“TAMMY! YOU BITCH! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?” A man yelled from outside of Cyrus and Tammy’s former home.
It was Sunday afternoon and Cyrus and Mia had gone there to prepare the home for sale.
Mia turned to Cyrus as she heard a voice from outside. “Did you hear that?”
“I think it was the radio in the other room. Can you hand me that box of Elias’ toys? I’ll load them on the truck.”
BAM BAM BAM! A crash came through the front door.
“You bitch! Where are you? Where is my son? Tammy, get your worthless ass out here!”
Cyrus grabbed Mia, pushing her behind him. “Stay here. I’ll go check it out. Call the police.”
Mia nodded as she grabbed her cell phone. Cyrus ran from the room just about the time Grayson turned into the hallway leading to the baby’s room.
“Where is he? Where’s my boy?”
Cyrus straightened his shoulders, ready to plow the man over if he took another step. “Grayson? What the hell are you doing here?”
The man stopped in his tracks, barely able to stand on his own two feet, and staggering back and forth. “Well, if it isn’t poor little, Cyrus Evans. Where are Mommy and Daddy? Oh. Yeah. They’re dead.” Greyson laughed, taking a big gulp from a fifth of bourbon.
“Fuck you. Get out of here. Tammy doesn’t want you here.”
“Oh, that bitch came crawling back to you, huh? Figures. You were always weak. Just like your father.”
“Don’t ever speak about my parents,” Cyrus growled.
Mia stepped outside the baby’s room. “The police are on the way. Cyrus, what’s going on?”
Grayson looked over Mia like she was a piece of meat. His eyes settled on her breast as Mia moved behind Cyrus to elude the disgusting man’s glares.
“Well, what do we have here? Pretty little thing. What’s your name?”
Cyrus protectively stood in front of Mia. “You need to leave, old man, or I can make you leave. The police are on the way.”
“I’m not going anywhere without my son. Where’s Tammy?”
“She’s safe. You need to stay away from her and Elias. You gave away your rights.”
“Rights? He’s my son. He belongs to me. Elias Dawson Evans. Stupid bitch named him after your worthless father and gave him your damn last name.”
Cyrus had no idea she had given the boy his last name, and it took a second for him to recover. “Mia, go to the kitchen. If he comes near you, run. Call Wraith and tell him to get here now.”
“I’m not leaving you. I’ll kick his ass before I let him touch either of us.”
Grayson laughed. “Feisty. She reminds me of your mother. Loyal and a fighter. Guess that is where that sexy ass Holly gets it. Mary was a little spitfire. I almost had her pretty ass once. Holly beat me up and four of my buddies at the bar downtown.”
Cyrus glared at him and clenched his fist. “That was you? You tried to rape my sister. You’re lucky she didn’t kill you.”
“Too bad that stuck up prude wouldn’t put out. I would have loved to have her. Just like your mother. Elias stole Mary from me. Did you know that? They promised Mary to me, and that bastard father of yours took her away and eloped.”
Cyrus scowled. “I know the story. My grandfather gambled and had debt he couldn’t pay. Your dad was trying to force her to marry you to pay the debt.”
“Yep. Only Elias and Mary thought they were like fucking Romeo and Juliet and took off. The next time I saw them, she was knocked up with that jackass brother of yours.”
Police sirens wailed in the distance as Mia pulled on Cyrus’s sleeve and whispered. “They’re coming.”
“So, Cyrus? Is it true what they say about fat chicks? The sex is good because they try harder. Come here, baby. Let’s take your ass in the bedroom and find out.”
Grayson reached for her, and Cyrus went for the man, knocking him to the ground. Cyrus punched the drunk man, and the cowardly Grayson covered his face, looking terrified. Cyrus stopped himself, knowing that hitting the old man was a bad idea. He rolled off Grayson and shoved him away.
“Get the fuck out of here before I kill you.”
Grayson stood up and walked toward the door. “Coward. Just like your father.” Grayson started to walk out the front door and turned back to Cyrus. “So. How’s the scar? Still burn when you’re near a flame?”
“Get out.”
Mia had followed the men to the door and got a little too close to the drunken man.
“Come on, baby. Let me take you home with a real man.”
Grayson pulled her to him, trying to kiss her. Mia squirmed free, pushing him away.
“Sit still, you fucking whore.”
Without thinking, Cyrus snapped. No one laid a hand on his girl. He tackled the man through the front down and past the front porch steps. Mia screamed for help as the police rolled up.
The police ran to stop Cyrus as he hit the man over and over. Busting his nose and blacking his eye. No one messed with his girl.