Chapter Fifteen
“This here is a Burmese python. We named him Ernie,” I tell the students as I pet the snake in his enclosure. “They were once thought to be part of the Indian python family but are now considered their own species. Does anyone know anything about them?”
I pull my hand back before turning to look at the group of third graders.
They all have eyes the size of saucers as they stare at the snake behind the glass.
Ernie could easily get out if he wanted, but he stays curled up in a ball.
Four employees surround the enclosure to close it quickly should he start to make a move.
He won’t, though. He has a full belly and is taking the equivalent of a snake nap.
“Can we touch him?” one of the boys asks.
I shake my head. “It’s not safe or kind to the animals to touch them constantly. Think about it like this: would you like it if people came up and messed up your hair?” When the little boy shakes his head, I continue. “It’s the same for them.”
“Do they live in Florida? My daddy says there are pythons in the Everglades,” a little girl shouts out.
“That’s a great question. Whether by intentional release of pets or accidental release, the Burmese python has become an invasive species of the Florida Everglades. In fact, the National Park Service believes that they could be the cause of their animal populations decreasing.”
“Do they eat other snakes?” one of the children asks.
“It is not what they normally eat, but they have been known to indulge in a snake or other reptiles like iguanas. Usually they stick to birds or mammals.”
“Is it true a man was swallowed whole by one?”
I smile kindly. “They tend to try and eat animals their own size, so no, humans aren’t exactly in their diet.”
I don’t add that they are thinking about a different kind of python. No need to scare the kids to death.
I smile and laugh with them as I answer all the questions they have. By the time they are done in the reptile exhibit, I hope they are full of knowledge.
“That was amazing. I love hearing you talk to the kids,” Susie, my assistant, tells me.
“Field trip days are my favorite. The passion for knowledge that they have is amazing. They are little sponges just waiting for us to tell them all about the world. Are there any other groups today?”
She shakes her head. “That was the last one. I did get a message that you have a visitor. They let them wait in your office.”
I smile, wondering if it’s one of the men I’ve come to adore. I’m still on a high from the children as I head back to my office. When I step inside, all joy fades.
“What are you doing here, Troy?”
In his hands are a bunch of flowers.
“I figured I would bring you lunch and we could talk.”
I note the bag on my desk. It’s from my favorite Mexican place. I rub my forehead.
“There’s nothing to talk about.”
“Sure there is.” He moves closer, holding out the flowers.
I refuse to take them.
“Baby, you know it didn’t mean a thing. It was a moment of weakness.”
I snort. “Does Kimberly know that’s what she’s called now? ‘A moment of weakness.’ I can’t imagine she would appreciate that.”
“I don’t give a fuck. She was a shitty friend. She had been trying to get me to fuck her for years. I finally caved. You can’t blame a man.”
My eyes prick at his admission. All those times I would go to her and complain about him not being intimate with me.
“Yeah I can. You made a commitment to me. We were monogamous. That means your dick doesn’t end up in my best friend or any other woman, for that matter.
You are right about one thing, though. She was never really my friend.
Maybe I should be thanking you both for showing me the truth.
Who knows how long I would have stayed in an unhappy relationship? ”
“Unhappy? Come on, baby. You wound me. I made you happy.”
He is trying to be charming, but I see it for what it is now. He’s a fucking snake, and not the kind I enjoy playing with.
“Troy, you need to go. I don’t love you anymore. I’m not sure I ever did.”
“You’re being hurtful now, Esme,” he reprimands. “Don’t be a bitch.”
I feel that familiar part of me giving in, but I push back against it. I’m not the woman who let Troy walk all over me anymore. I’m stronger. Better.
“Why is it that whenever a woman calls a man on his bullshit that she’s the bitch? You cheated on me. I get that you have regrets now. You wish you didn’t do it, but we can’t turn back time. You can’t take it back, and I won’t take you back. You should leave now.”
“Do you think those men you are parading around town with are going to treat you right? You realize they only see you as a cum dumpster, right?”
I startle at his words. “Wow. And you said I was cruel. Get the fuck out of my office before I call security.”
He steps toward me, but I step back.
“Now, Troy.”
“Fucking pussy ain’t worth it,” he mutters as he storms out of my office, slamming the door.
The moment it closes, I feel myself cave in.
I pull out my phone and do the only thing I can do to erase Troy.
I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. I have it on do not disturb unless it’s Esme, so I know it’s her.
We are flying down the road with a load of drugs in our saddlebags so I don’t pull over, but I want to. It takes another three minutes before it vibrates again.
Something is wrong.
I don’t know how I know, but I do. She never texts twice in a row.
Flagging Levi down, I nod to the side.
He pulls all sixteen of us to the side of the road.
It’s dangerous, but he doesn’t question me. Pulling out my phone, I see her name in the group text.
Then I open it.
My darlin: Troy showed up here.
My darlin: I could really use some reassurance right now.
I pull my helmet off and dismount my bike. I walk several paces away and dial her number.
“Hud?” she whispers.
I can hear the sadness in her voice. She’s crying right now.
I curse the sky that I’m not there right now. I’m still an hour out from her.
“Darlin’, what did that fucker say to you?” I growl into the phone.
She sighs. “I know it’s all lies. I don’t know why I let it affect me so much.”
“Tell me, darlin’. Let me calm your mind.”
She sniffles. “He said that you guys are using me as a cum dumpster. He also said my best friend, or I guess ex-best friend, had been trying to sleep with him for years. Oh, and his parting gift was that my pussy wasn’t worth it.”
I grit my teeth. “I will kill him.”
She giggles, making my chest feel a little lighter. “No. I don’t want that.”
“Well then, let me tell you the truth. You are our girl. We might fill you with our cum, but you will never be considered a dumpster. You are a treasure. A golden chalice. And that pussy?” I hiss into the phone.
“It’s the one William Shakespeare wrote poems about.
It could cause wars with how beautiful and good it is.
He’s lashing out right now because he had you and lost you.
He realizes that, and he thinks the only way to get you back is to shit on the life you are building for yourself.
Don’t let him do that to you, darlin’. To us.
This isn’t some temporary thing for us. It’s for life.
I know you still aren’t all in yet. You have your reservations, but we don’t.
The only way this ends is with you walking away from us, not the other way around. Understand?”
She sighs. “Yeah. I understand. What are you doing right now? Can you come see me? I could use a hug.”
I take a deep breath, hating that I have to tell her no.
“I’m on a run with the club at the moment. I’ll be back in an hour. Can you wait that long? I can tell them to fuck off and speed right to you and make it closer to thirty,” I tell her.
“Are you telling me you were riding your motorcycle with a bunch of people and you pulled over to talk to me?”
I snort. “Yep. Made them pull over too. There’s about sixteen of us sitting on the side of the road right now.”
“Oh, I feel so bad. Why didn’t you ignore my text? It could have waited.”
I growl. “No. When you are upset, it can’t wait. You are my priority.”
“Go then. Get off the phone with me and get back here to me. I have to finish work, but I’ll wait for you at my place.”
“We will be there.”
The words love you are on my lips, but I bite them back.
“Bye, Hud.”
“Bye, darlin’.”
I hang up, walking over to where Levi and Walker are waiting. The rest of the guys are chatting among themselves.
“What was it about?” Levi asks.
“That ex-fucker of hers showed up at her work and said some pretty bad things to her. She started questioning us,” I admit.
Walker grunts, but I can see the murder on his face.
“I offered to kill him. She said no.”
“Of course she did.” Levi scoffs. “He’s going to be a problem, isn’t he?”
“He realizes he fucked up, so I’d say yes. He will be a big problem. I don’t know how to handle it and keep her from being upset over it,” I admit.
“Jenkins has his file. We can look over it again and see if we have any leverage. Have we talked to his father recently?” Walker looks to Levi.
“I haven’t, but maybe it’s about time we go have a chat with him. Is she going to be okay?”
“She seemed better by the end of the call, but she needs a hug. Her words, not mine. So let’s get back on the road and get back to her. I told her we would all be there in about an hour.”
Levi looks at his watch. “That’s cutting it close. It will be risky.”
“Yeah, well, she’s worth the risk. Be lucky I’m still here. I offered to abandon you and go straight to her.”
Levi laughs. “Obsessed.”
“All of us are.” I give him a pointed look.
He holds up his hands as he backs away to his bike.
As we get back on the road, my mind is on her.
That Troy fucker better hope I never see him again. If I do, I’m not sure I will be able to hold back the anger burning inside of me. I can’t believe he said what he said to her. What kind of man thinks that talking to a woman that way would endear him to her?
A dead man is who.
She said we couldn’t kill him, but I’m not sure I won’t do it anyway. He messed with the wrong woman. As soon as I heard her tears, I knew I would need to do something.
That will have to wait, though. Our girl needs a hug.
Hold on, darlin’. We are on our way.