Enzo (Jinx Tattoos 1)
The man slapped is mother’s face. “You don’t tell me what’s okay.”
Tears rolled down his face.
“He’s pretty like his mama, isn’t he?” the man said as he stalked forward.
Enzo scrambled backward.
“You ready to start helping your mother earn money?”
He shook his head, unable to speak.
“No, you don’t touch him!” his mother screamed, launching herself onto the man’s back.
“You crazy bitch!” The man spun around.
His mother continued hanging onto him while the man kept trying to dislodge her. She then sank her teeth into his shoulder. The man cried out, and flung her across the room. She slammed into the wall and slid down to the floor.
“Stupid bitch! I would’ve paid you well,” the man snapped, walking toward his mother.
Finally, the pent up terror inside of him erupted and Enzo screamed.
The man froze in mid-step and then ran for the door.
His mother crawled over to him “Shhh, its okay. He’s gone now and he will never come back here again,” she said.
Enzo sobbed, pushing against her chest. He hated the way she smelled and all the friends she had over for play dates. Hiccupping, he lay against her all tapped out.
PRESENT
At least, she’d saved him from that. Others weren’t so lucky. Children brought in the big bucks. But she’d never resorted to that.
A knock on the door told him Noah had arrived. Opening the door he let the older man in. “Hey, man, thanks for coming over,” Enzo said as he closed the door behind him.
“Any time, man. I’m glad you finally learned how to call instead of blowing up and doing something stupid,” Noah replied, shoving his hands in the pockets of his faded denim.
Enzo laughed. “Yeah, that weekend wait in jail was enough to snap me out of that. Never caught another assault case again.”
Noah nodded. “I knew it would open your eyes. That’s why I told your mom to let you sweat it out. Made the consequences more real.”
They walked into the living room.
“Holy shit, whose kid is this?” Noah questioned.
“Well, if all goes well ... mine,” Enzo said.
“You finally knocked one of those tarts up?”
Enzo laughed. “Not exactly, but that’s what I’m hoping everyone will believe.” He launched into the story.
Noah listened intently, nodding and making noises to indicate he was still following along. “And your heart is set on this?” he asked when he finished.
“Yeah, man. She’s mine as far as I’m concerned.”
“Well, it takes a hell of a man to raise a child. I have no doubt you’ll be an excellent father. But, boy, you fucked up with Aibhlinn. No woman wants a half passed proposal with no ring. Doesn’t help that she thinks this is for the kid there and not because you love her.”
“What? I told her it wasn’t.”
Noah shook his head. “All this time fucking women and you haven’t learned a damn thing about how they work. It’s never what you say. It’s what you do.”