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Dean shakes his head, his face the picture of hatred. “She always asks for money and Averyalwaysgives it to her.” My blood boils at his comment. Ford pulls another beer out of the cooler that’s on the ground and hands it to me.
“Evening, gentlemen,” is called from next door where Lex’s friend Clarissa now lives. She makes her way over, helping herself to a beer from the cooler and dropping down in the chair across from me. “What are you ladies gossiping about?”
Ford rolls his eyes. “Shouldn’t you be working?” He asks, arching an eyebrow at her and her cheeks pinken just a little. Interesting.
“I’m on my break,” she shrugs her shoulders and downs half of her beer before tipping it towards me.
“Did I hear you say Avery’s moms back in town?”
“Exactly how long were you listening to us?” Dean asks and she rolls her eyes.
“Long enough.”
“Yes, Dana Marks is back in town. Yes, Jaxson fucked up whatever was happening between him and Avery. Yes, you’re buying the next case of beer.” Ford ticks each statement off on his fingers and Clarissa rolls her eyes again.
“Put it on my tab,” she says, leaning forward and narrowing her eyes at me. “You need to fix that shit.” I scoff but she reaches out and twists my nipple and I yelp in pain. “That girl is ass over feet in love with you and you need to fix it.” She lets go and I rub where she pinched.
“Jesus woman, what the fuck?”
She narrows her eyes at me. “Fix. It.”
“I can’t force her to love me, Clarissa.” My heart thumps with that confession. No matter how strong my feelings may be, if they aren’t reciprocated, then I’m just wasting her time and mine.
“She does love you, ya big idiot. She’s scared.” I let Clarissa’s words sink in as she chats with the guys, wondering if Avery does love me. I ask myself the hard questions, like can I spend the rest of my life without her? Can I wake up each morning not knowing if her and the kids are safe and taken care of? Can I handle seeing her date and marry someone else? My stomach sours with that thought. I’m not sure if I can fix it, but I know I’m willing to try.
Avery
“Avery, wake up,” pulls me from my slumber and I crack an eye open, face to face with Genevieve.
“What’s wrong?”
“Mama is arguing with someone in the living room,” she says, and my sleep filled brain tries to catch up.
“Arguing? With who?” I ask, dragging myself to sitting and swinging my legs over the edge of the bed. I glance at my phone. It’s two a.m., who could she possibly be arguing with? I hear a raised voice from the living room, and it sounds like a man. I stand up quickly.
“Go in Blakes’ room, shut the door, and lock it. Do not come out until I tell you that you can, do you understand me?” She nods her head and rushes out of my room to Blake’s. I grab the baseball bat I keep by my door and head out to the living room. I see mama pressed against the wall and there’s a large man that has her there, his hand gripping her upper arm.
“What the hell?” I say loudly and he looks over his shoulder at me, eyes flicking to the bat and then my face before he speaks.
“Go back to your room little girl, this doesn’t concern you.” He grunts out, turning his attention back to mama.
“It sure the fuck does when you’re standing in my house at two in the morning, uninvited, wakingmykids who are asleep just down the hall.”
“Avery, go back to bed,” mama says, peeking around the intruder, and I narrow my eyes at her.
“I fucking will not.”
“Hank, you should leave,” mama says, standing a little taller but his grip tightens on her arm and I see her flinch.
“Nope, that’s it. Out.” I move towards him, the bat slung over my shoulder. “If you think I won’t use this on you, you’re wrong. Get out of my house. Now!” He looks at me and then back at mama, releasing her abruptly and she stumbles. He prowls towards the front door, turning around before opening it.
“This isn’t over, Dana. I want my fuckin’ money. You’ve got thirty days to get it to me before I come back. You’ve got a fresh little sixteen-year-old back there don’t you?” He says, referring to Genevieve and my stomach clenches. He grins this sickening smile and licks his lips. “I’d accept her as payment instead.” He throws the door open and comes face to face with Jaxson. I gasp as Jaxson’s hand shoots out and grabs the man by the throat, backing him up into the house as he kicks the door shut behind him before spinning him against the wall.
“You lay one fuckin’ finger on my girl,” Jax says, “and they’ll never find your god damn body. Do you hear me?” He grits out, his fingers tightening, and the man's face is turning red. The man nods his head yes and Jax releases him. “Leave.”
He sneers at all of us before leaving out the front door. It shuts behind him and the bat clatters to the ground from my hand and I drop to the couch, pressing my hand to my chest.
“Mama,” I whisper, tears in my eyes that are directed at her. She shakes her head.
