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Tears filled Sylvie’s eyes as she pulled June into a gentle embrace. “I was so scared. I thought you’d been shot.”
“No, dear, nothing as exciting as all that,” June reassured her.
“Then what happened?” Sylvie asked, curious about the details.
“Sebastian got such a fright when he heard the gunshot that he darted between my legs as I was trying to rush inside after seeing that man on the motorbike with a gun. I tripped over and here I am.”
“How bad does it hurt?” Sylvie asked, concern etched on her face.
“I’m a tough old bird,” June said with a grin. “I’ll live another hundred years.”
Sylvie smiled…relieved. She was about to hug June again when the older woman asked, “Can you go see that Seb is okay?”
“He is… I know already, June,” Sylvie replied. “Luc had him in his arms when I told him I was going to the hospital to check on you.”
June blushed at the mention of Luc, and Sylvie couldn't help but grin at her friend’s reaction. June returned the grin, waggling her eyebrows. “He’s a bit of alright, that Luc, don’t you think?”
“He sure is, June. You better get rested and mended and get on back home, I think.”
June smiled mischievously. “I’m sure Luc will take good care of my pussy,” she said, winking.
“I'll show him where the cat food is,” Sylvie responded, laughter in her voice.
As they continued to chat, June mentioned once again that the person who had fired the gun had been on a motorbike. The description of the bike sounded eerily similar to Marvin’s.
A knot formed in Sylvie’s stomach as she processed the information. She knew she had to tell Gator as soon as she left the hospital. The thought of Marvin being involved in any way sent a shiver down her spine, but she kept her concern hidden from June, not wanting to cause her friend any more stress.
* * *
Sylvie couldn’t stop thinkingabout her conversation with June. Gator had mentioned a car speeding away, which he believed the shooter had used. However, June was adamant the shooter was on a bike. Sylvie hadn't planned on calling Gator until she left the hospital, but the inconsistency gnawed at her thoughts.
As she sat with June, the elderly woman began to doze off.Sylvie's mind wandered back to the time when Killian O’Ryan had had his “talk” with Marvin.
When Sylvie returned from her week away, Marvin had moved his belongings from their house. Though she returned home with a sense of relief, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Marvin’s unpredictable anger might boil over, and he would return to harm her. But as the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, Marvin never showed up. It was almost like he had just vanished into thin air. Until one day, he strolled back into her life like nothing had ever happened, looking to grab some of hisforgottenbelongings.
“What are you doing around here?” she asked. She hadn’t expected to see him again.
“Taking care of business,” he told her.
She didn’t bother to ask what that was but suspected that he was mixing with the wrong people again…probably to make enough money to buy out her half share of the house.
He’d come back a few times after that, and it didn’t take long for his true nature to re-emerge, as he unleashed a barrage of emotional abuse upon her. With his every word and gesture, he sought to undermine her confidence and reestablish his dominance.
Sylvie tried her best to ignore him and convey indifference, but Marvin refused to sell his half of the house or buy her out.
She believed the home was his final means of control, a bitter reminder of their tumultuous past. Sylvie never imagined that Killian O’Ryan or anyone else could force Marvin’s hand on the house, so she just did what she always did…which was manage the situation as best as possible.
* * *
Marvin’slast visit to her house was still fresh in Sylvie’s mind. Gator had been there, getting rid of the alligator that had made its way into her backyard. But now, as she remembered that day, a new thought crossed her mind. Had Marvin been stalking her?
June was asleep when Sylvie picked up her cell phone and called. “Hey, Gator. Remember that day you came to help me with the alligator? Marvin showed up soon after you arrived.”
“You think he’s been watching you?”
“I don’t know. It just seems like too much of a coincidence.”
“Keep an eye out for anything suspicious. And if you see him around again, I’ll make sure he knows he’s not welcome here.”
