Page 31 of Guarding Over You
“She was fine on Sunday!”
And just as she expected, he was getting worked up again. But so was she.
“Which proves youknowshe wasn’t fine before.”
“I’m not that person,” Billy snarled. “I’m clean.”
“She doesn’t know the difference, Billy. And yelling at me right now isn’t helping your case. I get you’re frustrated, but she’s a kid. And I’m done being your verbal punching bag.”
“You’ve got no clue what a punching bag is!” Billy shouted, and the line went dead before she could respond.
She pressed her back against the building, closed her eyes, and forced herself to breathe through the heat rising in her chest. In. Out. Slow. Controlled.
The warm sun that always relaxed her and now was beating on her did little to stop the burning in the pit of her stomach she always felt when he lost his control like this.
He was just running his mouth again. Same as always. Even at his worst, drunk, high, and spiraling, he’d never laid a hand on her. Not physically, anyway.
But the threat had always been there. The edge of reason much smaller to talk him down. To get him to leave until he was sober.
Until the fear was so much, she didn’t have another day of fight left in her.
This wasn’t going to wreck her day. Not anymore. But she’d document the call all the same.
Blaze’s words from earlier echoed in her head:Life happens, and you’ve got to decide what to hold onto.
She wasn’t holding onto Billy’s poison anymore. Not the guilt. Not the fear. Not him.
But hours later, when she stepped into the parking lot and saw the folded paper pinned beneath her windshield wiper, her stomach turned cold.
No other car had one. Just hers.
She glanced around, her pulse kicking up, then pulled the note free.
The handwriting was jagged, pressed deep into the paper as if written in a hurry and full of rage.
BE CAREFUL THE NEXT STEPS YOU TAKE... OR THEY MIGHT COME BACK TO HAUNT YOU.
Her grip tightened.
So much for not letting it ruin her day.
“That’s it,pick up the paper and read it.” My fingers flex as I watch the moment she reads what I’ve left. It’s a warning. Just a start.
I smile as Arden looks around for who might have left it.
For anyone watching her reaction, just as I am.
But she doesn’t see me because she never does.
It will teach her for messing with my plans.
She has no right to get involved.
No right to control this situation.
It’s going to be the wayIwant it now. It’smyturn to get what is coming to me.
I’ve suffered enough, now someone else can.
