Bow Down(162)

We got back into my car. I started the engine and began to drive back to her apartment. We drove in silence, and I could practically hear the gears turning in her brain.

This wasn’t exactly something I really wanted, either. I didn’t want a baby. I figured we could put the kid up for adoption, but I didn’t know what she really wanted. Maybe she’d want to keep it, and then I’d have to do the right thing.

Or maybe she’d refuse all of this and try running. I couldn’t really tell exactly what was going on in her head, but I knew I couldn’t push it.

Either way, whatever she chose, I’d do my best to keep her alive. I felt something there, something I couldn’t explain. I wanted her to know me for some reason, which was why I took her to my old hood. Maybe I just wanted her to know the man who wanted to get her pregnant.

I wasn’t used to feeling this way. Normally I fucked a girl and then forgot about her, but Cassidy just kept lingering in my mind. I hadn’t even felt what it was like to be inside her yet.

“I grew up in Ohio,” she said suddenly as we got closer to her apartment building.

“Midwestern girl,” I said.

“Yeah.” She nodded, looking out the window. “My parents are both still alive and married. My dad is a dentist and my mom teaches first grade.”

“Sounds nice. How’d you end up in Chicago?”

“I went to school here. I got a journalism degree from the University of Chicago.”

“Good school.”

“That’s how I got into all of this. I wanted to make my mark.”

“You’re sure as hell making one now.”

She shrugged and looked at me. “I guess so.”

“What would your parents say about your choice of men?” I asked, smirking at her.

“They’d probably disown me, or maybe try to get you arrested.”

I laughed. “Sorry to hear it. I guess they won’t get a baby announcement.”

“Probably not. I think that would kill my dad.”

“Are they religious?”

“I guess so. They’re just old fashioned, really. My dad thinks I should have become a nurse or a vet or something like that.”

“Then he’d love it if you became my stay-at-home mob wife.”

She cracked a smile. “Yeah. Maybe.”

“You can raise the kids. Do yoga all day.”

“Sounds nice.”

“You’d love it. I’ll go crack skulls, you stay home and change diapers.”

“Great. We’d make an amazing team.”

“Raising babies and kicking ass.”

She laughed as I slowly came up toward her building. Instead of parking, I cruised slowly past.

She cocked her head, confused. “That was my building back there.”

“I know,” I murmured.

There were two thugs standing near the front entrance, two guys I recognized. Both of them were Ernesto’s boys.

What the fuck were they doing? He was supposed to stay away from Cassidy for the time being. He had no reason to post guys right outside her apartment building.

Unless he was going against orders.

I went around the block and parked a few buildings down from her place.

“Stay here,” I said.

“Why?”

“I have to do something.” I looked at her seriously. “Just stay here.”

She nodded. “Okay. Fine.”

I got out of the car and shut the door. I strode over toward her apartment building, fingering the gun I had tucked into my waistband. I didn’t know what these guys wanted, but I wasn’t messing around.

They didn’t see me coming. The first one was named Leo, and he had his back turned to me. He was thin with curly dark hair. The other guy was Ollie, and he was too busy talking into his cell phone to see me.

I went right up to Leo and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned, his face angry. Ollie looked up and gaped as I punched Leo in the nose, sending him sprawling.

I felt bone break as Leo toppled to the ground. Blood spurted from his wound. Ollie dropped his phone and came at me, roaring like an idiot. I easily stepped back and dropped an elbow into the back of his neck, sending him straight to the ground.

Leo was back on his feet, and he was pissed. He threw a few punches at me, but I danced away, grinning to myself. My heart was pounding, and I was loving this shit. People on the other side of the street were staring, but that didn’t matter to me.

The only thing for me right in that moment was the fight. I fucking lived for the fight.

Leo came at me hard, and I blocked his right hook. I stepped close to him and dropped my shoulder, pivoting my hips. Using his momentum, I threw him over my hip.

I grunted as Ollie tackled me from behind. I hit the ground hard and saw stars for a second before managing to roll onto my back. Ollie reared to hit me, but I was too fast. I slammed my elbow into the side of his face. I twisted again, shoving him off me, and scrambled to my feet.