it was over and she never wanted to see him again. Once the words came out, anger replaced fear, and she couldn’t stop herself.
“I was such a fool to fall for all your lies,” she went on. “I thought you really cared about me. I even overlooked the bruises you left on me, thinking you just didn’t know your own strength. God, I can’t believe how stupid I was and how I fell for all your bullshit.”
Peter was closed-minded. He couldn’t accept what she was saying. “You don’t mean that, Renee. You know you don’t. You just need more time to sort things out. You and I are meant for each other. Can’t you see that?”
Renee was fed up. “Don’t tell me what I need. You’re the one who needs something: therapy.”
Peter was seething inside. His head felt like it was going to explode. He covered his ears with his hands, shaking his head, not wanting to hear anymore. He needed Renee in his life. All he pictured in his mind was his grandmother’s money slipping through his fingers. He grabbed a hold of Renee’s shoulders and pulled her towards him when they both heard a motorcycle rumbling down the road.
Mick turned into her driveway, blinded by anger to see Peter with his hands on Renee. Peter hurriedly let go of Renee’s shoulders and moved away from her. They stood still as a statue, not knowing what to think, when Mick got off his bike and took the steps two at a time.
Mick walked over to Renee. “Roll up your sleeves. I want to see your arms, Renee.” When Peter tried to make a mad dash off the porch, Mick knocked him down onto the swing. “You! Stay right there. Renee,” he repeated, his voice cracking like a whip, “show me your arms.” When Renee hesitated and turned her head away, Mick grabbed one arm and pushed up her sleeve. A few faded small marks were lined up her arm.
Mick felt sick, knowing this asshole laid his hands on her.
Peter was sitting on the swing, bent over with his hands down between his knees. Mick grabbed him by the back of his shirt. “You put your hands on the mother of my son,” he yelled, then flung him off the porch. Peter landed face down in the gravel driveway. Mick flew down the steps and started stomping on Peter where he lay.
Renee started screaming, watching the violent scene in front of her. The door opened and Renee watched in a daze as her father stood there with an old shotgun in his hands. He aimed and fired in the air above Mick’s head. Renee yelled for her father to put down the gun. Mick turned and saw the look of pure hatred in the old man’s eyes and stopped kicking Peter.
“I want both of you men out of here, now! Get out!” Charlie lowered the gun to aim it directly at the men. Peter managed to get up and make it to his car and drive off.
“Renee,” her father said without taking his eyes off of Mick, “get in the house.” Renee got up and walked into the house without even looking back to see what Mick was doing. When she was safely inside, her dad turned to Mick. “I asked you—No, I begged you —to stay away from Renee. Violence follows you like a tail. I’m so mad I could shoot you right now, so if you know what’s good for you, you’ll get on that bike of yours and leave.”
Mick knew there was no reasoning with the old man. He really didn’t want to hurt him, so as hard as it was for him to do, he turned and walked away.
He rode around town looking for Peter, but couldn’t find him. He wondered if that was a good thing. The frame of mind he was in right then, he knew he would have no problem killing him. Last thing he needed was prison time. What the fuck was wrong with Renee? Didn’t she know maybe next time it could be his kid that might get hurt? Too angry to handle this shit, he did the only thing he could do to calm himself down.
He kept on riding.
A few minutes later, a police car pulled up in front of Charlie’s house. Charlie came outside and explained to the officer that he was cleaning his gun and it
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