Page 28 of For Her
“Drop those chips on my carpet and you’re cleaning my entire house, fucker,” I try to warn calmly.
“Seriously, let go! Ow!” he screeches up from down by my very cute, not fat belly. “Your kid just kicked me in the jaw!”
“You made fun of his mommy,” I say menacingly through clenched teeth, just as Jack comes in through the garage. “Oh hi, Baby!” I perk up at him with a smile.
“Sweetheart…” he draws out the endearment with a cautious smile as he sets a few Home Depot bags on the counter. “What’s going on?”
“Just playing with my brother!” I smile back sweetly at him as Ian flails and gags in my choke hold.
“That’s nice, Baby, have fun. I’ll be in the basement,” he updates me, grabbing a few knickknacks that I wouldn’t have the first clue what to do with out of the bags and turns for the basement door. “Maybe let up a little though, he’s turning purple,” he tosses over his shoulder. I look down to see he’s right.
Oh.
I release Ian and let him drop to the floor where he writhes, gasping for sweet oxygen.
“Sorry, didn’t know I was squeezing that tight.”
“It’s fine,” he coughs, getting to his feet. “You got nothing on your spawn in there,” he waves a hand at my stomach before rubbing his jaw. “What are you feeding that kid?”
“Um…” I squint an eye and look at the ceiling. “Peanut butter, and jalapeno potato chips.”
“Protein and spice,” he nods, amused. “Maybe I should try that diet so I can kick your ass after you give birth to that thing. I’m feeling super sorry for Jack now.”
“My dear sweet husband does nothing to provoke me,” I point out as I roll my head in his direction. “I save it all for you,” I finish sweetly.
“So what crawled up your pregnant ass anyway?”
“Eli is giving Kassandra Morgan an exclusive interview from prison,” I say that last word with creepy, theatrical flair.
“You’re shitting me,” he drops his hands at his sides and gives me a dubious look.
“I wish,” I shrug dejectedly. “Nothing he says is going to fly anyway. This is him doing what he can to keep us from moving on; refusing to let us put him behind us.”
“That’s what he gets out of this?”
“It’s the only thing that makes sense,” I say, shaking my head.
“They should just put him alone in a room with me and call it a day,” Ian replies, cracking his neck menacingly.
“That’s sweet, but you’d have to get in line behind Jack, Matt, Detective Morris, and at least twenty others,” I point out as I strut towards the door that leads to the basement, and my brother shakes his head as he walks towards the front door.
“I can dream,” he calls has he yanks the door open. “Later.”
I open the door to hear hammering along with classic rock blasting. I step down on the first step and am startled in my tracks when I hear Jack’s voice call out.
“Don’t even think about it, Pooh Bear!”
How did he hear me coming?
“What?” I shout back, confused, and he cuts the music.
“Too much of a warzone down here. No place for my pregnant wife to be walking around,” he casually warns.
“Oh, come on!” I chide as I take another step down. “It can’t be that bad, and I’ll be careful.”
I hear a clatter of his hammer being chucked into his tool box before he appears at the bottom of the stairs.
“Done for the day,” he calmly announces as he trudges his way up to me.