Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 117752 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 393(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117752 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 393(@300wpm)
30
Calder pulled into the garage. He had dropped Star and Harley off at school, so he hadn’t counted on Stud beating him to the garage. He had been mentally preparing himself to talk about Star to Stud. Jesus… each scenario was like a broken record that started and stopped as he would start a pretend-talk in his head. Then he would think of a different way to start until he had given himself a headache. He still had no idea what he was going to say.
Parking the van, he was still deciding the best way to begin when he entered the bay and came to a dead stop.
Candi was in the office with Stud. He could see them through the glass window.
Calder strode through the garage, reading Stud’s expression from three feet away. He didn’t bother knocking, going inside and bringing the shouting match to an end.
“What are you doing here, Candi?”
“What are you doing here? Stud call you?”
Stud sat down on the end of his desk. “How could I have done that? You’ve been here with me since I opened the door.”
“How’d you get here? I didn’t see a car outside,” Calder asked her.
“I got a taxi. A friend of mine is giving me a car, but he needed it today. What does it matter how I got here?”
“Because if any of the Destructors or Blue Horsemen are giving you rides, we’re going to have a problem.”
“I’m not seeing anyone you would know. I don’t hang out with trash anymore,” she venomously struck out at him.
He accepted her insult, because frankly, he didn’t care what she thought of him.
His eyes went to Stud, whose cold expression belied the real concern in his eyes. His brother was disturbed by something Candi had said before his arrival.
“What did you need to talk to Stud about so badly that it got your ass out of bed before noon?”
“I don’t sleep till noon anymore—prison breaks that habit. And what Stud and I talk about is none of your business.”
Calder, seeing a warning look from Stud, instantly knew what the bitch had been doing.
“Have you been threatening him into telling me that Star is my kid?”
He could tell from the surprise Stud couldn’t hide that she had.
Shaking his head, Calder said, “Candi, I’m going to give you two minutes to get your ass out of here. Your blackmail wasn’t going to work, even if I hadn’t come. Stud may have always tried to protect me, but Star is more important than me. He’s been what neither of us could be to Star—a parent. Star’s the most important thing in my life, has been since I realized she was mine. But you? You don’t have an excuse, other than using Star as a pawn, which nearly hurt or killed her if Sex Piston and Killyama hadn’t stopped you.”
“Stud took my baby away and wouldn’t let me see her—”
“Stud took her away because that was the deal when he found out you were pregnant and wanted to abort my baby. Yeah, I knew before you told me yesterday. Aunt Katy told me when I got out of prison. She also told me how much money Stud gave you to get a divorce from you and for you to sign over sole custody to him. You’re a greedy bitch who nearly bankrupted him, yet you’re still not satisfied? What is she wanting this time?” he posed the question to Stud, ignoring Candi.
“She wants fifty thousand, says she needs to start over, and she wants to see Star.”
“No.”
“To which part?” Candi asked.
“To all of it. No money, and no, you’re not going to see Star. In fact, I’m going to give you an ultimatum. You need to contact your probation officer and find another town to do your probation. You need to leave town as soon as possible.”
“What if I don’t?”
“I’m not a crackhead anymore, waiting for you to deal out small amounts. I know who you used to sell to. Remember? I waited on my bike when you went inside to make the buys, and then drove you to whoever had you purchase them. The beauty of living in Jamestown is that pretty much everyone lives in the same place. I recognized some of those dealers and buyers at the penitentiary. I don’t think you had a better lawyer than I did, and I don’t think that it was a coincidence that we all got busted at the same time. You were an informant, and if I let that be known around town, your life won’t be worth the cardboard box to bury you in. You should get in touch with your parole officer, and talk to whoever you gave that information to, telling them that your life is in danger, because it is.”
“You wouldn’t do that.” Frightened, she gave him a beseeching look.