I grunted. “Aren’t they all senseless?” I asked as I took a left from the main road and started to head toward my house.
A pulse of anxiousness jumped into my veins. Been pulsing the whole day, really, even though I’d been trying to keep it cool.
Knowing I was going to get the chance to really meet my son. Praying that old saying that we only got one first impression didn’t count in this case, considering I’d blown that one to shit.
Another shock of apprehension blistered beneath my skin.
Couldn’t wait to stand in front of him. Look at him. Maybe even get the chance to wrap him in my arms like I was aching to do.
Whole time hoping I could be a better man than the one I’d become. The one I’d been bred to be.
A coward who acted out of fear.
“Guess so,” Pete continued. “It’s hard for me to process bullshit like that at all . . . but when there’s nothing for them to gain but life in prison? What the fuck is that?”
“I’m with you, man.”
“Any leads?” Pete asked.
“Car from yesterday was abandoned down on 5th. Baren and Dominguez went to the prick’s house this morning. Loser lives in his mom’s basement. Of course, she claims she hasn’t seen him since yesterday.”
“Typical.”
“Yup. But we’ll get them.”
These cases were easy. Four idiots. One of them would make a mistake. Wouldn’t be all that hard to hunt them down.
“So, who’s the girl?”
My heart thudded with his abrupt change of subject, and I took the last right into my neighborhood.
“Izzy.” Her name was like a rough stroke of lust running off my tongue.
“Know her name, asshole. I want to know what she means to you.”
She means everything.
Couldn’t bring myself to say it. Not when I knew she wasn’t ready. So, I gave him the most basic truth. “My oldest friend.”
He barked out a laugh. “Your friend? Didn’t look like a friend to me. Thought I was going to have to stop you from humping her leg.”
I blew out a strained sigh. “Not like that.”
“Really.”
“Nope.”
He sobered. “Ahhh,” he finally drew out. “Always wondered.”
“Wondered what?” Came out harsher than I intended.
He chuckled in disbelief. “Come on, man. You think it’s not obvious something’s haunted you? The way you live your life like it doesn’t matter? Tell me, does it matter now?”
Last thing I wanted was to get into this with him. Jace and Ian blowing up my phone with texts all day was bad enough.
Both of them stricken that they’d left and I’d been jumped. Then the speculations had started firing when I’d finally admitted that Izzy had come.
“Listen, I’ve got to go.”
“Hot date?” he razzed.
“You want your ass kicked?”
He laughed again. “Whatever, Mack.” He paused, tone sobering when he said, “That girl seemed sweet. She’s not anything like Clarissa. Be careful.”
No. He was right. She wasn’t a thing like Clarissa.
“Talk to you later.” I ended the call before he could get in another word.
I jumped out of my Suburban, getting ready to race inside so I could change my clothes.
Excited.
Antsy.
Nervous as hell.
Spent my life thinking I couldn’t have this kind of joy, coming to terms with the fact that I had to live with that hollowed out vacancy that howled inside of me.
With the pain of letting her go.
With the regret of the way I’d done it.
Now, that joy was right there, waiting for me to reach out and take it.
It was the kind of joy I’d only ever found in that girl.
Starting up the two side steps that led onto the porch, I came up short when I noticed my truck in my periphery. I blinked, thinking I was seeing things.
What the hell?
All the side windows were busted in, metal beat to shit, but it was what was spray-painted on the side of the truck that had a cold slick of apprehension seeping beneath my skin.
Pigs get slaughtered.
Disquiet billowed in the late afternoon air, and I instantly had my hand on the gun strapped to my side, eyes darting everywhere as I slowly edged back down that way, pulse speeding and boots crunching on the gravel.
Warily, I peered into my truck.
A rugged gray brick sat in the seat among the tiny squares of broken glass.
Awareness prickled at the back of my neck, hairs lifting as those dark places heaved.
Ominous. Menacing.
Threat written in black scratch.
Die cop, die.
Disgust knotted my stomach, and my throat locked up tight.
I slowly let my gaze move over my shoulder and across my front yard. Hot air whipped, and the trees rustled.
My ears filled with the echo of children playing down the street.
Innocent.
But I could feel it.
Something sinister rising in the air.
Knew it had to be the fuckers from last night. Had no idea how they’d found me. Why they’d be so stupid to come around here. Only thing I knew was I was going to track them down. Make them pay. Stop them before they had a chance of getting close to me or my family.