Page 26 of Like An Animal

THE SHADOW

W e follow behind Bronwyn as she drops the child off at school, walking her in with a fake smile across her face and kissing the child on the forehead. Then, we followed her out of the school parking lot and across town.

“Where the fuck is she going?” Xavi asks, looking about as confused as I feel.

How the fuck am I supposed to know? I can’t read her mind. I doubt she would leave the child behind if she’s planning to run. It’s possible, but even that seems too heartless for my little ghost.

She drives to a big bank and parks before she climbs out of the vehicle and walks inside.

Reaching into the glove compartment, I pull out one of many tracking devices Arnold graciously ordered for me to have on hand in case I needed them.

She ran off once. I’m not going to lose track of her again.

“Whhhhat are you doing?”

I park the car at the curb and get out before jogging over to her vehicle. I slowly whistle a tune to myself as I lean down and connect the device to the underside of her trunk, making sure the magnets on it stick.

She’s not escaping me again. Not now. Not ever.

Bronwyn came out of the bank holding a duffle bag over her shoulder, one that’s old and weathered, but I recognize the logo on the side.

It’s my bag I’d take to shows with a change of clothes. It even has our band logo across the side and my name written in metallic fabric paint across it.

What the fuck was it doing in the bank and why does it look full to the brim?

“She must have a safety deposit box,” Xavi mutters.

That makes sense, but what would be so important that she would hide it there?

Note to self: look in that bag once I have her bound and gagged.

We then track her across town again and park close by when she turns down an alley. Her vehicle stops with only the bumpers sticking out and I watch closely as she gets out of her SUV carrying a wad of cash in plain view.

Has she lost her damn mind? That would be enough of a reason for a number of people to put a bullet between her eyes.

I rub my temple in irritation at her recklessness, but then I notice the figure cloaked in shadows in the alley and she’s walking toward them.

Did she come here to meet them?

It would make sense considering the businesses on both sides of them are abandoned.

The person emerges from the shadows, a dark hoody pulled over their head, but she talks with them for a moment before she hands over the wad of cash and they give her a thick manilla envelope.

“What the fuck is she doing?” Xavi thinks out loud, clearly seeing the same thing I do.

It’s pretty fucking clear what she’s doing. I’m more experienced at this than he is.

“Fraudulent paperwork.” Probably identification for her and her family. She’s acting like a woman who wants to run for her life.

“Should we do something?”

“Nope. Let her do her thing. She’s not going anywhere.” She’s trapped and I bet she can feel the walls closing in. She’s only free right now because I’m allowing it.

I’m not dense. I know it will be better to strike after the sun goes down. Could I grab her and go? Sure, but where’s the fun in that? I like watching her squirm.

“Can we get something to eat then? I’m starving,” Xavi complains and I roll my eyes.

“ You can go, but I’m keeping my eye on her.”

He shrugs. “You snooze, you lose.” He throws off his seatbelt and climbs out of the car. I watch in my rearview mirror as he walks to the fast food restaurant across the street. Then, I return my gaze to my woman as she gets back in her SUV.

I put the car in drive as she backs out of the alley and speeds off. I follow behind her, knowing full well that Xavi is not going to like that I’m ditching him.

I did tell him I would be keeping my eye on her. I can’t exactly do that if I stay here, can I?

Once Bronwyn went back to her house, I went to the hotel I booked to get ready. I’ve barely climbed out of the tiny shower when the hotel room opened up.

“What the fuck, Jer!” Xavi screams as he walks in and I wrap a towel around my waist. “You fucking ditched me. I had to catch a damn Uber here!”

“I told you I was going to keep my eye on her,” I respond walking out into the main room.

“Then, what the fuck are you doing here?”

“Getting ready.” Isn’t it obvious?

“Ready for what exactly? What is your plan?”

Is Xavi really that much of an idiot?

“One, I’m going to kill her husband.” I drop the towel and grab my jeans, not giving a fuck if Xavi sees my naked ass.

He could’ve turned around if he didn’t want to see it.

“Two, you’re going to grab the kid and get her out of the house without scarring her for life. Three, I have my own plan for Bronwyn.”

I have a nice long list of things I’m going to do to her. She took something from me, something she knew meant everything to me and I’ll make it clear that I won’t forgive that easily. I will make her pay. She’ll be so thoroughly punished, she won’t ever think of doing this to me ever again.

No, I’m not mad that she tried to frame me. I never fucking was. Not even for a second.

I’m only mad that she married that fuckhead and let anyone else touch her. She belongs to me and she knew that five years ago just as well as she knows it now. That’s why she’s getting ready to run.

“Really? You’re going to stick me on kid duty?”

“Either that or you can stay behind. Then, I won’t have any back up.”

Xavi groans with irritation. I knew that was something he would never want. I don’t really need back up, but it makes him feel better if I have it.

He’s always worried for my safety.

I never thought Xavi was one to worry about anything, but that was before we moved to Newark.

He’s changed a lot since then. He’s gotten serious and not in a good way.

I always saw him as goofy, a man with golden retriever energy, but he went through a drastic shift.

Xavi’s not talking about whatever made him like this, but neither me nor Massimo are pushing him on it either.

I know that look in his eyes, though–the one that has been there since I was arrested–and it paints an ugly picture from my childhood. He went through something life-changing. Even though five years have come and gone, he’s still not ready to talk about it.

He’ll come to us when he’s ready if he ever becomes ready.

“I’m gonna have a smoke,” he mutters before he walks out the door, gently closing it as he leaves.

Yup. That’s a man in crisis if I’ve ever seen one.