Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
Shadow
The motherfucker never fucking learns, and I can’t kill him. Yesterday, Russell fucked up, and he’s about to get yet another lesson. Only this time, I don’t have Amelia stopping me from doing something.
Last night I spent too much time looking for Russell Cain, only he wasn’t at any of his usual places. I wanted to get home to Della, and I did after putting a prospect on Amelia’s ex’s place, telling Stretch to call me the moment the bastard returns to his place.
Stretch called me thirty minutes ago to let me know Russell was home after stumbling out of his car, seeming to be shit-faced.
He spent somewhere hiding out, getting smashed, only to drive home.
It would have been my luck if he’d gotten into an accident and gotten his ass killed.
I wouldn’t be able to beat the hell out of him like I’m looking forward to.
I left Della at my place, telling her I’d be back soon.
We had plans today, and I wasn’t missing them.
She asked me to take her for a ride on the back of my bike, just the two of us, and spend the day together.
I told her we’d do it, but I had one thing I had to handle first. She knew what had happened yesterday and that I’d gone to look for Russell, unable to track him down.
Della knew it pissed me off. She hadn’t tried to get my mind off of it or talk me out of what I have planned.
My woman simply knew I needed to do this.
Parking my bike in front of Russell’s. I spot Stretch and jerk my chin, letting him know he could head out. I appreciate the prospect watching all night.
I swing my leg over my bike and straighten, ready to get this done.
Rolling my shoulders, I head up the walkway to Russell’s front door. There’s something satisfying about knowing the piece of shit is about to get what’s coming to him. I don’t bother knocking, the asshole doesn’t deserve courtesy.
I test the door handle, finding it unlocked. Of course. The asshat thinks he’s safe. That or he’s just plain stupid. I step inside, letting the door slam against the wall. I scan the room, finding Russell scrambling to get off the worn-out couch.
“What the fuck!” Russell slurs, obviously still shit-faced. There’s no missing his bloodshot eyes as he stumbles to his feet.
I stalk deeper inside and kick the door shut. The place reeks of booze and unwashed clothes.
“Morning, sunshine,” I say, sneering at the man in front of me. A man I never thought was good enough for Amelia. “Rise and shine, fuckhead.”
“Get the fuck out of my house,” Russell shouts, wobbling as he points for me to go.
I laugh at his feeble attempt to intimidate me. The man can barely stand, let alone throw me out. He knows he’s not a match for me. I’d have him on his ass in seconds flat, which I intend to do when I get down to making my point that he’s to stay away from my cousin and her son.
“I’m not going anywhere until we have a little chat about yesterday,” I say, crossing the room, stepping into his space.
The stench of whiskey rolls off him in waves.
“You know, the part where you went and got Dylan out of school without consulting with Amelia first. You seem to think you can keep doing as you please and leaving her to clean it up.”
“Fuck you, Shadow. What I do with my son is none of your business.” He tries to puff his chest out but only manages to sway dangerously.
“See, that’s where you’re wrong.” I crack my knuckles, enjoying the way his eyes widen. “Amelia and Dylan are my family. You know better than to fuck with my family.”
Russell attempts to back up but trips over a toolbox, landing hard on his ass. Under different circumstances, it might be funny. Today, it just pisses me off. The asshole is stupid as fuck and thinks he can get away with doing as he pleases to my family and I won’t do anything.
Fuck that.
I reach down and grab Russell by the collar of his stained T-shirt, yanking him to his feet. He’s like a rag doll in my hands, pathetic and unsteady.
“You think I don’t know what you’re doing?
” I growl, pushing him back against the wall, my hand at his throat.
“You think you can play mind games with Dylan? Come in and out of that boy’s life?
Fuck with my cousin’s head? Always asking for shit and not even offering a dime to help her? That shit stops now.”
“He’s my son. I can do whatever the fuck I want,” he slurs, trying to push my hands away. His attempts are weak and uncoordinated.
I slam him harder against the wall, getting in his face. “No, the fuck you can’t. You lost that right when you decided to be a piece of shit father.” I can smell the stale whiskey on his breath, see the stubble on his unwashed face. “You know what happens when you fuck with my family.”
“He’s my son!” Russell repeats, spit spraying out of his mouth, a fleck of saliva landing on my cheek.
I wipe his spit off my face with the back of my hand, my anger spiking even higher. “Listen to me carefully, because I’m only going to say this once. You want to be a father? That won’t be happening. Not anymore. You are done putting both of them through the wringer.”
Russell’s eyes are unfocused, but there’s still defiance there. “You can’t tell me what to do. I have rights.”
“Rights?” I laugh, the sound harsh even to my own ears. “What about responsibilities? When’s the last time you paid Amelia a dime of support? I’ll answer that for you. Never. You spend your money on booze and pussy. You don’t give a damn about that boy, and you know it.”
I ease up on his throat just enough so he can speak. His face is turning an interesting shade of red. Oh yeah, he’s getting ready to say something stupid.
“You can’t stop me from seeing my son. I’ll take Amelia to court and get custody of him and make it so she doesn’t see him again. I’ll tell the courts she’s an unfit mother who whore—”
I don’t let him finish his sentence before I slam my fist against his face, sending him staggering sideways. I grip his filthy shirt and punch him again before throwing him to the floor.
I move to where he tries to pull himself up and kick him in the ribs, sending him back down.
I use my boot to nudge him to his back and plant my heavy boot on his throat.
“You think to call Amelia a whore again, I’ll kill you.
I won’t blink twice slitting your throat.
I’ll make sure to bury your body where no one will find you.
You’ve fucked both of them over for the last time.
You stay the fuck away from them. I even see you come near either one and I will see you to the doors of Hell.
You do not exist for either of them anymore. Do you understand me?”
I lift my boot just enough for him to answer.
“Fuck you,” he croaks out.
Wrong answer.
Pulling my boot away completely, I step back, bend, and lift his sorry ass off the floor, only to punch him in the jaw and send him staggering back. At least he didn’t go back to the floor.
Russell curls his lip and half-ass launches herself at me, swinging widely. I throw an upper-cut, sending him back. He stumbles, unable to catch his fall, and lands on his ass.
“You get me yet?”
“You can’t do this,” he spews. “I’ll make you pay. Maybe I’ll go after that sweet piece I hear you’ve been fuckin’.”
At his threat, I see red. He’ll pay for that. Launching myself at him, I swing, throw punches, hitting him until his face is bloody, and he’s damn near unconscious.
“You come near my woman, I’ll gut you. Stay the fuck away from Dylan and Amelia. Do you hear me?” I demand with a snarl.
Russell is at least smart at this point to nod as he croaks out his answer, “Get you.”
“Good.”
Getting up, I stalk to the door and out into the fresh air and take a much-needed amount of it in. I don’t bother looking back or closing the door. Russell can get his ass up and do it himself.
With long strides, I make my way to my bike, grip the handle, swing a leg over, and straddle her, ready to get back to Della. Now that I have this task done, I can get back to her so we can do as we have planned.
First things first, though, I’m gonna take a different kind of ride with my woman. One where I take her on all fours and slam inside her as I wanted to do before the call came in.
Yeah, that sounds like a perfect way to get her ready for a long day of riding pressed up against me. Maybe later, when we get back home, I’ll have her ride me. I do enjoy the view of her tits bouncing as she grinds herself up and down my dick.
I can see it in my head, and the very thought washes away the shitty part of my morning. I grin and start my bike, looking forward to getting back to Della.