Edge, Scar, and I approach the door. We exchange glances. I’m ready to kick the thing down, but Edge throws up a finger. He knocks on the door. No answer. More knocking, then he clears his throat. “Got a pizza here,” he announces. “Online order already paid for. Don’t want to leave it on the ground, man. Let me hand it to you.”
I then hear shuffling from behind the door, Edge stepping aside. The door opens. “You’re so late, I hope you’re not expecting a tip,” Jericho says, before being interrupted by my fondness for choking people who infuriate me.
“Where’s Baylee?” I demand, pinning him against the wall. I glance around the apartment. It’s an utter mess. Discarded pizza boxes and Chinese food cartons everywhere, smelling of a weird combination of weed, alcohol, and tobacco.
“Who the hell are you?” His teeth are clenched, he is struggling. It’s useless and just annoys me more than anything else.
“The man who actually loves her.”
“Just tell him where she is, man,” Scar comments from behind me. “He’s not usually this violent. It’s kinda scaring me, to be totally honest.”
“Why would you love her?” Jericho spits. “She’s a useless brat, not even very attractive. Four out of ten at best, I’m surprised that idiot paid so much for her.”
I squeeze his throat. “Stop insulting her and start telling me useful things. I’m not in the mood for bullshit, and if I can’t have my woman, I’m fine with doing twenty-five to life.”
“Fuck, okay, okay!” He squirms. “Victor Gabriel is who she’s with. Took her to his penthouse downtown. There, I told you, let me go!”
“Victor Gabriel, I’ve heard that name before,” Scar says, thinking aloud. “I got some phone calls to make. You got this, boys.”
Edge nods as Scar leaves us.
I stare into Jericho’s eyes. “You’re no longer her uncle. You have no relation to her. I don’t even want you to think about Baylee again. If I see you, if I hear about you being anywhere near her? Let’s just say I’m going to be even rougher with you than I’m being now.”
I throw him down to the ground. He scurries out the door, making his escape, Edge just shrugging as the rat squirms past him. As back-up, his job is turning out pretty boring today.
“You! You can’t treat my brother like that!!” Another man starts to run up to me from deeper in the apartment, but he’s too drunk to do a proper charge. I deduce who he is quick. Baylee has his eyes.
I strike him across the cheek and send him crashing to the ground.
He groans. I kneel down next to him. “You’re her father. Her father.”
“Bay- Baylee?”
“Yes. Her. The girl you’re supposed to care for. To protect. To raise. Not terrify, not disappoint. Or sell, for fuck’s sake.”
He groans and writhes in pain.
“Look, I’m not going to pretend that you haven’t had hell in your life. You’ve lost your wife, your mother, and a whole lot more. That isn’t an excuse to do what you did. Your daughter is beautiful and I love her, and for some reason, I think she still loves you, so I’m not going to threaten you in the same way I did your brother. But I don’t want you to see her again until you’re sober, and ready to beg for forgiveness for everything you’ve done. If I see you again and you’re anywhere near this drunk? I’ll... I’ll... I don’t know what I’ll do, and that should scare you. Don’t break her heart again.”
More groans. I have no idea if he even heard what I told him. Maybe he’ll find his way. It’ll be a long journey, and not everyone who tries makes it. For Baylee’s sake? I have to hope that he will.
My fists are clenched. I’ve never gotten this angry before. To taste love and have it taken from me has inspired such rage. I got my nickname for being a bit of a hothead, but this feels dangerous.
I need Baylee. More than anything.
“Scar’s got some interesting notes,” Edge says as I leave the tiny apartment. “We know where she is, Blaze. You can calm yourself, don’t work yourself into a heart attack.”
“I don’t think calming down is an option until she’s in my arms again. “
“You know what? I feel that. If it was Tara, I’d be the same warpath.”
We go to our bikes, Scar already revving his, ready to go.
It’s time to bust up the face of a pretty boy lawyer.
14
BAYLEE
I guess, objectively, this is a nice view. I’m high up in his penthouse, looking down at the city, thousands of people going about their lives down there. Maybe I shouldn’t complain so much. He’s rich, right? So many girls want to get attached to some rich guy for an easy life.