26. Havoc #2
Marcus stands taller, although he’s still shorter than Vortex. “You see? She’s an adult woman and can make her own choices.” He looks at my mother. “Come on. Let’s go home, we’ll talk it out.”
I see her swallow hard, and my hands clench into fists.
I wish I wasn’t surprised when she shakes her head. I wish I had more faith in her, but some of the anger fizzles when she replies, “No.”
“No?” Marcus asks, sounding every bit as shocked as I am.
My mother straightens, and Seven squeezes her shoulders again. “We have had that conversation so many times, Marcus,” she says, and she looks and sounds exhausted, frail — but determined, too. “I need… more time to think.”
Marcus shakes his head. “Sofía, what are you talking about? Everything was fine. You’re making a mountain out of a molehill.”
I let out a loud laugh. “The molehill’s been a fucking mountain for years, you dickweed. You know exactly what this is about.”
She hesitates again, and Seven says softly, “You told me what you’d say if you had the chance. You can tell him. You’re so strong, Sofía.”
I didn’t realize he’d started calling her by her name.
She exhales slowly, and she wraps an arm around Seven, too. The fact that she’s taking comfort from Seven, my Seven, does something to my heart. “I’m not going back with you,” she says. “I’m tired, Marcus. I’m lonely. I want to have a life of my own. I want more than I can have with you.”
My throat goes dry. This is the first time I’ve heard my mother say something like this. Even while she was here, she’d been uncertain about staying.
I’m so proud of her.
Marcus ruins it by laughing. “A life of your own? What are you talking about? You have a life, with me. I gave you this life! You were going to get deported without me!”
She tenses, and there are the first flickers of anger in her expression as she replies, “Do you think I only married you to stay in this country? Do you think I’m obligated to stay with you because you helped me? I will pay you back, every cent. But you don’t own me.”
“You aren’t paying him back,” I snap. I turn to Marcus. “You’re giving us her documents and you’re staying the fuck away from us from now on. Got it?”
Marcus’s face has gone an ugly shade of red.
“Sofía, you aren’t serious about this,” Marcus growls. “He’s manipulating you! I’m the one who loves you and takes care of you. I’ve given you so much over the years!”
“Please leave,” she says quietly. There are tears rolling down her cheeks, and she’s clutching Seven for dear life, but the fact that she still said the words is something.
It’s everything.
I nod to Vortex. “I think Marcus has overstayed his welcome.”
“I’ll happily take out the trash,” Vortex says darkly, and he drags Marcus to the door. “Let’s go.”
Marcus isn’t a weak man, but Vortex is stronger than he is. Without a glance backward, Vortex pulls Marcus out of the apartment.
My mother has staggered, and Seven helps her to the couch to sit down. She’s breathing hard, still crying, but she doesn’t try to go after him.
“Seven, stay with her. I’m going to help Vortex,” I say.
Seven nods, and I head out, closing the door behind me. Vortex is dragging Marcus toward the stairwell.
“Let go of me!” Marcus shouts, struggling against Vortex’s heavier weight. All the gym workouts in the world won’t help Marcus against Vortex.
I grin and follow. The stairwell is thankfully empty, and the concrete makes Marcus’s voice echo.
“Vortex, can you hold him still for a second?” I ask.
Vortex nods, and he wrestles Marcus’s arms behind his back. His expression is grim.
Marcus keeps struggling against Vortex. “Let go of me! Javier, boy, you don’t know what you’re doing!”
“I know exactly what I’m doing,” I answer with a low growl. “The same thing you always did to her.”
Then I punch him square in the jaw. Marcus howls in pain.
I punch him again, this time in the stomach, and then his nose. I hear it crack, and blood flows out.
This is what he deserves. He hurt my mother. He tormented her, me , for years. He destroyed my family.
I keep beating on him, until Vortex suddenly pulls Marcus back and says, “Havoc! Get a hold of yourself.”
I blink and stop. My hand is covered in blood, and it’s throbbing in mild pain. When I look up, Marcus is sobbing.
“Shit,” I mumble. I’m not mad I did this to him.
But I lost control again.
“I know you’re going to want to report this to the police,” Vortex says, his voice quiet but menacing.
“But that would be a mistake, and I think you know that. So while Javier is taking a moment to breathe, I’ll tell you what’s going to happen.
You’re going to return Sofía’s documents.
You’re going to keep your mouth shut. And when she sends you the divorce papers, you are going to sign them. ”
Marcus shakes his head woozily. “Why… why would I…”
I inhale deeply. “Because if you don’t, you’re not just dealing with me anymore. Do you know who I work for now, you asshole?”
Marcus blinks, and I’ll assume that’s a ‘no.’ “My boss is Caleb Spade. Maybe you’ve heard of the Spade family? They’re rich enough to bury anyone who gets in their way.”
Sometimes literally—and Marcus definitely knows the darker side of the Spade family, because his eyes widen.
“You don’t… Why would Caleb… Caleb Spade care about you? ” Marcus demands.
“He’s personally invested in Sofía’s situation,” Vortex replies. “And he’s not pleased to find out that Havoc’s mother is being abused.”
I grab Marcus’s collar and shake him. “You get it, right? You fuck with me and my mother again, I’ll make sure to destroy you.”
Marcus sobs, but in the end, he nods. Vortex lets go of him and steps back, blocking the stairwell exit.
“I always knew you were trouble,” Marcus says, looking at me. “I shoulda made Sofía get rid of you.”
I clench my fists again, and the only reason I don’t shove Marcus down the stairs is because Vortex squeezes my shoulder.
“Get the fuck out. If I don’t get her documents within a week, I’m coming after you,” I say. “You’re fucking lucky Vortex is here to protect you.”
Marcus clearly doesn’t agree about Vortex’s ‘protection,’ but he turns tail and hurries down the stairs.
When we hear the stairwell open and shut at the bottom, I let out a long sigh of relief.
“What are the chances he’ll actually send the documents?” I ask.
Vortex grimaces. “Not high,” he admits. “I can always pay him another visit, but I think it’s best to let the lawyer handle it. Hopefully, he’s afraid enough of the Spade family not to go to the police, but a doctor might ask questions.”
“He’ll have to admit that he got beat up by his worthless stepson.” I run my hand through my hair. “I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it. At least my mom is free of him now.”
I could easily have beaten him up before this, but I’d always known that no matter what I did, my mom would stay with him. I couldn’t risk making her hate me, too.
Vortex opens the stairwell door so we can go back to the apartment.
“Go clean up,” he says quietly. “I’ll make sure she’s distracted while you calm down.”
I never thought I’d feel so grateful for Vortex, but I nod.
My mother and Seven glance up at us as we return, but Vortex heads over to them, partially blocking me with his body.
“He’s going to send the documents and sign the divorce papers,” I hear Vortex say as I head into my bathroom.
I want to shower, but that would make my mother more suspicious. I settle for scrubbing my hands until the blood is gone, even the few flecks of it under my fingernails.
My knuckles are red and bruised, and there’s nothing I can do to disguise that.
When I’m clean enough, I go back out to everybody.
“Hey, the enchiladas smell good,” I say, trying for cheerful. “Glad they didn’t burn in the oven.”
My mother’s eyes are red and blotchy, and I wish I’d punched him a few more times. She manages a smile, though. “They’re waiting for us on the counter. Do you mind serving them, mijo?”
“I’ll do it,” Vortex says. He doesn’t wait for an answer before heading into the kitchen.
I notice my mother looking at my hands, and her eyes are sorrowful as she looks up at me. “Oh, Javi…”
“He would do anything to protect you,” Seven says quietly.
I nod earnestly. “I would. You know that, Mamá. I love you so much. I want you to have a real life. One where you aren’t afraid all the time.”
Seven looks up at me, biting his bottom lip. I can see the yearning in his expression, the envy, and I realize all over again how much I want to give him those things. A life, safety, happiness.
Love.
My mother nods and gives me a shaky smile. “That’s what I want for you too, mijo. And maybe… maybe I needed to make this step to give it to you.” She clutches Seven’s hand. “Now come on. Let’s eat before those enchiladas go cold.”
As soon as she stands up, I give her a hug. She squeaks and returns the embrace. “Gracias,” she whispers.
After I let go of her, I turn to Seven and pull him into a hug too. “I’m going to make sure you get a safe, happy life too. I promise.”
Seven looks up at me, searching my expression. He slowly nods. “I know you’re gonna do the best you can to make that happen.”
It’s not the enthusiastic acceptance I’d love to have from him, but it’s something.
I’ll just have to show him that I’ll do more than my best.