“Ms. Baker,” Jim’s voice was deep and loud, so much so it made it feel like the walls were ready to crumble around me. “I gave you this loan because no one else in Liberty would touch you. You have no credit history, no money, nothing. I did you a favor, and this is how you’re going to repay me?”
The voice. The look on his face. The words he chose. It sent me spiraling back in time. I froze, with my mouth open, no sound coming out. Just like I had done when Greg had done this to me.
“I did you a favor,” my ex often shouted. “And this is how you’re going to repay me?”
I was young and naive back then, and I felt like I’d had no options. He’d used that against me. And here I was, even though I had tried my best to not find myself in the same situation again, owing a man who was going to use his “favor” against me.
Jim lowered his voice and kept talking, and I almost missed what he was saying. Finally, I pulled myself together.
“Now, this doesn’t mean much - I’m not going to take your home because you missed this. It just means your interest rates will go up. Pay me back in the time frame we agreed upon, and we’ll be squared away. I highly doubt you have the ability to take me to court, considering your financial situation and all.”
There was nothing I could say to dissuade him on that, because it was true. My options were fairly limited at the moment. And still, I couldn’t find my voice.
Dammit, Danielle - stop it. Pull yourself together. He isn’t Greg. You can stand up for yourself.
“I—”
Before I could say anything, Jim stepped closer to me, too close. I backed up until I hit the wall, and he kept on coming. I knew I was shaking, but I couldn’t stop it. I couldn’t stop my legs from trembling and threatening to give out on me either.
I just stood there as he leered at me. His expression changed when he glanced to the side.
“Oh, hi there, sweetie,” Jim’s tone changed, and he backed away. “What are you doing up so late? Does Mommy not give you a bedtime? I doubt your daddy would be alright with that.” Jim looked at me with a maniacal grin.
“She was in bed, but you must have woken her,” I stated, finally finding my voice. I pushed myself away from the wall. “And what do you know about her father?” My eyes narrowed on the man.
“As I told you, we’re friends. I called him after you took out the loan, just to let him know what’s going on. Can’t say he was too pleased with the news, but I told him I would take good care of his daughter.” His tone was threatening.
I picked up on the message, and it creeped me the hell out. “Please leave,” I said. “Now.”
“Oh Danielle. Is that any way to treat someone who did you a favor?”
“I need to put my daughter back to bed,” I said, my voice raising. “Please leave before I call the police.”
“Is everything okay, Mommy?” Skyler’s little voice cracked.
“Everything’s fine, honey,” Jim answered her before I could, his voice low. “I’ll be leaving so there’s no more trouble.”
I clenched my jaw tightly. I so badly wanted to tell him to never talk to my daughter again, and never to call her honey. Instead, I walked over to Skyler and took her hand, shielding her with my body as if I had to protect her. Because even though Jim said he was leaving, something didn’t sit right with me, and my mother bear instinct kicked into high gear.
But Jim did as he said, turning and walking toward the door. Before I could breathe a sigh of relief, however, he stopped.
“I’m leaving this copy of the contract with you, with the new interest rates highlighted just so we’re clear. I would hate to see you out on the street, Ms. Baker, especially with your adorable little daughter. So please, pay as promised so I don’t have to take your home.”
He stepped through the door, dropping the contract on the end table beside it. I wasn’t ready to breathe yet.
I hurried to the door and locked both the handle and the dead bolt. I stared out the little window in the door, watching as Jim got in his car and left. As he pulled out of the driveway, I saw the shadow of a truck sitting out on the road. It was too dark and too far away to make out the details, but in the pit of my stomach, I knew who it was.
My insides were on fire as rage seethed from every organ in my body.
“Come on, sweetie,” I said, trying to make my tone as cheerful and bright as possible. “Let’s go back to bed.”
Skyler looked up at me with wide, terrified eyes. “Are we going to lose our home, Mommy?”
“No, of course, not, baby,” I said, kneeling in front of her. “We’re going to be just fine. There’s nothing for you to worry about.”
Inwardly, I was cursing Jim for bringing this stress into my daughter’s life. She was too young to worry about shit like this. When I was a child, my parents would often argue about money, and that feeling of financial instability never left me. I was always anxious, worried we’d be homeless one day, and that was the last thing I wanted for Skyler.
“But—but he said…” Her lips trembled.
“He’s just trying to scare me. But let me tell you something - your mommy doesn’t scare easily,” I promised her, pushing a strand of her blonde hair out of her face. “And no man is going to take our home away from us.”
Skyler nodded slowly, and I prayed she believed me, that she trusted me. Even if I wasn’t sure I deserved that trust.
My eyes fell on the contract he’d left behind, and my blood boiled. I’d meant what I’d said earlier - what he was doing wasn’t legal. But I also knew that legal aide in this part of the state was backed up for months. It was nearly impossible to get any help during the divorce case, and I couldn’t imagine the stress it would cause if I tried to fight now. If we had to wait, then Jim might come after our property, and all the drama that would ensue… No, if I could, it would be wiser to just pay it. Pay it and get on with our lives so Skyler didn’t have to deal with housing insecurity the way I did growing up.
Her little eyes were heavy with sleep, so I led her back to her room after letting the dogs in. Zeus was right on our heels and climbed into bed beside her as I tucked her back in.
“Everything is going to be okay,” I whispered to her, sitting down on the edge of the bed. “I promise.”
I waited until her breathing was even and calm, and then I slipped out of the bedroom. I left the door open a crack but went out onto the porch to make my phone call. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to keep my voice down, and I didn’t want to risk waking Skyler up again.
He picked up on the first ring. “Hello?”
“How dare you?” I said through gritted teeth. “You think you can scare me by sending Jim over here, huh? Well, let me tell you something, Greg, I don’t scare that easily.”
“What are you talking about?” Greg asked. “I didn’t send him over there. Frankly, I’m not happy you’re doing business with him at all. It was a stupid thing to do, Danielle, and really makes me doubt your ability to raise my child.”
“Our child. She’s mine, too,” I reminded him furiously. “And don’t act like you weren’t involved in this. He’s threatening to take the property, all based around an unethical contract. This has your scent all over it.”
“I didn’t send you to him, Dani. You went on your own, remember?”
“He’s a friend of yours, Greg.”
“I wouldn’t exactly call him a friend, but yes. I know him,” he admitted smugly. “It’s a small town, Danielle. Everyone knows everyone in Liberty, and I’m shocked that you hadn’t already heard of Jim’s shady reputation before signing a contract in the first place.”
I swallowed a lump in my throat. I’d never heard anything about him - not even from Greg himself. He was probably right. He likely wasn’t friends with Jim, at least not close friends, or else I’d have heard something about him over the years.
“He was a friend of my dad’s, mostly,” Greg said. “We keep in touch, but I’d never go into business with him, and signing a contract from him? Shit, Dani, I really thought you were smarter than that.”
He was right. How could I have been so stupid? I pushed that aside, thinking about the truck I’d seen out front. “Well, if you’re not involved with his threats, then why are you sitting outside my property right now?”
He sighed heavily as if bored with my questions. “I’m at home, Danielle. I was just getting ready to head to bed.”
“Liar. I’m staring at you right now,” I growled.
“I don’t know who you’re staring at, but it isn’t me.”
“Bullshit,” I muttered.
Nothing I said or did would get answers from Greg. He would only continue to berate me since he reveled in tearing down my self-esteem every chance he got.
I hung up but didn’t take my eyes off the truck. The truck and its mystery occupant were still sitting across from my property. There was nothing but woods across from me, no reason to stop and sit there.
And I didn’t trust Greg one little bit.
I went back inside, but only temporarily. I went straight for the baseball bat I kept beside my bed. I didn’t want guns in the house with Skyler, so it was the best I could do. I took the bat and walked back outside, ready to fight.