“You really think she’d go back with me?” the dumb motherfucker asked. “That things could be like they used to be before that cheating bastard knocked her up?”
“Yeah, man. For sure. I mean, you love her so much you drove all the way here to tell her. Chicks dig that romantic shit. She’ll eat it right up.”
He hesitated, but his grip on Jessica loosened. She started easing away, closer to me.
“Put down the gun, Nate. Let me help you.”
His pistol started to lower.
Jessica was almost to me.
Nate’s gun hand reached his hip before his expression changed. A light came on, and anger flashed in his eyes. “Wait,” he said, raising his gun again.
I drew my P938 as he raised his gun.
Nate blinked once before I sent two slugs through his chest.
Jessica screamed.
The impact of the bullets made Nate stagger backwards. His face registered surprise, then pain as his pistol hit the carpeted floor. He crumpled, still staring at me in shock as he fell.
I marched forward until I stood over him, making sure he didn’t rally and reach for his gun. “That’s right, motherfucker, we are not friends,” I said. “You hurt Carly. You took away two people she loved, and you scared the shit out of her. I promise you, she will never know that kind of fear again. Trent will never have another nightmare, because this ends today.”
He tried to say something, but he couldn’t.
I made myself watch as the life drained from his eyes. I wasn’t a killer; I was a mechanic. Even in the service, I’d never taken a single shot at anyone. But as I stood over the life I’d just ended, I had no regrets.
Carly and Trent were safe now.
Carly
Two weeks later
WASP AND HIS brothers had bought more fireworks than I’d ever seen in my life. As I stared at the assortment of sparklers, poppers, candles, mortars, and more explosive shit than I knew existed, I couldn’t stop the smile that engulfed my face. I felt it all the way down to my toes. Not only were we blowing stuff up, but we were blowing stuff up with family. It was like all my childhood dreams rolled up into one incredible Independence Day.
“The boys always go overboard,” Elaine said, stopping beside me to evaluate the pile. “But, I don’t care. They can buy the whole store if it makes the kids happy. I’m just glad you, Trent, and Andrew decided to join us.”
I was, too. We were supposed to spend the holiday camping with the Dead Presidents, which also would have been amazing, but at the last second Wasp realized that Trent had never set off fireworks and completely changed the plans. The next thing I knew, Wasp and I had taken time off work and the three of us were on a plane headed for Minnesota.
The past few weeks had been stressful as hell. After the shooting, Wasp had been thoroughly questioned by the Seattle police department. Based on Jessica’s testimony, and the door he’d busted through to get to her, they decided Wasp acted in defense of Jessica and no charges were pressed.
But there was still a body to contend with.
Since there was no way we were ever staying at that apartment again, Jessica had temporarily moved into the fire station until she found a place, and Trent and I had crashed Wasp’s place. I kept insisting that our move was also temporary, but Wasp made it clear he had other plans. And, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like living with him. The move had been quick and easy, and Wasp was letting me use his Jeep to get Trent to school and myself to work. The commute was kind of shitty, though, and I hated working nights when Wasp and Trent were home. Wasp wanted me to quit my job at the bar and just work the coffee shop, but we were still discussing it.
As for the douchebag from the grocery store parking lot, Wasp and a few of his big intimidating soldier friends paid the guy a visit and let him know they’d be fixing his car. The way Wasp tells it, the guy just handed over his keys and they returned it once the nick was removed. I didn’t really believe that story, but since things were handled and he hadn’t filed a lawsuit against me, I wasn’t complaining.
“I still can’t believe you guys are here,” Elaine said, pulling me back into the present.
I could barely believe it myself. It was such a whirlwind, we hadn’t even warned them we were coming. Instead, we’d rented a truck and surprised Wasp’s family. I’d been nervous about just showing up, but all four of Wasp’s brothers and their wives and kids were so welcoming and genuinely happy to see us I felt stupid for worrying. I’d expected whispers and judgmental looks, but there’d been hugs and tears and more love than I’d ever felt in my life.
“Mom!” Trent shouted, running through the front door.
“Don’t run in the house,” I snapped as the screen closed behind him.
“But do you want a hamburger or a hot dog?” he asked, huffing and puffing as he slid to a stop.
“I want a hug,” I replied. I’d barely seen him since we’d arrived two days ago.
