I open the door for Chris as he tugs Douchebag along.
The syrupy quality disappears from her voice. “You really don’t want to do this.”
Nothing would give me greater pleasure. “Oh, but I do.”
“Sweetheart!” she calls after her son. “Don’t worry. We have Steve on retainer. We’ll figure this out.”
I’ve no doubt the asshole will pay bail the minute it’s posted, but for now it’s really fucking nice to see Mark almost crack his head on the police cruiser as he’s tucked into the backseat. He’s still moaning about how it’s “not fair” as the car door slams shut.
Evelyn doesn’t move, shocked into silence. The car’s engine starts and drives off. Maybe she thought I’d just roll over after she attacked my business.
“My son has never been to jail. He’s not a perfect boy, but every time we’ve hit a little snag, I’ve been able to sort it out. Twenty-nine years, and I’ve never had a problem. People know not to bite the hand that feeds them.”
I glower at her. “I feed myself.”
She adjusts her flowing robes and slides her ridiculous sunglasses off her face. The eyes underneath are a light brown, just like her son’s. There’s a swath of dark-blue eye shadow over her lids that somehow makes her look lethal. “You have no idea what we’re capable of.”
“You can’t bribe me. You can’t run me out of business. And you sure as hell won’t lay a finger on our baby.”
“What if it’s not yours? Are you going to raise another man’s child?”
My chest caves in a little because I honestly don’t know the answer to that question. Right now, I’d swear to anything just to get rid of this bitch.
A conciliatory smile spreads across her thin face. “I’m trying to look after my son and my grandchild. Mark doesn’t always handle things well. He lacks his father’s—poise.”
“I fail to see how that’s my problem.”
“Even if you decide to graciously take in another man’s child, how are you going to afford childcare? The diapers, bottles, food, and doctor’s appointments add up, Mr. Carter. Now both of you are without jobs.”
Fucking bitch. “I do just fine without a trust fund.”
“Maybe you do, but you still need an income.”
“You don’t know anything about me.”
“You’ve never raised a child, Mr. Carter.” She steels herself, eyes boring into mine. “Fifty thousand dollars, and we’ll walk away from Fair Oaks. You won't see us again.”
She shines with hope when I smile at her.
“I’d spit in your face if you weren’t a woman. My wife and baby are not for sale.”
And neither am I.
I slip an old card into the Mercedes-Benz car door, sliding it along the edge until I hear the lock unclick. It’s brand new. Same fucking color. The bastard dropped another fifty grand just to buy the same car again. Then I open the champagne colored door and slide into the smooth leather interior. The smell ensnares my senses. Gripping the steering wheel, I gaze at the blacked out B&B and smirk in the darkness.
Chris would fucking kill me if he knew what I was doing.
A simple twist of my Phillips pops open the compartment right below the ignition. I fiddle around with the wires, and the car roars to life underneath my feet. The car echoes with my laughter as shift the car into drive. I put my foot on the gas. Damn, it’s so smooth. Runs so nice.
Don’t worry, Cranberry. I’ll take care of her.
Mark’s got the night in county lockup, and I’m sure Evelyn booked a hotel right outside so she could save her baby the moment she’s allowed to post bail. That rotten bitch. My fingers tighten over the steering wheel as I think about her.
Fuck that. Tonight’s not about her.
Tonight’s about getting my wife to take a ride with me in this car. Or maybe several rides. We might go all night, who knows.
I honk the horn, and I’m surprised at the sound it makes. Even for a honk, it sounds classy. The round headlights flood my garage with light, and there’s a small break as the front door opens.
I roll down the window and stick my head out. “Baby! Take a ride with me!”
Olivia shuffles out of my house, her jaw dropping when she squints through the beams of light and recognizes my face. “Are—you—insane?”
“I’m not leaving until you get in here!”
She hurries along the side of the car, dressed in flowery pajamas. Her black hair