39. Sean
THIRTY-NINE
sean
I tracked Blair’s movements as she walked around the brownstone we decided on. The previous owners jumped at the cash offer, and we took it as is to speed the process up.
Any unexpected repairs wouldn’t break our pockets.
“How long before we can start construction?” she asked, turning to face me. “I’m ready to turn this into our home tomorrow.”
I smiled and walked toward her.
“The inspector will come on Monday. We’ll get any repairs needed done first and then start construction. Maybe a couple weeks? I can get a definite timeline for you later.”
She nodded and walked toward me.
“Do you have any preferences?”
I shook my head.
“Nah. Whatever you do I’m sure it’ll feel like home.”
“When are you going to tell me what’s been bothering you?” she asked, smoothly calling me out. “I thought you’d be happy he’s back, even under the circumstances.”
There was no point of keeping it bottled in. My grandda had been right, I knew exactly why I felt uncomfortable with his presence suddenly.
“When I see him I feel this need to cry,” I told her, tapping my chest. “There’s an ache here and I think… no, I’m certain it’s because I never let myself feel the weight of my grandmother’s murder.”
She was here and then she was gone and then my grandda retired to Ithaca. It was easy to see him occasionally but knowing he didn’t plan to go back meant exhuming my past from where I’d locked it away.
Blair stepped in front of me.
“You can cry if that’s what you need, little deer,” she murmured, cupping my face and brushing her thumbs beneath my eyes. “You loved her. I’m sure she adored you. Come here.”
She wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me into her. The way she was coaxing the fucking tears from me was working.
My eyes burned but I fought it.
What was the point in crying now?
“It happened. It’s over and I got to avenge her,” I said, securing my arms around her waist.
Blair kissed my neck.
“Yes, you got to avenge her. It happened and it’s over. But you haven’t grieved, little deer. I want you to start today…” she pressed her lips to my ear. “Right here, right now. I got you, like you’ve had me. Like you have me. ”
The first tear dropped without my permission and the rest followed suit, leaving me clinging to this woman who I’ve loved almost just as long as my grandmother been gone. It was as if she’d sent this angel to me, knowing she’d stick by my side all these years.
I let that consume me.
The idea that Blair and I were always meant to meet and fall in love, to grow together instead of apart.
I cried quietly, clutching her as my knotted grief unraveled. I let the tears fall, and Blair pulled back slightly, kissing them away as they did.
Blair had this way of knowing when to stay silent. I could feel the words she wasn’t speaking; the ones that told me she was there, that she’d always be there and that this was exactly what I needed to do. That I could do it again and again and she’d never judge me.
My chest heaved a little and my head fell to her shoulder. I wanted to hold on to her forever, but I finally pulled away and wiped my face.
I was about to thank her, but my secure phone buzzed and I pulled it from my pocket, answering the unknown number’s call.
“This can only be one person.”
Demetrius chuckled.
“Got a parting gift for my new business partners. I can deliver the sick fuck to a location of your choosing or I can make sure the entire tri-state knows his crimes and he never sees the light of day again. Your choice.”
I handed the phone to Blair; she put it on speaker and he repeated himself for her.
“Is both on the table?”
“For my almost future wife if she wasn’t so hung up on the man beside her, yeah both is on the table.”
“You must want me to kill you, huh?” I questioned, meaning that shit even though he was doing it to get under my skin on purpose.
“Don’t worry, O’Sullivan, I don’t really want your wife,” he said seriously. “I believe in the sanctity of marriage. Now, giving both does come with a stipulation.”
Blair hummed.
“And what’s that?”
“You two will come to Everwood at some point and get acquainted with the lay of the land. It’s like nothing you’ve ever experienced before.”
My wife looked up at me with a smirk on her face.
“Sounds like you want us to be your friends.”
He scoffed.
“Don’t need friends,” he grumbled. “How do I get the assassin on my payroll? The one married to your brother.”
I laughed.
“You can come to church tomorrow and introduce yourself properly. Maybe she’ll work with you, maybe she won’t,” I told him. “I’ll send a drop off location to this number.”
I hung up and tucked the phone away.
“What you thinking, Amoy?”
She looked up and tipped her head.
“I selfishly want to take my rage out on him, but he didn’t do half the things he did to those other women, to me. My closure can be them getting justice. But I do have something to say to him.”
I almost fought her on it.
She was giving up her own revenge for the sake of other’s getting closure, and while I found it admirable, I wanted the fucking man dead.
And I would get what I wanted, one way or another.
We met Demetrius at the same warehouse in Jersey City her father met his demise.
He backed his pickup truck into the building and dropped the hatch.
“I might’ve roughed him up a little. He was high out of his mind when I grabbed him and you know crackheads are strong as fuck.”
Blair snorted and said, “I didn’t know he was on drugs.”
Almost as if he smelled her presence, Caden began to stir.
He was hog tied and we stood watching until he cracked his eyes open.
“What the fuck?” he cursed, trying to get loose but to no avail. “Blair? What is this?”
She cocked her fist back and punched him in the face, probably splitting the already scabbed skin.
“I planned to let my husband break every bone in your body and dissect you myself, but I changed my mind. You didn’t just hurt me, you’ve been hurting women for years. They’re going to tear you limb from limb in prison. And maybe I’ll regret my decision later but it’s fine. I’ll be fine.”
“Blair,” Caden yelled, thrashing around until I pointed my gun at him. “Blair! You can’t do this to me! I stayed away! We’re family! I’m your brother!”
Her hand touched mine.
“You can’t, baby.”
I glanced at her.
“Blair! Blair! Do you fucking hear me calling you!”
“I can, Amoy,” I said, ignoring Caden’s shouts for her attention. “I will. For you, I can do anything. Nothing is off limits. No one. ”
I wanted to be selfish but going against her wishes would send us back to where we were when I first returned to the city. Reluctantly, I lowered my gun and stepped back.
“Be lucky, I love my wife more than my desire to kill you.”
But just to quell the rage I went back and pistol whipped him until he passed out.
Demetrius shut the hatch and pulled the protective cover over it.
“I’ll handle it from here,” he said, dipping his head at Blair, but lifting his chin at me. “How early is church service these days? Haven’t been in over a decade.”
The building might set fire with all of us inside of it.
“Ten sharp and don’t be late, my grandda can’t stand it.”
He lifted an eyebrow.
“Sounds like I’m being welcomed into the family.”
I ignored him and took Blair’s hand.
“All the evidence that’ll put him away will mysteriously end up in the hands of the DA’s office. Be easy, Everwood.”
It took longer than I expected but the second we parked in front of her building, she broke down and I pulled her over the seat, doing exactly what she did for me.
“I got you, baby,” I whispered, stroking her back. “Always have, always will.”