"I can stay here." Karri doesn't even flinch when she says it.
Un-fucking-believable!
Before I get a chance to tell the bitch how crazy she is, Andrés says on a roar, "Hell, no!"
Karri shrieks back, looking at Andrés with wide watery eyes, and then she wails like a child.I'm so embarrassed for her.
Once again, I'm startled by pounding on the front door. Andrés swears and grabs a baseball bat out of the closet. My limbs ice over with fear when he storms out of the bedroom. I know Andrés is ten times the man Jackson is, but I also know Jackson has probably been doing drugs, most likely cocaine, his drug of choice. Who knows what revenge he's capable of while he's wired? What if he's got a bigger bat, or worse, a knife or gun? I give Ty an extra squeeze and rise on shaky legs as I peer through the crack in the bedroom door.
Relief floods through me when I see my tall, blonde, and Barbie doll perfect best friend and neighbor, Grace, and her rancher girlfriend, Violet.
I carry Tyler out to the living room, Karri lapping at my heels like a stray dog begging for crumbs.
"Is everything okay?" Grace asks as she sweeps a hand through her long curls. "We heard a commotion."
Andrés looks back at Karri with a scowl. "I'm handling it."
Karri's bottom lip is hanging down in a pout. She looks terrible, her pink spiky hair a twisted mess, and her thick black eyeliner smeared down her face. She's lost a lot of weight since I've last seen her over a month ago. She once prided herself on her curves, but now she looks like an emaciated rat.
"I come back home and find out my mom is dead and my stupid brother sold our house." Karri throws up her hands. "I don't have anywhere to live! You can't just throw me out on the street!" She looks at Andrés with an accusatory glare.
Andrés squares his shoulders, his normally passionate and loving gaze turning to stone. "No meth-head is staying in my house."
"I'll take her."
I gape at Violet. She's dressed in worn denim jeans and scuffed boots, and her cropped dark hair is slicked back with gel. Grace's girlfriend has been full of surprises. When I first met her, I thought she was some rodeo groupie, but I've learned there's a lot more to this woman. She owns a successful horse breeding ranch on the outskirts of town. Grace told me Violet has taken in many wayward teens and taught them how to care for livestock and manage their thriving, organic farm.
I guess I'm not the only one shocked by Violet's offer. Slack-jawed, Grace is looking at her girlfriend, too. "W-what?" Grace asks, breathily.
Violet crosses her arms over her chest and eyes Karri like she's a piece of livestock. "She can work at the ranch."
"Ranch?" Karri stops her false tantrum long enough to cock a hand on her hip and sneer. "You mean like horses and cows and shit? It's not like one of those fucking rehab ranches, is it?"
"Sort of." Violet's face is devoid of expression. "You want a place to live or not?"
Karri props her other hand on a hip and rolls her head with an exaggerated movement. "I'm not picking up horse shit."
Violet takes a step forward, the hard angles of her face turning into a frown. "You'll do what you're told if you want room and board. I'll be waiting in my truck. You've got two minutes to decide."
Violet turns and walks out, Grace trailing behind her. I can hear Grace's high-pitched whine echoing in the corridor, and I can tell she's not happy about Violet's offer.
"Christina!" Karri waves a hand toward the front door. "You cannot make me go live with her."
Tyler is snuggling against me, and I look down to see his eyelashes are fluttering as if he's fighting sleep. His cheeks are flushed, and he feels like a little squeezable furnace. I run my fingers through his hair and feel his forehead. It's warm. Too warm. Who knows what this kid was exposed to while his parents were doing drugs today? I swear if I wasn't holding Tyler, it would be hard for me to keep from wrapping my hands around Karri's throat and throttling her.
"You're not staying here." I turn my back on her and rock the baby in my arms. I keep my gaze focused on the blank flat-screen in our oak entertainment center. It's Andrés TV, and bigger than the width of my arms. I'm pretty sure it costs more than all the furniture in our apartment.
"I can't believe you would do this to me!" Karri yells, causing Tyler to jump.
I mentally count to ten as I try to shake off the urge to give Ty to Andrés, rip the television from its stand, and smash it over Karri's head.
"Get over yourself, Karri," Andrés snickers.
I bite my lip to keep from laughing out loud.
"Fuck you and your stupid fucking boyfriend!" Karri screams before I hear her stomping out the door. I hold Ty tightly as I listen to the retreating sound of her shoes smacking against the pavement.