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I race into the living room with Chase, close behind me.
“What are you doing here?” I ask as soon as I step into the room. It’s not lost on me how very different he looks. He’s more disheveled than usual. But what sets me on edge is that his eyes are dilated. I know from years of watching my mom that he’s using something.
“Evie, baby, I’ve been looking for you!” He holds his arms wide open as if he expects me to hug him. Like that will happen.
“Spence, what are you doing here?” I repeat the question and glance at the boys. They wouldn’t have given him our address, and I know I sure as hell didn’t. He must have tracked my phone. We used to be on the same plan. He’d know the answers to all of my security questions. That’s probably all it took for him to get into my account.
“Wanted to see you again. Things got a little heated a while back. But it’s time to make up. I’ll forgive you and let it go.” I’m sure he wants to make up. I was the one that supported us. Without me around, I doubt he has a source of income.
Chase’s arms are crossed over his chest while Parker’s shoulders are hunched. Their body language is so different when they’re around Greer. As if my thoughts summoned him, I hear him slam his truck door.
“You should go,” I say quietly. I don’t know how he’s going to respond to seeing Greer here, but I don’t really care. I just want him out of my space and away from my brothers.
“Who is he?” Spencer’s relaxed smirk fades from his face to be replaced by an angry scowl just as Greer’s boots sound on the steps. He’s clomping up here, taking them two at a time.
Spencer gets into my face, and I automatically take a step back. I hate giving ground to him, hate that there’s still a tiny shiver of fear that works its way down my spine. He’s always been unpredictable. I blamed the alcoholism. Now I wonder if he was using when I wasn’t aware of it. “I asked you a question, dumb bitch! Who the fuck is he?”
“I’m the cowboy that’s going to kick your ass if you don’t get out of my girl’s face,” Greer’s voice is quiet. He’s not like Spencer. He doesn’t have to shout to be heard. There’s an unmistakable steel underneath his words when he speaks.
Spencer whirls around, chest-bumping Greer. My strong cowboy doesn’t budge. “Your girl?”
Greer’s gaze never leaves Spencer’s wild eyes. He tosses keys over his shoulder. “Chase, I lost my phone in my truck. Go look for it, please. Take Parker with you.”
The words seem to wake Chase, and he tugs Parker from the room.
I let out a breath when I realize they’re gone. I never worried about their safety with Spencer until he drove under the influence with them. That was the moment I realized he wasn’t safe to be around.
Spencer smirks at Greer. “You got stuck with those kids, didn’t you? Fuckin’ ingrates is what they are, and their sister is nothing but a slutty cow.”
Greer moves so quickly that I don’t even see the blow before he lands it on Spencer’s jaw. His head snaps back, and he lands on the floor.
My cowboy bends down, leaning close to Spencer who flinches. He puts a hand on Spencer’s neck, his voice low and deadly, “You should have worshipped her when you had the chance. She’s mine now, and if you ever hurt her again—hell, if you ever come near her again, there won’t be enough pieces of you left to find. Do you understand?”
Spencer doesn’t say anything, but his pants develop a big wet spot on the front.
“Nod your head if you understand, fucker.”
When Spencer gathers enough courage to nod, Greer says, “Good. One more thing.” He uses his grip to send Spencer’s face into the wall. “The boys are mine too. You don’t come around them either. Understand that? Nod your head.”
Spencer is crying now, his face bloodied.
“See, you’re not as dumb as I thought you were. Now I’m going to walk you out to your vehicle, and you’re going to forget you were here today. You’re going to forget that Evie and her brothers even exist, isn’t that right?”
He blubbers something, but whatever it is, Greer doesn’t care. He gets him to his feet and walks him outside. The entire time he has his hands on his shoulder. He’s not about to let Spencer bolt away.
I trail behind them a few steps. He bends low to Spencer as he gets in his car. I can’t hear their murmured conversation. When he finally drives away, I nearly collapse in relief. Something tells me that he won’t ever be around again.
There’s a knock on the glass, and I turn to see the boys in Greer’s truck. They don’t leave the safety of the vehicle until Spencer’s car is nothing more than a speck on the horizon. When they do, I hug Parker and put a hand on Chase’s shoulder. “You guys OK?”
They nod, both of them subdued.
“What did he say?” I ask when Greer finally walks from the end of the driveway back to us.
He glances at the boys. “Spencer said to tell you guys he was sorry for being mean to the three of you. He said he won’t be around anymore.”
“Really?” Chase asks, looking relieved.
Greer nods.
