Chapter Twenty-Seven
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Granddaddy of them All
L ennox stared at the missed call number. He didn’t know who it was, but they’d called multiple times. No voicemail. No text. He chose to ignore it, but not block it just yet. He arrived at his father’s house after such a busy, and somewhat fun-filled, day. He was looking forward to this evening, too—even though he realized it more than likely involved plentiful arguing.
Nadia had made it clear how she felt about his recent goings-on. He had no regrets. The butting of heads would ensue. He pulled up into his father’s long, winding driveway. The estate was just as he remembered it as a child. Well-manicured lawn. Lion statues outside of the front door, and a winding front porch with plentiful hanging plants. Mama used to take care of those plants and flowers. Now, Dad had a gardener, and he barely kept up with what was what.
Lennox made his way to the front door and rang the bell. He had his own separate security code to enter the house, but he wanted his father to come directly to the door. Open it for him. Let him in. He waited for a minute or two, then rang the bell again. He knew Dad was home, despite the long time waiting for him to answer the door. Dad had become a recluse to some degree after all.
Finally, his father arrived. He could see him approaching from beyond the frosted glass of the door windows, crossing the marble floor one stride at a time. A dark royal shade of blue draped the shadowy figure.
Dad paused at the door, as if needing to take a deep breath, then opened it. He stood there in his thick sapphire robe and matching slippers, a gold crucifix pendant around his neck with sparse chest hair showing beneath it. Dad’s dark blond hair with wisps of gray at the sideburns was somewhat damp as if he’d recently gotten out of the shower. His slight widow’s peak gave him a look of intelligence and wisdom—something Lennox believed was nothing more than a physical stereotypical trait that his father didn’t actually possess.
“Lenny, what a surprise.” Dad’s eyes remained rather small, and his lips curled ever so slightly, as if it took all of his strength to muster a shred of kindness. “What are you doin’ here?”
“Was just in the neighborhood. Thought I’d swing by.”
Lennox looked down at his father’s hand. Long, pale fingers were wrapped tightly around a cold one. He swallowed the unspoken reaction that hung on the tip of his tongue by not saying, ‘How many is that so far today?’ Instead, he asked if he could come inside.
“Of course. You’re my son.”
Dad opened the door wider, and Lennox stepped over the threshold. He looked around as he heard the door close hard behind him, and several deadbolts being locked. Then the beeps and button noises of the alarm being reset. The house smelled fresh, new and airy, as if Dad had just moved in. The marble floors were spic and span, as was the opulent furniture and large frescos that gleamed beneath real gold frames that sparkled as if they’d just been dusted. The place reminded him somewhat of a museum. Not a thing out of place. Not a speck of dust, not a touch of life or essence. So different from the days when he and his sister raced around chasing one another, hollering and screaming for the hell of it, and did cannonballs in the indoor pool to the blasting sounds of rock ’nd roll, country, and rap music.
Lennox’s ears peaked as he heard what sounded like classical music playing on low volume. He’d never heard his father play classical music before. How strange. It was there, but barely detectable.
“Ya hungry?” Dad asked, his brows slightly furrowed as if he were annoyed about something, but decided to focus on food instead.
Lennox turned to him, his hands on his hips. Their gazes hooked and his stomach clenched, but not from just hunger.
“Yeah. I could eat.”
“You’re always hungry.” Dad chuckled as he made his way past him. “I just had a food delivery. Way too much food for just me anyway. You’re right on time.”
Lennox followed him into the kitchen. Stainless steel double ovens. Two microwaves. A LED illuminated built-in curio cabinet. State of the art smart appliances. Both sides of the white and black kitchen had large white cabinets filled with some of the most expensive plates and glassware one could buy. He sat down at the hefty irregularly shaped white marble kitchen table with enormous matching scoop chairs. They swiveled back and forth, allowing him to let off a little excess steam.
Dad reached into a brown paper bag soiled with grease stains, and pulled out a hoagie sandwich wrapped in oily parchment paper. It sure smells good, whatever it was. He took out another one and set each on a white plate, along with potato chips and a pickle spear. Without a word, he slid one of the plates toward Lennox, then went to the fridge. Lennox carefully peeled the paper off the sandwich. It was a meatball sub with loads of marinara sauce, jalape?o peppers, thinly sliced onions, and heaps of mozzarella cheese.
“Why’d you order two sandwiches if you weren’t expecting anyone?”
“One for lunch. One for supper.”
His father poured a tall glass of milk, then shuffled back over to him and set it beside his plate.
“Thank you.”
“Welcome.” A sad smile creased Dad’s face as he reached into his robe pocket, pulled out a cigarette, and lit it. Then, he just stood there, staring at him, sorrow in his soupy eyes.
“What?” Lennox asked between chomps of the hoagie. He dabbed the side of his mouth with a napkin. The violins in the song seemed to get louder.
“When you were a lil’ boy, you loved meatball hoagies. You remember that?”
Lennox thought about it for a moment. “Nah, not really,” he said around a mouthful of food.
“There was a greasy spoon down in Benton. It was called Harold’s Diner. Long time ago.” Dad waved his hand as if it were a simple, fleeting thought. “I’d take you ’nd Silva ’round there and you’d always get that meatball hoagie. Extra sauce and cheese. These aren’t as good, but they’re a close second.” He looked down at his own untouched plate. “I rarely buy ’em now. Then today, I used Uber Eats and purchased two—and here you come. Like it was meant to be. Just a bit ironic is all.” Dad shrugged, picked up his beer and chugged it hard. The older man’s long throat constricted and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed the piss-colored brew—his medicine for his mental issues and emotional damage. Am I collateral damage?
“Yeah… like I said. I don’t remember that.” Lennox picked up his glass of milk, then took a small sip.
“You were young. ’Bout six or seven or so. I imagine that’s not somethin’ you’d store in your memory bank. Anyway, your mama wanted y’all to eat healthy, so I’d do it on the sly. I’d whisper to you to tell your mama that we were just going out to get some milk or somethin’ like that. We went to that place many times together before they closed. Great food.” That sad smile returned to his face again. This time, his eyes watered. “Not a lotta candies, cakes or cookies were in the house. Definitely not greasy, tasty submarines, bubbly Coke, and thick cut steak fries. But you ’nd Silva didn’t ever get a cavity, either. So, I guess it paid off.”
He looked dreamily towards a large bay window and sucked on the cigarette. Nothing outside but absolute magnificence.
“I remember when Silva and I were younger, we saw you as the fun parent and Mama as the meanie.” Lennox mustered a smile as the memories flooded his mind.
“Yeah. A little fun never hurt nobody. Your mama was a pretty serious woman, but she’d laugh with me and at me. She had a beautiful smile, Lenny, I’m sure you remember it… and her giggle was hilarious. She had the funniest laugh… said I was the most amusing man she’d ever met. She loved my way with numbers. Found it sexy.” He brought his hand to his face, rested his nose against his curved knuckle and shook his head, then tapped his ashes into a nearby ashtray.
“I wish you woulda gotten remarried. You needed someone.” Someone to hold you accountable and stand between you and Grandpa. Be your peace.
“I’ve had some beautiful women in my life, Lenny. Before your mama. A few after. None of ’em compared. She was just as lovely on the inside, too.” His voice cracked, and he quickly turned away. “So, so smart. Erotic. Witty. Faithful. Trustworthy. Great mother. Wonderful wife. Worked hard. She got that degree, all right. A business woman, an amazing doctor, and damn near a saint. Saints aren’t always perfect. We all have a past.” He swallowed, then sighed. Took a drag of the cigarette. “She was open and honest with me. I protected her secrets.” His voice trembled, and Dad gripped the back of the chair, squeezing it hard with one hand.
“And that’s why I could never love another woman the same way. Believe me, I tried. There was no point in getting remarried. I would only compare the lady to your mother, and none of them could compete. Nobody wants to be alone.” He pulled the chair he’d been standing behind out and slinked down onto it. He stared at his food on the plate while Lennox ate slowly. His appetite was waning.
“You’re right. I’ve got someone important in my life now, too. Someone I’d protect from everything. Even from someone who brought me into this world if necessary.” Their eyes locked. “Why are you talkin’ to me about this right now?” He shoved the plate away.
“Because you don’t care for me too much, Lenny.”
“That’s not true. I love you. I just think that—”
“No, no. You think I do everything wrong, and some stuff I did do wrong, but the one thing I did right was to fall in love with and marry that woman. Your mother.” Dad smashed his cigarette in the ashtray, extinguishing it. “The second thing I did right was to make her the mother of my two children. Well, I guess that’s three things right, technically.” Lennox picked up the glass of milk and brought it to his lips. “…Your grandfather called me last night.”
“I knew you were up to something.” Lennox burst out laughing, showing his disgust in a big smile as his heart rate accelerated. He shook his head, sick of it all.
“Stop. Let me finish.” Dad put his hand up. “It’s nothing crazy. He says he wants to meet with you soon, is all. Discuss things man to man. Maybe come to a mutual agreement.”
“The only thing I can agree with Grandpa about is that we all must pay taxes and we’re all going to die one day. Other than that, there is nothin’ mutual about us, ’cept my last name. There is only one man in this equation, and it isn’t Grandpa. Demons aren’t human.” He took a big swallow of milk and set the glass down.
“Lennox, you could at least hear Daddy out.”
“Me and your father have absolutely nothin’ to talk about.”
“Lennox… I fear he’s going to move forward with contactin’ your mother’s family. Is that what you want? And he won’t stop there. He’ll make sure it gets back to their neighbors and friends about your mama escorting. He said lust is a terrible sin, and you know how Daddy feels about that sort of thing.”
“Lust? That’s like a lush blade of grass getting angry at a tree because its leaves are green. You can’t be for real? Dad, that old fucker screws a different, random woman almost every day of the week! He’s a king-sized pervert, and a king-sized hypocrite, to match his king-sized sexual appetite, at his ripe old age. If it’s true that the good die young, he’ll live forever. He’s probably a vampire. I damn sure wouldn’t be surprised.”
Dad’s complexion deepened as he drummed his fingers against the table.
“I know your grandfather is a ladies’ man.” Lennox rolled his eyes. What a nice way to put it! “I get that, but his beliefs are important to him, son. He believes in God, and he reads his Bible assiduously. My father is far from perfect, but nobody can say he isn’t religious. He is very involved in the church. Hell, he puts his money where his mouth is. He owns the ‘Christ Pages,’ book chain, and—”
“I don’t give a shit if he owns the damn old school yellow pages! I don’t give a dog’s lick on a cat’s pink ass about him owning that Christian bookstore chain, all of the donations he gives to the Baptist church, all the speaking engagements at these Christian cult-like conventions he gets paid thousands of dollars to speak at for just a few minutes. That’s something to cover the true him. The one that looks at the Bible and goes, ‘Let me say I do everything in here, but in fact, I do the exact opposite.’ In fact, I bet Grandpa thinks he is the second coming of Christ, when really, he’s the Anti-Christ. He’s completely delusional and insane. He uses religion to control people, and he warps scripture to suit whatever it is he’s yapping about.”
“Okay, I hear you.” Dad gritted his teeth as if in pain. “All of that aside, he’s gonna send proof of your mama’s past. We can’t let that happen. Your mother would roll over in her grave.”
“And you think she ain’t rollin’ around in her tomb right now from the idea of her husband, the father of her children, tryna sell his only son into family slavery?! You think she’d approve?! She hated Grandpa’s guts!”
“…But she loved her family, and I’m not tryna sell you at all! If you worked for your grandfather, your struggles would be over and you know he’d never do anything to you! He loves you. He wants you protected.”
“Protected like you ? Are you protected right now, Daddy, or do you need protection?” The temperature in the room seemed to plummet.
“Family was everything to your mama! They’ll be destroyed if you don’t do the right thing. Lenny, please…” Dad put his hands together as though he was praying. “I know you think that—”
“I DON’T WANT TO END UP LIKE YOU! In a big ass beautiful house all alone! Afraid to ever love again, not because you don’t want to or no woman is good enough, or compares to Mama, but because of your father’s control over you! You know it may drive that lady away, or even better, she’d be just like Mama and stand up to the old man! You don’t owe me shit, but to ask me to do this is unreal after all I have done for this family! Haven’t I done enough to sacrifice for you?!” He balled up his napkin and tossed it across the kitchen. “I was the father I needed to not only myself, but to Silva.” He pointing to himself, his body jerking forward, as his anger unleashed. “I’m the one who risked goin’ to prison to keep the bills paid because all you wanted to do was crunch numbers and feel sorry for yourself! You’re only semi-sober right now because the day isn’t quite over. ’Round ten o’clock tonight, you’ll be drunk and your demons will be swimming in the best whiskey and gin that money and your soul can buy! You didn’t deserve Mama. And she deserved better than the sorry likes of you !”
“LENNOX! Watch your fucking mouth! You’re goin’ too damn far!”
“I ain’t gone far enough! You think a damn meatball sandwich is gonna clean up all the wrong you’ve done to me and your daughter? Save the day?!” Dad hung his head. “The neglect from being with Grandpa, helping to run his crooked endeavors instead of coming to Silva’s plays, and my football games? Every time I looked out in the stands, I saw my mama. She was supposed to be at work! She had patients who needed her! But no, most of the time she was right there—rain, sleet, or snow. The only time you had the balls to stand up to Grandpa was on the crooked back of grief. Mama died. You cried. Grandpa lied. You absorbed some of her strength, somehow, some way. She must’ve left you a little behind. A last gift. You used it up too fast, and turned back to your spineless self as soon as things got hot again. Couldn’t even stand on business and let Grandpa know that you weren’t going to take his shit anymore. YA HAD KIDS! WHAT ABOUT US ?!”
“More of this!” Dad slammed his fist against the table. “A circular conversation. You think everybody can be some gotdamn Superman?! YOU THINK EVERYONE IS CUT OUT TO MAKE PENNIES AT SOME RESTAURANT OR WORK AT SOME FUCKIN’ GYM ALL DAMN DAY, THEN WORK YOURSELF INTO A STUPOR AT NIGHT AT THAT STUPID DANCE CLUB?! You live in a little house in a workin’ class neighborhood. Wildes don’t live like that! You’re exhausted, and what do you have to show for it?!”
“Daddy… I’ve got love, to show for it. I’ve got self-respect, to show for it. I’ve got a plan that God has blessed me with, and made my dream a reality, to show for it! I’m a realist. I’m a peaceful person until I can no longer be. I’m a praying man. I’m somebody’s soon-to-be future husband and father, and I take that shit seriously! I’m now a business owner due to all of my hard work, prayers, and perseverance. You’re lookin’ at the upcoming owner of R.S.S. GYM– Rain, Sleet, or Snow.” Dad’s lips parted, and his eyes widened. “That’s right. I finished my certifications. I’ve got my degree, finally putting it to use… and I did it all by myself. No hand-outs. No blood money. I made my OWN money to pay for them classes, my house, and everything else. You talk down on my jobs I do to make ends meet. You make fun of my house– but I paid for it outta my own pocket. Too bad you can’t say the same.
“I have everything I need. This house isn’t really yours. It’s Grandpa’s because it came from blood money. He owns you and everything in it. Blood to him isn’t just family, Daddy. Blood to Grandpa means oppression. Tyranny. Servitude! I don’t bend no knee to nobody but God, and I’d rather be panhandling on the side of the damn highway in 100°F weather with a fur coat on, than end up giving my life to a man who sees me as nothin’ more than a step to climb up on! A back to stand on! An ass to kick when he’s mad or bored. I realize somethin’ right now though. I’m sorry for expecting better of you. That wasn’t fair of me. How could I expect you to be a good daddy when you never really had one?”
Tears streamed down his father’s cheeks. He rarely saw his father cry, and the sight broke him in two. Regardless, the man needed to hear the harsh, ugly truth. All that glittered wasn’t gold, and a soul was to never be sold.
“You are just like your mama… Good God, you’re just like ’er, Lennox.” Daddy covered his face with both hands and wept.
“…And you’re wrong about what you said earlier. I could never hate you. You’re my father. You never beat me. Never talked down to me. Never tried to intentionally hurt me. But you’re not built for what I wanted you to do. You’re not made to move mountains, when you can barely move yourself outta bed, look in the mirror, and face the day…” Lennox took a deep breath and released it. “Now I have to make a quick call and take a piss.”
Standing, he shoved the chair hard against the table. He didn’t bother looking back at his father as he made his way out of the kitchen, down a long corridor. He passed the first bathroom, then a second. He went around the corner, looked both ways to ensure Dad hadn’t followed or one of the maids wasn’t in the hall, and typed in the code to enter Dad’s office. He hoped it was the same one he knew of and that his father hadn’t changed it. The thick wooden door clicked and he stepped inside, closing it softly behind himself. There, on Dad’s big black desk, was his laptop.
The room smelled like leather and bourbon. He made his way to the oversized desk chair and booted up the laptop, cringing when the thing made a loud noise. As soon as it was up and running, he put it on mute. One thing about his father was that he relied on everyone else to keep his technology up to date. Dad was old school. If you needed your taxes done or to accept money under the table without getting busted, he was your man—but if you needed a computer software update, he was the last person you’d call. Lennox hoped and prayed that Dad was still rotating the same old five passwords. He typed in the first password Dad might be using.
ACCESS DENIED. That is the incorrect password.
He sighed, and tried another.
ACCESS DENIED. That is the incorrect password.
He knew that if he kept on getting them wrong, eventually he’d be locked out. And worst of all, found out. He said a quick prayer. Tried again.
ACCESS DENIED. That is the incorrect password.
FUCK! He massaged his head and mulled the different options.
After a while, he typed: Aaliyah0110
The programs began opening, one by one. He sighed with relief, smiling. It was Mama’s name, the month and day she was born, of course. He slipped his USB thumb drive out of his pocket and placed it in his father’s computer, then opened up several folders on the desktop. His fingers beat against the mouse in rapid succession. One after another, he copied the documents onto the thumb drive. They were encrypted, but he’d worry about that later. Some of the files were rather large. His heart thumped as he grew concerned about being found out. Perhaps their heated discussion had left the man stunned enough that he’d stay put. After a few minutes, most of the files were copied and he ejected his thumb drive and shut down the computer.
He paused when he heard a noise. Looking around the room, he dashed to a small closet where his father kept printer paper, a few coats and what not. As soon as he hid inside, he heard the click of the office door, followed by footsteps. He slumped down in the darkest corner of the closet, careful to monitor his breathing and not move a muscle. He heard the computer boot up. Then clicking. And then his father’s voice.
“Hey, Dad. It’s me… Mmm hmm…. Well, yeah, I told you that Lennox was here when I thought I saw him outside through the camera, but it turned out to be just some delivery guy. False alarm. It wasn’t him after all that stopped by today. You know how my frosted front door is.” He laughed nervously. “Afterwards, I did go on and call Lennox since he was on my mind. I asked him about his schedule and what not like you wanted me to, but he was pretty vague. Mmm hmmm… I did… Yeah, that too. I asked casually if he was dating anyone… No… He was vague about that, too. I know you said he’s got a girlfriend ’nd all, but it may just be a friend. You know how Lennox is, a bit of a playboy. Chivalrous, too… I understand that, but… okay… yeah, but listen. I know my son very well. Even if they’re havin’ sex on a regular basis, it may not be as serious as anyone believed.
“I can’t because… right… Yeah… yeah… Since he and Silva aren’t talkin’, that’s not an option to try and get her involved to help, so I did think of trying to get someone else to assist instead. I’ll continue to try. Eventually he’ll open up… I didn’t bring it up because he seemed in a bad mood on the phone, ya know?… Mmm hmmm…No, there’s no point in pressin’ him when he gets like that. He just shuts down… Yeah, it could be… Probably that deal for the fitness center he’s trying to open up fell through, like everything else he tries to do, right?”
Dad’s fake laughter was almost convincing, but he didn’t miss the pain in it. “The bottom line is that he didn’t mention anything about anyone confronting her or saying anything, and that’s not like him… Right. You and I both know that if he knew, he would have been already there to see you by now…Yes, I agree… He’s a hot head when he blows his top… Right!” Dad chuckled.
“Yeah. No self-control! So, maybe he doesn’t know after all. Maybe whoever she is, she’s thinkin’ over the offer and didn’t tell him because of that. It’s possible. Well, I’ll talk with you soon. Bye for now.” His father ended the call. A few more clicks on the keyboard, and then the sound of the computer shutting down. Footsteps. Slow and steady. The opening of the office door and then, the closing.
Lennox stayed in place a few moments longer, trying to make sense of what he’d overheard. After a short while, he got to his feet, exited the closet and the office. He returned to the kitchen, where his father sat on the same chair at the table as if he’d never left, his hands clasped on his lap. He noticed his plate and glass were gone. After a minute or two, his old man broke the silence.
“You said you had to make a phone call. Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Fine. I need to get going.”
Dad nodded as he stared down at the table. “Well, let me walk ya out.”
Both stood at the same time and journeyed quietly to the front door. Dad turned off the alarm system, then unlocked the door. Before Lennox could walk past, he took him in his arms and squeezed him tight, his love pouring through in his grip. Dad stood back, but kept holding his arms.
“Lennox, some things you said today I don’t agree with. Some of them I have to agree with because they’re true. It hurt me when you said I wasn’t a good father.” Lennox swallowed and looked away, feeling suddenly warm all over. “Naw, it’s okay… you’re right. We all have our crosses to bear. It sucks to have your boy not look up to you. Not respect you. I want to work on our relationship, if you’ll let me.”
Lennox stood there thinking about how his father had finally fallen on the sword—lied to his own father to save him from something, or some one . He knew it was difficult for Dad to do, but he did it anyway. For him.
“We can see what happens,” he mumbled.
Dad nodded, hugged him one more time, and they said their goodbyes. Once in his truck, Lennox slid his hand briefly in his pocket, feeling for the USB. He headed out to the main road, on his way home. He figured Nadia would come by soon, ready to give him an earful. He had an earful for her now, too. After overhearing his father and grandfather talking on the phone, the puzzle pieces were beginning to come together. Whatever Nadia hadn’t spoken of probably had something to do with Grandpa, some offer or even a conversation. Why else would she brought up? It was not Dice, after all. It didn’t matter though. Dice still had that coming. He destroyed Nadia’s car, so his car got destroyed too. Big fucking deal. He had bigger fish to fry now. He replayed what his father had said on the phone, over and over in his mind.
Offer? Relationship? I knew he was having me followed, but I haven’t seen anyone lately, and I figured he’d follow her too, but… something’s not right. Nadia was holding back… SHIT. THAT’S IT! GRANDPA MUST’VE CONFRONTED HER IN PERSON! HE OFFERED HER SOMETHIN’, PROBABLY SOME MONEY, TO LEAVE ME ALONE. THAT’S IT!!! THAT SON OF A BITCH!!!
He found himself suddenly speeding as his dander rose, then slowed down as he cooled his jets. When he pulled into his driveway, Nadia was already parked there. The sounds of ‘My Love,’ by Justin Timberlake, flowed from her car stereo system. He shook his head, parked right behind her, killed the engine, and got out of his truck. Before he’d even reached her, her driver’s side door swung open.
She stood there in a white shirt and tight white jeans. With a pair of black and white Chuck Taylors and a gun on her hip. Black hair flowed down past her shoulders.
“Here’s the truth! Your grandfather sent a relative of yours to the club the last night. I don’t know the guy’s name. Told me to drop you like a hot potato and accept a payoff, or live to regret it,” she blurted. “That’s why you felt like I was acting a little funny. I pulled a gun on him and he was led out back to receive a beatin’ he won’t soon forget from one of the bouncers. I didn’t want to tell you right then, Lennox, because you’d have gone and got yourself killed or ended up behind bars on account of me ! Look what you did to Dice and LeRon, and those were minor infractions compared to this!”
“YOU HAD NO RIGHT TO KEEP THIS FROM ME!”
“I was right to want to shield you! I was going to tell you, but not before I calmed down, and we could both discuss it rationally. You should see how you’re looking at me right now– it’s like your eyes are turning red right in front of me! Don’t you see? I had to protect you from yourself !”
Invisible spools of hot air rolled from his flared nostrils as if he were about to morph into a raging bull. He could practically feel the blood flowing through his veins, and hear his own heartbeat. He became heated all over, his head began to sweat, and his vision blurred with frenzy. It was worse than he imagined. So much worse…
KILL HIM. KILL HIM. KILL HIM!
“I’m sorry, but please believe me when I say that I was going to tell you. I know I was wrong to keep it from you,” she added, yanking his mind out of his violent thoughts. “but please look at it from my point of view. I shoulda told you sooner, Lennox, but I was scared you’d fly off the handle and then something bad would happen to you. And I… I just got you back! I didn’t wanna lose you!” Her voice shook as an angry tear trailed down her face. She spoke clearly, yet the words didn’t sound right, almost as if she were speaking in a foreign language. His worst fears twisted around his heart. They stared at one another for a long while. She tilted her head to the side. “You knew, didn’t you?”
“You just confirmed my suspicions. Don’t you ever in your life hide somethin’ that one of my buddies or relatives, or hell, the damn mailman for all I care, did to you that was outta pocket! I don’t need your protection, Nadia, I can handle this shit just fine. I can’t believe this… Get your ass in this gotdamn house! We’ve got a score to settle.”
He grabbed hold of her arm and led her inside his house. Time to get down to business…