Bayou Stix Series: Bayou Stix Limited Edition Box Set (144 page)

I nod at her. “Yes, Mother. It’s true. Cruz is a good man. His mother is an amazingly strong woman.”

She reaches out and touches my hair. “Oh baby, I’m so sorry. We were horrible to him when he was here. You love him. You love him and we love you, so we are going to help you. Whatever you need, you just let us know. No woman should endure that. And now, they are parading her story all over the news… it’s like reliving it over and over and over. That poor woman.”

I’ve never seen my mother like this. Reaching out, I take her hands. “Thank you. I need to get over there and get her. She’s there alone and I don’t want someone to get into the house or make her feel threatened. I need to get her, as soon as possible.”

She nods and hands me the keys. “Of course. You go. Be careful.” She touches my face again. “You’re so strong. So unlike me. It’s always scared me that we’re so different, but I’m so proud of you. I’ve always been proud of you. You be careful. Ok, go. Take the truck.”

I nod. I’m a little choked up, but I can’t dwell on that right now. Right now, getting to Corrin is my priority. I’ll deal with my own family later. “I’ll call y’all later. Once we get to Cruz’s house. Thank you, Momma.”

She nods and steps back as she lets a sob out. “Be careful.” I race for the garage and get the truck. Gunning the engine, I take off with a wave at the porch.

It takes me a bit to get to Corrin’s house. There’s a lot of traffic and media on the street and surrounding her house. Seriously, why are they doing this? This seems extreme, but what the hell do I know?!

I decide to park on the street behind hers. I can see her house from here and I’m surprised no one else figured this out. Parking under a tree, I head across her neighbors’ yards. I’m trespassing, but I’m not hurting anything, so I hope no one stops me.

Glancing around as I get to her yard, I see nothing, so I sprint to the door and knock on the back glass. A few minutes later I hear her footsteps approach the door. Quietly, so as not to draw attention back here, I say, “Corrin, open up. It’s Tifanie.”

I hear the locks unclick and she glances out as she opens the door. I slip in and we close it back and relock everything.

She takes a deep breath. “Dear lord, why are so many people out there? I’m not famous. I’m a nobody. This is crazy.”

Walking through the house, I peek out the front window and see slews of reporters and news vans. It seems like total overkill to me too. “I have no idea. Cruz is famous, but not that damn famous. I think this is more about the Wormers than anything else.”

She shudders. “Damn him straight to hell!”

I agree with her. “Are you ready to go? Where’s your bag?”

She points to the table where she has a small suitcase and another small travel bag. Grabbing the suitcase, I mutter, “Ok, let me make sure it’s clear and then we’ll head to the truck. I’m parked on the next street, so we’ll have to cross through some yards, but no one saw me that I could tell, so we should be able to get back undetected.”

She nods, but her eyes are huge in her face and she looks terrified. Taking her hands, I try to calm her down some. “Corrin, I know this is insane. It’s scary and I’m not even certain what all is going on, but it’ll all be ok. I believe that.”

She nods and smiles determinedly. “You’re right. Just another something we need to overcome. We’ll be fine.”

Squeezing her hand one more time, I open the back door. As I’m about to step out, it’s roughly shoved in and hits me in the face. I scream out as I feel my nose crack and try to shove back against it, but I’m weakened from the impact. The door is pushed in and then a body is in front of us. “Well, well… look what we have here. This is better than expected. I thought Corrin would be the one to get me what I wanted, but now I have both of the women in my
son’s
life. You just made this too easy.”

Blood is pouring from my broken nose as I glare up at Lucian Wormer. “How did you get here?”

Corrin screams at him to get out and Lucian levels a gun at her. “Scream one more time and I will shoot you. Shut up, bitch. With the circus out front, I don’t need my plan ruined.”

My eyes are trying to focus on the gun in his hand as he points it at Cruz’s mother. I’m struggling to stay upright. Lucian looks at me and grabs my arm as he yanks. “Damn, you look like shit. Such a shame to mar up that beautiful face.” He runs the barrel of the gun over my cheek and I stand tall and glare at him, though my insides are shaking and I’m about to vomit from the concussion he just gave me. He’s insane. Not just evil, but insane too. I have to stay in control. I have to keep a level head.

Saying nothing and fighting back the desire to pass out, I just glare at him. He grimaces. “Get a towel. That’s a lot of blood.”

He’s right though. If I lose too much blood, I’ll be severely weakened and I need to try to keep my strength and my wits about me if I’m going to get Corrin and myself out of this mess. It’s bad enough I’m already wounded from the door.

Grabbing a dish towel off the counter, I hold it against my nose and tip my head back slightly while applying pressure. I don’t want to tip my head too far because that will just allow the blood to run down my throat. I try to make eye contact with Corrin, but she’s too focused on the gun. Lucian gestures to the living room. “Ladies first.”

Finally, Corrin looks at me and I try to convey a message.
We’re getting out of this. I don’t know how and I don’t know what he’s planning, but we’re getting out of this shit.
She seems to understand. She nods.

As we get to the living room, he points to the couch and tells both of us to sit down. We do and he smiles. It’s eerie and it’s filled with malice. His eyes, the color of Cruz’s, are wild. As he walks around, he picks up photos placed around the room. Most are of Cruz or of Cruz and Corrin. He mutters as he walks. Finally he stops on one photo. He picks it up and studies it and then he turns it around so we can see. It’s a photo of the guys from the band. They appear to be much younger, and are holding a piece of paper in their hands and all are smiling at the camera. Even Cruz.

Lucian says, “My son. I’m so, so very… proud of him.” Pointing at me, he says, “Take your phone out. We have to make a phone call.”

Thinking fast, I make a show of searching my pockets. “I don’t have it. I’m sorry, I think I left it in the truck.”

It’s in my sweatshirt pocket, but I’m not calling Cruz. Not until I know what I’m up against here. I need Lucian to tell me his plans. He grins at me and a chill skates down my spine. He sits down across from us and crosses his ankles as if he’s at the country club. “Well let’s see… I’ve been in prison for a long time.” He looks me over and leers. “A very long time.” I hold in a shudder. “While I was rotting there, with no visitors, no companionship, no nothing except my cold, sterile cell, I would hear all about this amazing new band. This huge and famous band that was sweeping the country. Imagine my surprise when I found out my
son
was in the band. Now, I knew I had a son.” He looks straight at Corrin. “Yes, I’d been informed that I’d impregnated you, Corrin, in our night of fun and passion.” She shrinks back on the couch and the urge to attack him for what he’s doing to her is pressing against me, trying desperately to get out. “Where was I?” He smiles coldly and his eyes twinkle. “Oh yes, I played my part well. I always was a miraculous actor. My face makes people want to believe me. So, I played them. I played them all. I…” He finger quotes, “found Jesus and started mentoring other prisoners. I even got to give seminars to adolescents at high schools.” My look of disgust must be adamant on my face. He laughs shrilly. “Yes, can you believe how gullible people are?!

“I was up for parole and I was such a model prisoner who’d turned my life around, they couldn’t wait to let me out.

“Only, I had no business left. I lost it when I was convicted. I had no money. I used it to try to pay off lawyers and judges. No life waiting for me once I got out. My family cut all ties. They can’t be associated with me. Their names can’t be tarnished. Do you think any of those assholes care that I have nothing left?! But, wait… my son has lots of money. He exists because of me. He
owes
me some of that money.

“I was going to play the doting father card. Make him think I gave a shit about him. But no, he refused to meet with me. He refused to take my calls. I engaged you, Corrin. I thought he’s such a pathetic, wounded, momma’s boy that you could talk some sense into him. I put all my faith in you, but you let me down.
You FAILED me!
”

He jumps up and gets into her face as he screams at her. “He exists because of me. I wanted you. You should have been smart and just taken me up on my advances. I was
rich and
powerful and I wanted
YOU
. You should have been grateful for that! If you wouldn’t have rejected me after leading me on, none of this ever would have happened. This is your fault!

“I’m
not
going back to prison. I don’t belong there. I’m a Wormer! Why do you think I’m here right now?!” He’s screaming and his voice is getting higher and higher. “No one can control me. Even after everything you did to me, everything you took from me…
I’m powerful!
I can’t be touched. Look at you both… I’m in control here. I’m the man. I’m a god and
you will not
fail me again, Corrin. You should have just accepted your fate. You were meant to be mine!”

Corrin is shaking and crying on the couch as he berates her with his lunacy.

Oh my God. He’s completely deranged. He really thinks it’s her fault. He’s a sociopath. Oh my God.

Corrin raises her head, straightens her back, and looks him square in the eyes. “I did not lead you on, Lucian. I
never
reciprocated your advances. I told you as plainly as I could that I was not interested in you. Yet, you were fixated on me. You convinced yourself that you could take what you wanted. You raped me! You raped me and beat me, Lucian. Yes, I got pregnant, but that sweet boy is nothing like you. He’s my son. Mine. He owes you nothing. No one owes you a damn thing. You made a choice and you
still
fail to accept responsibility. You have no remorse for your actions.

“Twenty-five years in prison for your crimes and instead of learning from them… Instead of accepting Jesus and changing your life… You decided to make a mockery of everything and commit more crimes.

A god?
You’re not a god… you’re not even a man.

“My son is not the pathetic one, Lucian.
You are!
”

Lucian’s hand whips out, “Bitch!” and he smacks Corrin in the head with the butt of the gun. She slumps to the side, unconscious with blood trickling down her temple.

Immediately, I jump up and check her pulse.

He jerks my arm… hard and pops it out of its socket. I scream out in unimaginable pain. Before I can catch my breath, he’s in my face. “Shut up. You shut up, you dumb bitch. You see what she made me do! We’re finding a phone and we’re calling, Cruz. That disgraceful abomination is going to give me what he owes me.”

My eyes are crossing from the pain in my shoulder, but I know I can’t call Cruz. If I do, he’ll come here. He’ll come here and it will not end well for him. Lucian will kill him. I see that. I see it clearly. I can’t allow that to happen.

Shaking my head, I smile at him. “Call him yourself, you pathetic fucker.”

He screams in rage and jerks me forward by my dislocated arm. My phone falls out of my pocket and slides across the floor, stopping as it hits the coffee table leg. I watch it… then, pass out…

Cruz

T
ifanie has been gone for hours. Even with her going across the river to get one of her family’s cars, she should have been able to get back here with my momma by now.

I’m pacing and checking my phone every ten seconds to see if I’ve missed a phone call or text from either of them.

Jude and Lexi are at the house now too and Erik and Alec will be here as soon as they can close up Java and Sweeties.

It’s dusk and as the sky darkens, my worry increases. I have a feeling in my gut. Something is wrong.

Jude claps me on the shoulder. “Sit down, man. You’re going to wear a hole in the floor. Pacing is not making time go any faster.”

Turning, I follow him to the couch and sit down. I jump right back up and resume my pacing. “I can’t sit down. Something is wrong. Why aren’t they back yet?”

Bradi has her phone and is frantically scrolling through something on the screen. She yells out, “Turn on the news. Something is happening.”

Jessie whips his head toward me and turns on the TV. We settle on a local station and everyone’s jaw drops as the words “Breaking News” flashes in red across the screen.

A cute blonde reporter is standing in front of my momma’s house and talking into the camera. “Wormer is believed to be in the home. He was released from prison six weeks ago for the brutal rape and assault of Corrin Edwards twenty-five years ago. That assault resulted in the conception of Bayou Stix drummer, Cruz Edwards. Yesterday, Wormer was arrested at this residence for attempted kidnapping, breaking and entering, assault, and parole violation. Cruz Edwards was injured in the altercation. Both Corrin and Cruz Edwards were granted immediate restraining orders against Wormer first thing this morning. It is under investigation as to why Wormer is out on the streets tonight.