca’s mom if I wasn’t careful. She probably wouldn’t understand what years of working combat arms in the Army, being in the Ranger Bat., and then the last few years surrounded by bikers did to your language. Either way, they were both men’s worlds, but come to think of it, I needed to watch my mouth anyway, or my boy’s first word was going to be shit, fuck, or asshole.
“Trevor was a nice guy, and I can’t lie and tell you I wasn’t disappointed when they split, but I’ve had time to think about it, and never in a million years would I want her to stay in a relationship that didn’t make her happy. And I would say that about the two of you as well. I’m not just saying that because they ended. Mason, she’s my little girl. The only one I had and the only one I’ll ever have. When I said I want her happy, I meant it.” She had just stood to take her plate to the sink when there was a knock on the door.
We both looked at the clock and she said, “It’s definitely too early for it to be Rob and Becca. I’ll be right back.” Finishing my coffee, I nodded then took my plate to the sink. Her voice murmured at the door with whoever was there, then I heard the other voice raise, before she yelled, “Trevor!” in shock.
Spinning to face the kitchen doorway, I prepared for the footsteps I heard heading my way.
“Who the hell are you?” A man about my height with dark brown hair and squinted eyes shouted as he entered the kitchen. “I saw a bike out front, and I knew there was no one they knew who had a bike. So, who are you and what the hell are you doing here? Gina! Is Becca messing around with this piece of shit? Is that why you wouldn’t tell me where she was?” he yelled at Gina.
This motherfucker was about to get up close and personal with my fist if he didn’t stop where he was, but nope, he had to keep closing in on me. If there was one thing I could say about myself, it was I didn’t like being cornered, and I sure as shit didn’t like people I didn’t know getting up in my personal space.
“Dude, you might want to stop right there. I don’t fucking know you, and you sure as shit don’t need to raise your voice to Gina or me unless you want your fucking ass kicked.” There goes my mouth again. He may have been my height, but he was a skinny asshole. Some might call him “lean,” but I liked to tell it like it was—he was a scrawny bastard. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind I could take him blindfolded, but I would prefer it not be in Becca’s parents’ home.
He bristled at my words and stuck out his chest, trying to look tough. Damn, what the fuck had she seen in this dumbass? Shaking my head and laughing at him, because I knew that would piss him off more than words, I reached over to the door going to the backyard from the kitchen.
“Why don’t we go outside to talk like men. This doesn’t really concern Gina.” Talking wasn’t exactly what I had in mind, but I figured if I asked him to come outside so I could kick his ass, he probably wouldn’t be too keen on that. Gina stood out in the front hall looking in the kitchen with her phone clutched tight to her chest. Man, I hoped she didn’t call the cops, because I wanted to deal w
ith this asshole myself. Catching eye contact with her, I gave a slight shake of my head for her not to do or say anything.
As he advanced on me, I reached behind me and opened the door, backing out onto the back patio. Let him think I was backing away from him because I was afraid. Stupid prick. I was afraid of no man.
Making sure I was plenty far from the house and any patio furniture that would get in the way, I braced myself for the attack I knew this dumb fucker was going to try.
“I don’t know who you are, but what I do know is you’re nothing but trash, and it’s only a matter of time before Becca comes back to me where she belongs. Just because she and I had a falling out, don’t think things are over with us. She loves me. We’ve been together too long for her to just throw us away. By the looks of you and that crappy bike, you will never be able to provide for her like I can,” he sneered. Goddamn, this guy was completely delusional.
“Look, buddy, you’re fooling yourself if you think you have a snowball’s chance in hell at Becca going back to you. She fucking lives with me. Sleeps in my bed every fucking night. Not to mention, the stupid shit you pulled with posting those pics sealed the deal. Were you really dumb enough to think that was going to make her go running back to you?” Laughing and shaking my head at him in an attempt to egg him on, I watched him closely for the moment he snapped. Aaaaaand there it was.
He charged me.
What I wasn’t expecting was the dumbass to have a gun that he pulled out and pointed at me before he ran toward me with it pointing right at my head. Well, this fucker just made things interesting. My piece was tucked neatly in the back waist of my pants, but he was unstable and I didn’t want my movements to cause him to shoot my ass. Why me, Lord, why me?
“Whoa, man, what the hell? There’s no need for that shit. We’re at Becca’s family’s home. You don’t want to do this here.” Both of my hands were held up where he could see them. You know, kind of like I was surrendering, which I sure as shit wasn’t. Trevor lurched and pointed the gun at me with a shaking hand until it was within inches of my nose. Jesus, it was dumbasses like this tool that gave guns and people with concealed carry licenses a bad name.
“Shut up! We’re going to leave here. You’re going to come with me, and you’re not going to try anything funny,” he spat out at me.
Okay. Right. Time out. So, let me explain something to you. I was a little crazy, right? Hell, ask the VA. “Reckless behavior, PTSD, non-compliant, poor decision making,” blah, blah, blah… Not all true, but a semblance of truth in it all. Anyway, not all of my decisions were the best, but I’d be damned if someone was going to threaten me, and not only that, but do it in my girl’s family’s fucking backyard. So, I kind of made a dumb decision here. Sorry.
“Fuck off,” I sneered at him. Right before I punched him square in the face.
Thankfully, it worked out in my benefit, and when blood sprayed from his nose, he reached up—gun still in his hand, by the way—to cover it with both hands. So, I flat-hand shoved the side of the gun into his already broken nose, twisted it out of his hand, and punched him in the gut. That was enough to drop him down to his knees before I kicked him backward.
He was rolling around on the ground crying and holding his nose like the little pussy he was. When Gina pushed out through the screen door, I was bent over slightly with the gun still clutched in my hand, my other hand resting on my knee.
“Oh my God, Mason! Trevor! What the heck are you two doing?” she exclaimed in shock.
“Ma—I mean, Gina, now would be a good time to call the police, unless our friend Trevor wants to just call his behavior stupid and leave. For good.” Please say you’ll leave, fucker. I really didn’t want the fucking cops there, but the asshole took things a little far, and I didn’t want someone getting hurt by this lunatic. If we had been anywhere but there, I would have beat the ever-loving shit out of him.
“I’ll go. I’ll go! Leave the cops out of it. I’ll lose my job if you call the cops. It’s bad enough that I’m on administrative leave because I got hacked and all my shit is fucked up. They’ll fire me for sure if you call the cops.” The pussy whined like a baby. Fucker should lose his job, but I just wanted him gone and out of Becca’s and my life for good.
“Then take your stupid ass and get out of here. If you so much as drive by this house, they will be calling the cops on your ass. You get me?” I did my very best not to kick him square in his head with my boot. If Gina hadn’t have been out there, I probably would have. My teeth ground in frustration.
True to his word, he rolled over to his knees with his head on the ground before he got up and rushed out the gate of the backyard. I tucked his gun into my inner pocket of my cut after wrapping it in my bandana. He sure wasn’t getting it back. Dumb fuck.
“Gina, I’m sorry that happened here.” Goddammit, I hoped I didn’t just fuck myself with her.
“Mason, no, I’m just so glad you were here. He’s been coming by asking about Becca since she left. Never in a million years… Lord, I never thought he would do anything like that. Are you okay? You have blood on your hand.” She reached for my right hand, but I deftly pulled it back.
“I’m okay. Are you all right?” She looked shaken, but she was holding it together pretty good.
“Of course I am. I’m just in shock that he would behave like that. My God, what if Becca had stayed with him and he had done something to her? How on Earth could I have been so wrong about him? I can’t thank you enough for being here. Jesus Lord. Let’s go inside and get you cleaned up.” She turned and headed inside, and I followed. Her words about Becca with him had my temper boiling. Yeah, I was a possessive fucker, and I hated to think of her with that douche. It also pissed me off that I couldn’t leave more of an impression on him.
Damn, I hated to have to tell Becca about this, but I knew I would. What I was looking forward to telling her was how Hacker had transferred all his money out of his bank account and into multiple other bank accounts with bogus names, trashed his credit, and cancelled all of his insurances. This was after taking out multiple credit cards in his name and then maxing them out on porn sites. It was going to take him forever to get shit straightened out. Inwardly, I chuckled, imagining the mess he had to deal with. Served him right.
MY DAD HAD DROPPED his trailer off after unloading outside of Omaha and we were bobtailing back home. Despite my ire with my mother and the events of the last several months, I was looking forward to being home and seeing her. Regardless of all the bullshit, I loved her and I hated that I left with things so crappy between us. More guilt assuaged me as I thought about my piss-poor choices lately.
Dad and I had been talking a lot since yesterday. I had cried and bitched and cried some more. He took every tirade and bout of blubbering in stride, though I knew it pushed him well out of his comfort zone—just another reason I loved him. He would move the moon and stars for me and not grumble a bit. My hormones at that point in time were really pushing the limits of his abilities though.
The familiar curves of the roads on Lake Manawa shook me out of my introspection. The memories of my youth assailed me as they did every time I drove out to my parents’ home. When the familiar red house came into view, my heart jumped into my throat. Sitting in the driveway of my childhood home was a familiar motorcycle. When I realized I was holding my breath, I looked over to my father with wild eyes before looking back to the bike and nervously rolling the hem of my hoodie.
“Daddy, no. Turn around, keep going, whatever, just no. No. Not yet. No.” I wasn’t ready to face Hollywood yet. I just couldn’t. He was going to be so pissed and disappointed in me. Even though I knew I’d been a coward to leave like I did, at the time, I just needed to get away. I needed time to regroup and ground myself here.
“Becca-girl, look at me.” My father’s deep voice was soft, but his tone tolerated no argument. It was one I was very familiar with. My eyes reluctantly met his again, and I swallowed the lump lodged deep in my thro
at.
“That man is the father of your baby, and if I’m not mistaken, he loves you and that baby. A man doesn’t drive over three hours in the middle of the night chasing after a woman that he doesn’t care about. From everything we talked about last night and this morning, I’m also assuming you love him too. So, it seems to me, you owe it to that grandbaby of mine to talk things out and get this situation figured out. Now whatever you decide, we’ll be here for you, and you always have a home with us, but you already know that. I didn’t say a word to your mother about the baby. I figured you could share that joy with her yourself. I love you, Becca-girl.”
My father, the gruff, burly truck driver was the last one you would expect to be compassionate and observant. And well, I knew he was right. I needed to talk to Mason. It was time to put my big girl panties on and figure this shit out.
The truck rumbled then went silent as my dad turned off the ignition. Lost in thought, I sat staring at the house, unmoving for a moment before I pulled up those figurative big girl panties and looked at my dad. He clasped my hand in his large one, eclipsing mine. With his gentle squeeze and a nod toward the house, I slowly and reluctantly opened the truck door and climbed down. My eyes met my dad’s one last time before I shuffled up to the door and reached for the doorknob.
Here goes nothing.
My mom’s head peeked around the doorway to the kitchen, and when it registered with her who was coming in, she ran toward me and hugged me tightly to her. Once again, I found myself fighting to hold back tears. “Mom…”
“Oh, baby, I’ve missed you. I wish you hadn’t just run off after all that business with those computer pictures. No one who matters believes any of that crap, but I’m not going to go on about that. There is someone here who has been waiting for you.”
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