“Tighten the leash on the bitch out back.”
“What’s she done?”
Arching my brow, I say, “You’d know if you were out back with her like you’re supposed to be.”
“Sorry, Prez,” he says, holding his hands up.
Maxwell’s friend cleans the chair he brought with him and looks to be packing up.
“Hold on, one more.”
Rolling up my sleeves, I sit my ass in the chair.
The guy asks, “What are you wanting?”
I grin. “I want my wife’s name inked across my fingers.”
“Write it down and I’ll do it.”
20
Ford
Another text unanswered. It’s driving me crazy that Phoebe is ignoring me. I’m yet to knock on her door, not wanting to bump into her dad. Though if she keeps avoiding me, I’ll kick that door down and face him. I try calling one last time and get her voicemail once more. Hanging up, I walk down the hall and unlock the door.
The room smells of sweat and human neglect. Not far off from what I smelled like not that long ago.
“I don’t feel well,” Effie moans.
She doesn’t look it either. Her hair is in desperate need of a wash and a good combing. Her skin is starting to blemish, and her face is more drawn in than usual.
“That’s the starvation kicking in.” I crouch down in front of where she’s curled up on the mattrass. “I remember it well. The only time in my life I ever knew what it meant to starve was because of you.”
She stares up at me and I no longer see power or beauty in her eyes. There’s nothing but fear and vulnerability. I’ve been waiting for her to crack but it seems I missed the moment she broke.
“You’re tired,” she states. “You’re not sleeping because you’re not a killer. You’re suffering more by trying to make me feel how I made you feel.” When I don’t contradict her, she adds, “I’m not wrong, am I?”
I shake my head. “You’re not wrong, but you’re not right either. I take no pleasure in doing this to you, but I do gain some sort of satisfaction and that’s what I need to put you in the past.”
Her eyes cut to mine. “Will I not haunt you?”
“I have no idea.” I shrug. “But I’d rather learn to live with your ghost then live knowing you’re alive.”
I stand and go to leave when she desperately calls out, “Kill me! Just get it over with!”
I can’t help but smile not that I turn so she can see it. “Not today.”
I lock up after I leave and head down to the bar. I bump into Victoria and River at the top of the stairs.
“Perfect!” she beams. “You can take River for me while I clean his bottles.”
I’m always happy to help her out and it’s taking my mind away from the cloudiness that is fogging everything up.
I sit at the kitchen table and find the baby staring. I wonder what he sees when he looks at me. I’ve heard my mom say before that babies have a sixth sense about people, even though they can’t speak yet. He doesn’t cry when I hold him so he can’t see anything too bad in me. It gives me something to grasp onto other than hatred and revenge.
“He’s getting big. Before we know it he’s going to be walking and talking.”
“I know, I’m excited for it and dreading it at the same time. It’s passing by so fast, that I don’t like.”
