Page 92 of The Blessing

chapter 35

bloodstream

For the first time since starting my job, I decide to grab a bite with the guys after work. While I don’t think Jaxson told them about my issues with alcohol—they do seem to have some understanding when it comes to what activities are in my comfort zone. So I don’t have to worry about a bar tempting me while we eat, we go to a diner near the site where we’re working. As we begin to socialize, I wonder why I’d been so fucking nervous about this. I didn’t realize how much I had in common with these guys until now. Maybe some of these dudes could actually become my friends. Time seems to have escaped me—I didn’t realize how late it was getting until Ronnie shot me a text. She knew I was going out after work—but it’s almost six o’clock; I’m sure she’s expecting me at home. I unlock my phone to read her message. My jaw tenses as I view the words displayed on my screen.

Please come home.

A chill slowly begins to creep down my spine and my stomach twists into a knot as I absorb her words. She’ll usually end a message with an “I love you” or something like that, but this is straight to the fucking point and completely out of the norm for her. Is she mad at me for going out? She seemed cool with it earlier—even pushing me into going when I had second thoughts. Did she change her mind whilst I’ve been away? I’ve always been fucking horrible at reading women, but Ronnie hasn’t been one to play games with me. Maybe something is wrong…

“Hey, sorry guys, but I’ve got to get heading home,” I say, suddenly feeling cold all over.

What if she’s in trouble…What if something happened to Grey!? Fuck, I need to get home now. I’d be fucking gutted if anything happened to them: the most important people in my life. Jaxson must sense my distress because a look of concern colors his features as he stands to walk me out.

“Is everything okay, man? You look fucking spooked.”

“Ronnie wants me to come home, but there was something strange about her text. I need to take off just in case it’s something bad.”

Jaxson nods, still seeming worried for me. “Well, man, if you need me—I’m only a phone call away.”

I know he’s telling the truth. Jaxson has been a good friend to me since I started working this job. I nod as I silently pray it won’t come to that. Maybe I’m overreacting—but the gnawing in my gut tells me that something isn’t right. He pats me on the shoulder before heading back inside the diner. I jump into my truck, trying to stay calm as I start it up. I throw it in reverse and back out of my spot before accelerating out of the parking lot—heading down the street. Due to my speed, I arrive at the apartment complex sooner than I probably should have. Fuck safe driving; I need to know what the hell is going on. I’m freaking the fuck out as I run up the stairs to Ronnie’s apartment. When I reach her door, I take a moment to pull myself together—knowing I’ll need to be level-headed if something fucked-up has happened.

My stomach drops at the sight before my eyes as I enter her apartment. She’s on the couch, holding Grey protectively in her arms as a man stands in front of her. His posture doesn’t seem entirely threatening, yet Ronnie is leaning away from him with a look in her eyes which is defensive as well as fucking murderous. She has her arms protectively wrapped around Grey like a mother bear trying to protect her cub. Everything about her body language screams, “Get the fuck away from me!” The fucker’s towering over her in a way that makes my blood boil. He has sandy blonde hair, tanned skin, and is wearing a preppy outfit which shouts, “Don’t fuck with me because my dad is a lawyer!” He’s my exact opposite in every way. It suddenly clicks in my mind that this fucker is her prick ex-boyfriend. I take a deep breath and clench my twitching fists. I’d love nothing more than to get the chance to make contact with his snarky fucking face.

“Ronnie, who’s the prick?” I ask—although, I know the answer. I just want him to know how lowly I think of him right off the bat. The fucker has the nerve to turn around and glare at me. I give him a hostile glare right back and hold my gaze as I take another step forward. One thing I learned in my years of fighting was to always get your opponent to drop his gaze first. It makes you the dominant party straightaway. If they don’t have the courage to maintain eye contact with you, they don’t have the courage to do much else. Like the prick he is, he drops his eyes and looks back to Ronnie.

“Preston,” she spits out his name, “was just leaving.”

“Veronica, don’t be like that. I just wanted to catch-up. I haven’t seen you in years and this is the kind of reception I get,” he states, as if barging into someone’s apartment was the most normal thing in the fucking world. He’s obviously too fucking stupid to comprehend what’s wrong with this situation. Or he’s too much of a fucking prick.

The way he says her name rubs me the wrong fucking way. He’s so condescending and the thought of my girl ever having to put up with this man—if you can fucking call him that—makes me cringe. Don’t kick his ass, Trevor. He’s probably a lawyer—or his daddy is or some shit like that. I can’t have some privileged prick filing an assault report against me to try to have me charged and sent off to jail.

“Well,” I finally say, “it would appear that my girlfriend doesn’t want to catch-up with you.”

His whole demeanor shifts and his “nice guy” attitude is long gone as he turns to look back at me. He doesn’t look dangerous, he just looks incredibly fucking snarky and overconfident; a mix that I know how to handle all too well. He’s the type of person that’s always been my favorite kind to fight. They always embarrass themselves before I plummet them into the ground. There’s nothing like watching someone with that amount of cockiness and narcissism get thrown on their ass.

“Veronica, are you kidding me with this guy? You could do so much better, babe.”

Babe? Who the hell does this guy think he’s dealing with? I take another step forward, trying to control my anger as I watch him move closer to my girl. Grey’s crying in her arms. I know that if he doesn’t back the fuck up, I’ll wail on him right here in front of God and everybody. “I think it’s time for you to leave,” I say through clenched teeth. The words sound like venom as they leave my lips.

“This is Veronica’s apartment, isn’t it? Who do you think you are?” he asks, challenging me with a raised brow and an obnoxious smirk.

“Get the fuck out of my home, Preston Sharp!” Ronnie explodes at him, causing Grey to cry harder. “I’ve been civil to you, but now it’s time for you to leave.”

This prick has the nerve to laugh. “Wow, my Veronica has really grown up. I never imagined you being able to actually stand-up for yourself. When did you grow a spine? Was it after I—”

I’ve heard enough. Unable to contain myself any longer I cross the room in a few quick steps and grab the fucker by the arm, yanking him away from my family. I don’t need to hear him say anything else. By the broken look on my girl’s face, I can tell where his little speech was heading. Nearly dislocating his shoulder from the force of my manhandling him, I pull him out of her apartment, then throw him on the floor of the hallway. Now, I can hear Grey screaming, obviously sensing my anger as well as the gravity of the situation.

Preston gets up to his feet and glares in my direction. “Would you ease up, man? What the fuck is your problem?”

I shove him against the wall, getting in his face. I’m not planning on assaulting him, but he needs to know I’m not going to tolerate him going after my girl. He pales as I lean in so I’m just a few inches away from his stupid mug. I want him to smell my fucking anger and know that the only option he has now is to back the hell off.

“Leave her alone, she’s mine. Whatever you two had is over. So, you need to move the fuck on with your life and stop harassing her.”

“Fine, man. Just get away from me!”

I back off and he gives me an incredulous look as he adjusts the collar of his polo shirt. He seems lost in thought for a moment as he fixes his appearance. He finally gives me a cruel smirk. “That girl in there is definitely not the Veronica I remember. You should’ve seen her a couple of years ago. She was such a prude, man. It always took a few drinks to really get her going. She eased up after I broke her in good and proper. So, you can thank me any—”

My left fist collides with his face before I can even think about my actions. I feel a bone crunch under the power of my punch. When I pull my fist back, it’s covered with blood. I couldn’t contain myself. I just had to wipe that stupid smirk off his face. As my violent haze begins to fade, I find blood pouring down from his nose and onto his blue polo. He stares at me in shock as he covers his nose with one of his hands. Fuck, I know I shouldn’t have done that. I’m still fuming as I try to make sense of what this prick did to Ronnie. Would he get her drunk before he fucked her? The thought of it makes me want to vomit. How fucking dare he?