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“Did anything happen with Shannon’s other boyfriends?” I didn’t recognize my own voice. “How many other boyfriends did she have?”
Goddammit. I wanted to kill this guy.
“We don’t know, but we’re now worried about what else might’ve happened. Shannon dates real losers. We’re preparing for the worst. We called in a counselor. Someone we know from school. She’s good, and she’s coming over to help us through all this.”
“I’m coming over.”
“I—” he hesitated. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Will,” I warned. “Don’t even think about keeping me away from my niece.”
“It’s not that. It’s that this is a really pivotal moment right now. If you come in or if you bring Billie, I’m worried too many people will be here. Stevie might close up again.”
I understood what he was saying, but I was railing inside. I wanted to hurt someone. I needed to hurt someone, preferably whoever hurt Stevie. God help that guy because I was going to find him, and then God help me because I’d need His help to stay out of prison.
“Listen, I wanted to let you know what’s going on. We filed for a temporary order of protection against Shannon on behalf of Stevie. With Shannon’s recent threats against her, we had enough that we felt we needed to do the restraining order. Harmony was on the phone with the lawyer as he submitted it, and the police should be delivering it today. I know you’re here and you came to handle Shannon, but our lawyer and the police are saying we should steer clear. We need to let the courts handle everything. I think that’s the right course of action.”
Right.
He was right.
Of course he was right.
Whatever was best for Stevie.
But Shannon’s boyfriend was going to die.
“Brett?”
“Yeah,” I barked into the phone. “Yeah. I’ll steer clear. Just, give me a call if you need anything.”
“If you’re staying the night, maybe come over in the morning. I think Stevie would appreciate it.”
“Of course. Anything, Will.” My voice broke again. “Anything.”
“Yeah,” his was strained again. “I’ll keep in touch, update you.”
We ended the call after that, but I didn’t see anything in front of me. Not for a long time. My phone was ringing once more, and I looked at the screen. It was Monroe.
I declined that call.
Then I drove, leaving town. My phone lit up again when I was entering Roussou.
It was Billie this time.
I was wrong in getting involved with her, not with what I was about to do. Her boyfriend made her sell drugs.
I knew all the bad shit that came along with selling drugs. I knew it because Budd forced me to be a part of that world too. History was repeating itself and I’d be damned before I let anything else happen to my niece.
I’d need to stay away from Billie after this.
A drug dealer had a boss, and they had a boss, and they had a boss so once I found Shannon’s boyfriend, I knew what it would take to get all the information out of him. Knew how long it would take. The blood that’d be shed. The screams I’d ring out of him, and only when I was satisfied with all the names he could give me, and after I’d make him plead for his death, then I’d end him.
I was like my sister. I was like my brother. There was more bad in me than good, and that bad just surged over the line, overtaking me.
I’d had a good run, but it was time to return to my old roots.
I should’ve stayed away from Billie from the beginning.
