“Thanks,” I said as I stepped away.
Fresh air would do me good. I needed to check in with Marshal and George, who was stationed on Lina’s door again. Drey knuckle bumped me on my way out. He didn’t say anything, but I saw the sadness in his eyes. He liked Lina, too, and felt bad for me.
It was my own fault. I should have told her back in December, but I let Marshal talk me out of it. I stomped past the line of people waiting to get in and turned into the alley. It was well lit, part of the club and its safety measures, but it would work. I closed my eyes and sagged against the building, listening to the thumping music filtering through the brick.
The cool air sifted through my thin, long-sleeved shirt and sent a chill through me. I slid out my phone and voice activated Marshal’s phone number so I wouldn’t have to open my eyes.
“Marshal, here.”
“We good?”
“Yes, for the fourth time tonight.”
“How’s Mom?”
“Fine.”
“Anything more on Dad?”
“I wish. That prick is like Casper.” Marshal grunted into the phone. “I’ve even taken your mother out to dinner a few times to see if anything happens.”
“You did not just tell me you’re using Mom for bait.” My eyes snapped open, and a wave of raged stormed through me.
“You know your mom better than anyone. Once she gets an idea into her head…”
“Shit, Marshal. You can’t be—”
“Don’t worry, son. I won’t hurt Lisa.”
I spun around to find my father standing across from me, leaning against the other building, and I almost crushed my phone.
“Don’t say a word.” He clicked the top of his mouth with his tongue.
“Yeah…I know.” I shifted the phone to my left hand, leaving my strongest one free. “Marshal…I have to get back to studying. Finals and all…”
“Studying. You’re at work right now, aren’t—”
“Got that Abnormal Psych test Monday, need to study up on how to subdue the psychotic patient.”
“Shit!” Marshal yelled into the phone. “Fucker’s there. Keep him there. Timms. Jonsey. Ricks. Happy Man 911 at Hunter’s club.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
Hunter
“Thanks. I’m pretty certain I’ll ace this test,” I said into the phone, thankful Marshal got my message about Dad being here in at the club. Now to keep him here until the guns arrived.
I tapped end and slid my phone in my front pocket as I watched my psychopath father eyeing me as if he could read my mind. Maybe he could for how he was always one step ahead of everyone.
Hopefully Marshal’s guys were close. Or, I hoped they weren’t, because I was ready to kick Dad’s ass into the afterlife.
“Promoted to Cooler. That’s impressive considering your…temperament.”
“Wonder where I got that from?”
He grunted as he pushed off the wall to stand straight. I bent my knees and readied for a fight. He was almost an inch taller than me, but I had about a hundred pounds of muscle on his scrawny ass. I’d been waiting for this moment. Training for it.
“So, you won’t hurt Mom? Why do I find that hard to believe?”