Jude
We pulled up to V's house. I automatically noticed the car across the street, the windows rolled down. I can see the very f****d up face of a man I can only assume to be the infamous Keith I've heard about so much about today. I have to give Kade some serious credit, dude is messed up!
“Ready?” Kade asks me as a stone cold mask slips into his features.
“Yup” I say as he opens his door, hoping out of the truck.
As I turned to open my door I noticed the curtains move, V must be watching. I decide to put my hat on, hopefully she won't recognize me, not yet at least. I climb from the truck, and walk around the front, joining Kade on the other side.
“We've got an audience” I inform him as I stand next to him.
He smiles, “I don't doubt it.”
I follow him across the street. The dude in the car has a stint on his nose and two black eyes, there's blood on his shirt. Way more blood than what's on Kades sleeve. Obviously Kade broke his nose this morning.
“I f*****g warned you Keith! Leave her the f**k alone!” Kade growls out as he leans on the roof of the car.
“Kade. When will you get it through that thick meat head skull of yours, she's mine. So just stop interfering. I'd hate to press charges for breaking my nose.” Keith threatens as I lean against the backdoor. “Get your ass off my car asshole!” He turns and yells at me.
I don't move. f**k this guy. He can try to move me himself. But something tells me he ain't got the balls to step out of his shiny little car. I regret leaving my work belt in the truck, I would of enjoyed by f*****g up the paint job, I can tell he paid a pretty penny
“Keith, she doesn't want you here. Now leave.” Kade orders as he squeezes his hands into fists.
“ I don't listen to wanna be step daddies. I know what you are doing Kade. I know you're after my wife. But since my brother's dead, she's mine. She belongs to me. The sooner you accept that she's mine the better life will be. I don't give a f**k what you or her want. She's my wife. She will submit to me, willingly or not.” Keith calmly says, a sick smirk on his busted lips. I instantly get goose bumps and a sick feeling in my stomach.
Before I can react Kades flying through the open window, grabbing Keith's by his throat.
“She is not your wife! You piece of s**t. She doesn't want to be with you. You will not be forcing her to do anything.
I'll kill you myself with my own bare hands!” Kade screams into the man's face.
I've heard the guys on the other crews that work for Kade, joke about his temper. I've seen the man pissed, but this is a another level. His neck is dark red, there's a vein in his temple that might actually pop. I watch sweat roll down the side of his face. I guess I should split them up, Keith seems like the kind to involve police.
I grab Kade's shoulder putting pressure on him to back off, V isn't the only one watching from behind the curtains.
Keith gets a smirk on his face as Kade lets go of his throat. I can see the dark bruises already forming on the side of his neck.
“That's right! Back off fucker!" Keith coughs out, catching his breath.
"That sweet p***y is mine.”
Before I even realize what I'm doing my fist connects with his already broken nose. Blood starts pouring down his face. After a few choice cuss words he speeds off.
“s**t dude! You f*****g hit him hard!” Kade chuckles as he wipes his face in his elbow. We turn around and head back across the street towards V's house.
“Yeah, man. There's something I gotta tell ya.” I say as I grab the back of my neck. How the f**k do I explain this?
“Hold that thought.” He says as he starts jogging across the lawn.
I look up and there she is. V.
She's thinner than the last time I saw her.nof.course she was mine months pregnant that last time I saw her. You know what I mean.
But the most noticeable difference is the tattoos that cover her legs and arms. she only had a couple back then, but now there's beautiful artwork everywhere. She's a vision standing there in her sundress. My throat goes dry.
As Kade reaches her, he wraps his arms around her, picking her up, she wraps her legs around his waist. Jealousy surged through me as I approached the bottom of the front steps.She use to hug me like that. She told me once I was the first person to ever pick her up during a hug.
I cleared my throat, reminding Kade I was here.
“Allow me to introduce your other knight in shining armor. This is…”
“Jude” she cuts him off
Fuck.
“Hey V. It's good to see you again. You look great.” I keep my eyes on the ground.
“Wait,” Kades says, looking between us,”you know each other?”
“We used too” V says, I snap my head up, my eyes instantly connected to hers. I see pain, sadness, shock. Then she's gone, disappeared into the house.
Well that went about as well as I could have hoped. Dammit!
Kade stares into the house, he turns to look at me with his eyebrows raised. “You know her?”
“Yeah, that's what I was trying to tell you. But it's been years since I've seen or talked to her.” I explain, rubbing the back of my neck.
“ I gather you guys didn't end on a good note?” He looks at me, crossing his arms.
“I mean…apparently not. She probably feels like I ghosted her before running off to get married and have a baby.” I explain, shoving my hands in my pockets, shrugging my shoulders.
“ Well did you?” Kade asks, irritation leaking into his voice.
“Yeah. I did. She was married and I waited a year for her to leave him. Then she got pregnant by him again and I just decided to move on. And my girlfriend was very insecure and jealous, and gave me an ultimatum. And since she was having another kid with him, it was kind of a no brainer. At least that's how I felt at the time. Not going to lie dude, I've missed and thought about her constantly.”
I don't know why I felt the need to explain all that to Kade. Maybe cuz he's her gatekeeper..I don't know.
Kade looks me up and down. “She's not the same person she was a year ago, much less 6 years ago. You should talk to her, or at least try too.”
“I know.” I nod making eye contact for the first time.
“Why didn't you say anything yesterday?” He asks, c*****g an eyebrow.
“I don't know, denial? I always wondered what it would be like to see her again, but never expected too. I'm honestly kind of surprised she didnt hit me." I try to lighten the mood. Kade nods in understanding.
“Well, I guess I better go talk to her. See if she's ok. ” he shrugs as he turns around and heads through the door.
“Alright” I nod as he shuts the door.
Well f**k me!