Chapter Thirty
______________________________________
Cash
Be ever vigilante. The devil has a way of sneaking up on you.
“What the fuck are you doing here, Rick?”
I’ve been stripping the paint off the fireplace bricks, listening to music through my AirPods because, for once, my head isn’t killing me. So I didn’t hear Rick knock. Instead, from the corner of my eye, I saw the front door open. And now here he is. Bigger than life and wearing an air of superiority that’s particularly irritating given his lack of worthy accomplishments and/or redeeming qualities.
Glancing around, he stays quiet for too long, forcing me to ask again, “What are you doing here? What do you want?”
“Came because I’d like to help you out.” He pulls a cigar from his breast pocket and shoves it in his mouth, unlit. If he lights it and drops it on the floor again, heaven help me, I might have to rip out his lungs.
“Help me? Yeah, right,” I scoff. “And I’d like to take a bath in a tub full of chocolate chip ice cream with three Victoria’s Secret models.” I place my AirPods on the mantel beside the wire brush I was using on the bricks.
He doesn’t say anything for a beat.
“Okay.” I stuff my hands into my pockets. “Color me intrigued. What exactly do you thinkyoucan helpmewith?”
“Your life.”
“Ha!” I slap my thigh. “That’s a good one. Since when have you evercared about my life?”
“You’re my son. I only want what’s best for you, and that’s the truth.”
I snort. “You forget I know how casual your relationship with the truth actually is.”
“Fine,” he snarls, his thin mask of civility falling away to reveal the sinister sonofabitch beneath. “Here’s the deal. George is determined to make someone pay for Dean. And despite my friendship with him, that someone is you. But he can’t touch you because of your alibi. The same can’t be said for your friends. He’s going to bring them down, one way or another.”
Adrenaline and dread spurt through my bloodstream. “They didn’t do anythingwrong,” I grit through clenched teeth.
He pulls his stogie from his mouth so he can point it at me. “Maybe they did, and maybe they didn’t. George doesn’t give a fuck either way, which is why I’m here to tell you not to try to pull any superhero shit. Just stay out of it, let George do his thing, and you’ll come out the other side of this smelling like a daisy.”
I narrow my eyes. “Why would you care how I come out the other side of this?”
He shrugs. “Because I don’t want my good name dragged through the mud alongside yours.”
“I find it laughable that you actually think youhavea good name.”
He puffs up like a peacock. “People in this town respect me.”
I roll my eyes. “If you’re finished standing there stealing my oxygen, I’ll thank you to get the fuck out.”
He takes a step in my direction. “Don’t disrespect me, boy.”
“In case you haven’t noticed, you dumb prick, I’m no longer a boy.”
He takes another step. “If you think I’m going to stand here and take your abuse, you’ve got another think coming.”
I try to fight the thing rising up in me that would love to spill Rick’s blood. But it’s bigger than I am.Thirstier.“Come at me, old man. I dare you.”
For such an overweight guy, Rick is lightning fast. He catches me off guard when he lunges and lands a blow on my chin. He’s always been a strong sonofabitch. Now he has all that extra weight behind him.
The momentum of his punch sends me flying. My shoulders slam into the fireplace mantel, and my head whips back, smacking the bricks.
Pain explodes.
