Every houseon Aubry’s block looked the same, painted pale colors and lined with the same trimmed bushes. His car was parked in his driveway; The house stuck out like a sore thumb. It was the only house on the block with the porch light off. There was no way he was asleep this early in the evening at seven pm.
The closer Dreu and I got to his door; I imagined my fist breaking his nose first followed by his jaw. This wasn’t the way I liked to handle things. Aubry forced my hand and proved that he didn’t plan on making things easy on Truly.
I breathed in, steadying myself as I adjusted the collar of my jacket and scanned the quiet street once more. The night air felt thick, charged with anticipation as we approached Aubry's house. Dreu fell in line beside me, his steps quick but uncertain, both of us were hyper-aware of what was about to go down. I could almost feel the weight of the flash drive tucked in my pocket, ready to shift everything with a single confrontation.
Dreu cracked his neck beside me, then rolled his shoulders like he was warming up to fight. He wouldn’t have to, if Aubrystepped out of line, I’d handle him without breaking a sweat. My laptop was tucked at Dreu’s side.
I lifted my fist and knocked firmly. Minutes went by before the porch light came on. Aubry opened the door wearing sweats, a wrinkled T-shirt. His eyes widened the second he recognized me. I saw confusion first, then irritation. His eyes landed on Dreu and then I finally saw it…Fear.
Perhaps Dreu really do look like a Yn…I chuckled.
“Evening, Aubry.” I smirked.
“What the?—”
Before he could finish, I put my foot against the door and pushed it open wider. He stumbled back a step then clutched the edge of the doorframe.
“You can’t just walk into my?—”
“I can,” I said, stepping inside. “I told you; you’ll see me soon.” The corners of my mouth curved into a cruel smirk.
“I’d like to make this visit brief as possible with no violence. Dreu,” I turned to glance a Dreu. “Set up the laptop on his coffee table. Aubry close the door and have a seat in front of it.” I instructed calmly.
Aubry's brows drew together, and his voice rose, shaking with a mix of anger and panic.
“You two need to get out. Before I call the police.” His hand hovered near his pocket, probably where he kept his phone.
I met his glare, unblinking, and let my words hang in the air like frost.
“Before you dial the number, I’ll break your fuckin’ neck,” I gritted out.
“No one will hear you; no one will help you.” My tone was so cold, so matter-of-fact, that something in his posture wilted.
For a long, tense second, Aubry just stood there, frozen as if pinned by invisible threads. Then, as if compelled, he shuffled to the couch and plopped down. His eyes darted from me to Dreu, his mouth clamped shut, nervously he folded his hands in his lap. Dreu silently set up the laptop on the coffee table, the room filled with a heavy, watchful silence. Once the laptop was on, Dreu walked over to Aubry’s front door to close and lock it.
“Truly says you’re a very good father to Princess. While that may be true, you pose as a problem for me...I don’t like problems Aubry.”
I paused, letting the weight of my words settle in. Aubry shifted, his knuckles whitening as he clenched his hands tighter. “You see, I have very little patience for complications,” I continued, my gaze locked on his.
“Hand me the flash drive.” Dreu’s voice cut into our stare down.
Without taking my eyes off of Aubry, I held out the flash drive. Aubry’s eyes focused on my laptop. I scanned the room slowly. There were framed photos of Princess along with his wife along the walls.
“What the fuck is this?” Aubry yelled.
I snapped my attention back to him then spoke when I was ready.
“You like to play with Truly’s emotions, I think it takes away from you being a good father. Although my Truly thinksotherwise.” I took a seat in the love seat across from Aubry and ignored the panic in his eyes.
I crossed one leg over the other then pulled a pre-rolled blunt from my pocket and sparked it.
“Being a good father is something you should focus on…not keeping an innocent child from her mother, don’t you think?” I raised a brow.
“That’s none of your business! Truly is?—”
“Mine!” I finished his sentence blowing a straight line of smoke in his direction.
“Truly is mine, and if you keep fucking around…life as you know it now will change drastically.” I spoke in a grave tone.
