Searching her cell phone number, I find out her provider and hack into their system. From there, I find the records from this afternoon.
A text:
looking good as always, Puppet. Our boy sure is getting big. Pink looks good on you. Should wear a hat since you didn’t put on sunscreen. Guess you couldn’t find it, huh? Don’t worry, Puppet, I have it.
Bile rises in my throat as a fire burns through me like acid in my veins. I slam the laptop down.
No fucking way.
There is no way in hell he gets to torment her living next to me. This is not going to happen. The games, the taunting, that shit is not okay.
Taking one more long pull of my beer, I feel the anger building.
More than that the need to protect overcomes me.
I drop the garage door to stroll inside. I have to compose myself.
I am too on edge. Even if we were friends if she saw me in this state, I’m sure she would be afraid. No woman ever has to be afraid of me, but Josie doesn’t know that. I can’t shake the feelings. Yes, I should have showered earlier, but I was distracted. After reading the text, it certainly seems to have been for the best because I need this time to calm down.
The water beats down on my skin. The cold of it causes me to blink and my eyes open wide as sleep will not come easy now. Typically, a cold shower will clear my head and help me get control of my emotions. Not tonight, though. It’s only taken the edge off, but there is nothing stopping this caged feeling inside me. I’m not one to sit idle when I know there is a situation.
Sliding on some sweatpants, I walk over to her house. Ringing the doorbell, I hope I don’t wake Justice. I hear the patter of her feet coming before she pauses and looks through the peephole.
Good girl, I think to myself. Stay aware.
She opens the door and peers around me like I have eight heads. I’m sure I seem crazy. “Dean, are you okay?”
I shake my head feeling like the biggest fucking idiot. Why did I come over here? She’s going to think I’ve lost my damn mind. Because I have.
“Got some sugar?” I ask letting the first thing that comes to mind tumble from my mouth.
She looks at me stunned. “You unpacked my groceries, I have sugar. It’s a little late don’t you think?”
Fuck!
I run my hand through my wet hair before wrapping my hand around my long beard pulling on it. “This is fucking stupid,” I mutter.
“Not sure I follow, Dean,” she whispers.
“Saw a car, little Ford,” at my words she pales.
Bingo.
She is scared.
“I don’t want to scare you.”
She swallows and nods. “I’m not easily scared, Dean. I prefer to know what I’m facing so just tell me why you’re at my house at eight pm on a school night without a shirt on.”
“Well, the neighbors are all out of town. Didn’t like the idea of you and Justice over here because that car isn’t one of the Johnson’s grandkids. I don’t know who it is.”
She blinks rapidly, “Um, thank you for your concern. We’re okay.”
“You armed?” I ask and instantly, I know the answer.
“I said I’m fine, Dean.”
“Havin’ a young kid, smart not to have something if you don’t know how to use it. You workin’ this weekend?”
