Page 8 of Tattered Souls (Whispering Falls #2)

Garrick

“Yes, I’m looking for Garrick Griggs. Went by his house but he wasn’t there,” the man said.

At the same time, I exited from underneath the hood. Leo called out, “Boss, got someone here to speak to you.”

Yeah, fucker. My ears work just fine.

I didn’t say that, though.

Instead, I tagged the red rag from my back pocket, wiped my hands as I walked to where the man was standing.

He had on a white button-up shirt and a dark blue tie with gray slacks.

“Can I help you?” I asked.

He nodded, “You’re Garrick Lucas Griggs, correct?”

I lifted a brow.

It read Garrick on my coveralls.

“Need some proof?” I asked.

When the man nodded, I sighed, then unzipped my coveralls, lowered them, tagged my wallet, flipped it open, and pulled out my license.

The man took it and read it. Then he nodded as he handed it back to me.

He started speaking, but I paid him no mind as I put my license back, pocketed my wallet, and then tied the sleeves around my waist.

Then I crossed my arms over my chest and asked, “Now, what is this about?”

His head jerked back, “You weren’t listening to me?”

I shook my head.

He sighed and then grumbled.

Again, I paid him no mind as I waited.

Finally, he started talking, “My name is Lewis Alcott. I’m the lawyer handling Granger Rogers’ estate.”

I felt my spine straighten as I asked, “Tatum. Is she okay?”

He smiled then, “Yes. She’s fine. I just have something for you. Mr. Rogers asked me to give this to a man named Garrick if something happened to him before he could give it to you.”

I took the white envelope from him and then watched him leave.

Knowing that this was from Granger, I headed to the office and closed the door.

Once I opened the envelope, I pulled out a spiral piece of notebook-bound paper.

Garrick,

Fuck me. Hate that I have to write this shit. But in my line of work, it’s necessary. You're probably wondering what this is. So, I’ll get to the point.

The other night, I saw you watching Tatum. Saw you looked interested in her.

But if you’re going to chase her just to be chasing her, I’m asking you, man to man, to back the fuck off.

But, if you’re the man I think you are, and you want her to be yours, then make it fucking happen.

Over the years, Carter has talked about you. Know I can trust you with her.

So, blah blah blah and all that shit, you have my blessing to make her yours.

Keep her safe.

Got a feeling I failed at that.

Peace Out,

Granger.

I swallowed.

Fuck. Me.

I sat there staring at the words, reading them over and over, and felt something in my heart break.

My phone pinged with a text.

I sighed, then pulled it out.

Curmudgeon Text Thread

Carter – I just felt the baby kick. Holy shit.

Ethan – Hell yeah. Felt the first time Melanie did it. Fucking thrilled man.

Me – How hard was it?

Carter – Pretty goddamn hard.

Me – It’s a boy then.

Talia – Excuse me.

Alec – That’s awesome, brother.

Me – What?

Talia – Girls can kick hard too, you know. Don’t you assume anything about my niece or nephew.

Talia – Nope. I knew Harlee first. I claimed her first. The rest of you can suck it.

Carter – Ummmm.

Alec – Ummmm.

Me – Well, I don’t suck. I lick.

I silenced notifications

Let her stew on that, little shithead.

***

Ever since Carter and Harlee had gotten together, they had hosted dinners at their house every few weeks to give Mom a little bit of a break.

And since she was pregnant, I suggested having it at my place.

I just asked everyone to cook something and bring it.

My front door opened, and then I heard, “Hi, Garrick. Bye, Garrick,” Harlee said as she motored past me and down the hall.

I lifted a brow at Carter.

He grinned, “Baby’s been dancing on her bladder.”

I lifted my chin.

Tatum walked in then, and I watched as her eyes took in my home.

And when I saw her eyes flare at my kitchen, my chest swelled with pride.

She liked my house.

Fucking good.

I bought my house two years after Dom and I had gone into business together almost twelve years ago.

And now, it was paid off.

It was one story, like most homes in our small town.

It had white siding and stained beams holding up the front porch.

I considered installing a wrap-around porch and adding French doors to my bedroom.

But I haven’t done it yet.

***

The day had finally arrived.

Granger was born.

Yes, Carter and Harlee named him after the man who had saved Carter’s life.

I watched as Tatum’s eyes filled with tears because she was named as his godmother, and I was named as his godfather.

***

Things were going well. Business was booming, but I hadn’t seen much of Tatum.

Unless it involved Granger.

And I didn’t like that.

Not one fucking bit.

***

I felt my teeth grind together when I saw that motherfucker pull into the garage in his little Honda Civic, which he thought was the baddest little bitch on the streets.

He couldn’t have been more wrong.

He was a limp-dick pussy assed bitch.

And in case you weren’t made aware of this, D&G Auto Body doesn’t work on newer model cars. We handle the classics. The only reason we even took him on as a customer was for Tatum.

Fucker hadn’t realized that.

Like he hadn’t realized that Tatum was ten times better than he was.

She was better than me, too.

But the difference between the two of us... he wanted the spotlight... me? I wanted to make other women jealous of her.

Last time he was in here, he complained about his tires, said they weren’t brand new, and we had tried to cheat him.

It took all the patience I could muster to show him the fucking nipples on the brand-new tires, for him to stop that shit.

The second to last time he was in here, it was to complain that his air conditioning wasn’t cold enough.

Well, fucker, if you bothered to hit that little button known as the power button, it sure as shit ain’t going to work.

And don’t even get me started on the previous times.

I was doing so good at keeping my cool.

Well... that was until she stepped out of the passenger side.

Fuck. Me.

Was the universe out to get me or something?

The first woman I’ve ever been truly interested in, and she belongs to some motherfucker.

Hell, if I were being honest about it, everyone but me was a motherfucker.

Not that I deserved to have something that was all that goodness wrapped in a sexy as fuck little package.

And she was that.

Little.

Tiny.

Fucking like Tinkerbell.

And when I saw the bastard sneer at her, well, I did it.

Fuck it.

“Hey, Tink. How you been doing, darlin’?”

The pussy ass little bitch started grumbling.

I wanted to laugh, but I didn’t.

Yeah, that was her new nickname. It fucking fit. And it was mine.

She smiled, then pulled her phone out, stepped closer to me, and showed me a video of my nephew, Granger, her godson, “Look at this.”

I stood there as I watched her screen and chuckled when he said, “Dada stinky poopy.”

She smiled up at me, as Lance said, “Can we freaking get to the part where I tell you what’s wrong with my car?”

I narrowed my gaze at him as I saw Tatum tense.

Oh no.

Not no.

But fuck no.

“You’re at my garage. You’re in my territory now, motherfucker. Don’t you ever interrupt Tatum again. Hear me?”

He grumbled.

Then I looked down at Tatum and winked, “You're prettier than him anyway.”

I lied.

She was stunning. Prettiest thing I ever saw.

After I answered Lance’s questions, and yeah, he changed his tune real goddamn fast, Lance moved to his car to leave.

“Were you flirting with me to make him jealous?” I heard asked ever so softly, that it managed to hurt something I’d thought immune to anyone other than my family and closest friends.

When I nodded without thinking, I watched as hurt flashed in her eyes.

And before I could say anything to ease that hurt, she turned on her heel and headed to his car.

Fuck. Me.

***

It wasn’t until a few days later that I started noticing something.

And at what I saw, I felt something, something I’ve only ever felt once before.

Fucking rage.

I stood there, and I planned.

Tatum

I thought I had covered it.

I was used to covering the bruises.

So good in fact that no one ever noticed.

Not the times that Lance did it.

And not the times our father did it.

So good, in fact, that my brother never noticed.

And I never wanted him to know.

He had already had it rough by being in the same house as our father before I came into the picture.

He was the only person on this planet I had truly loved.

But.... remember I said that I thought I had covered it.

Apparently, not good enough for him .

And he set out to do something about it.