I seethe, “And you and I both know I should have been granted custody of Connor months ago.”
“It isn’t that simple.” God, I hate his condescending tone.
I feel Oak’s hand lay atop of my shoulders as his front comes flush to my back. “It is that simple if you were doing your fucking job right.”
Steven’s nostrils flare. There’s an unmistakable heat in his eyes that reveals his fury. He cocks his head to the side ignoring him. “What did I say about you being involved with him, Grace?”
“This is exactly what I’m talking about!” I point out to him. “You can’t threaten me. You can’t dictate who I can and can’t see. You can’t hold this kind of power over me.”
“I can if Connor’s well-being-”
At that I cry out in an outburst, “You don’t give a flying fuck about Connor! You only care to get in my pants and to have me under your thumb!”
He’s stunned silent for a minute. And within that minute the tension builds and the anger between the both of us is about to reach its boiling point.
Then everything changes.
There’s a shift in the atmosphere and I don’t like it. Not one bit.
Especially when Steven’s smile turns vindictive and his eyes are punishing. “The last thing you should do is fight with me, Grace. You’re walking on a very thin line.”
“I’ve always been walking on a tightrope with you, Steven. Only this time I’m not afraid to fall. I know I have people that will catch me.”
He scoffs, “Do you honestly think you’ll recover? I’m your only chance at a life with Connor.”
“No,” I disagree with him, “you’re the only one who is in my way.”
“Who do you think the judge will believe? You?” He laughs as if he’s heard a grand joke. Counting off with his fingers he says, “You’re mother is a drug addict, you work in a seedy strip club, you haven’t shown enough to be financially independent, and you hang with deplorable bikers and old ladies. Not to mention you’re romantically involved with one. One that has the FBI on his tail.” His smile is as proud as it is sinister. “You honestly think you’ll be granted custody once I present all this to the judge?”
I’ve been biting down so hard on my tongue that the tangy metallic flavor blasts in my mouth. And I’ve never really been a violent person, but right now I want to do more than just bodily harm. I want to kill him.
In a calm yet low and menacing tone I threaten him, “If you utter one more word about taking Connor away from me I’ll shove my foot so far up your ass that it will be coming out of your fucking mouth.”
He nostrils flare, the tendons in his neck straining. Yet still, his sardonic smirk remains. “Are you really threatening me, Grace? Is that really the smart thing to do?”
“You have been threatening me the entire time you’ve been Connor’s social worker. Forgive me for finally returning the favor,” I spit with venom.
I feel Oak press against my back, the warmth of his body helping mine loosen the over tight muscles. “What do you thinkwill happen when the other two women come forward?” Oak asks him lowly.
Steven’s eyes narrow up at him as his mouth twists. “Excuse me?”
“They made claims against you, Steven. Do you not remember that?”
“They were dropped if I remember correctly.”
Oak snuffs out a laugh that sounds bleak and hollow. “Because you threatened them, just like you’re threatening her. But those claims will show again when she takes you to court. Just like the pictures and videos you have of her on your phone.” Steven’s complexion pales and my eyes widen in horror. I feel my heart drop to the pit of my stomach as the taste of acid sits bitterly on my tongue.
I swallow roughly, my voice coming out on a shaky breath, “You have videos of me?”
He opens his mouth for a reply, one that’s most likely a lie, but Oak doesn’t allow him to speak. He intercepts him with more damning evidence, “That isn’t professional is it, Steven? What will the judge say about that? Not to mention you making visits without the child present, or how frequent they are. And why were you with her mother tonight at her home, Steven?” Oak pauses for effect before continuing, “It wasn’t for professional reasons, that’s for fucking sure. And believe me, fucker, I will prove you did this to Vivian.”
“If you’re accusing me of injecting Vivian with heroin to cause an overdose then good luck proving it. In fact good luck proving all what you said,” he says stiffly.
But he just outed himself, proving that Oak is right. God, I feel fucking sick to my stomach. “How could you do it? How could you do that to her?”
“Your mother is a drug addict, Grace. She does it to herself all the time. If you think a judge will believe her testimony maybe you’re using what she does.”
Before I can even stop myself, before my brain catches up with logic and reason, driven by emotion my hand strikes out and cracks against his face.
