“There’s someone here to see you. I tried to tell him there was no one here by that name, but he knows you’re here. He won’t say who he is. He only says that he has to talk to you. I’m one second away from calling the police, but he says calling the police could get you into trouble. What the hell is going on, man? Are you involved in something fishy?”
I held up a hand. “Slow down. Slow down. I don’t understand anything you’re saying. What man?”
“He won’t say his name.”
“I’m not involved in anything, Jackson. Let me put some clothes on and see what’s going on.”
“Yes, please. I don’t like the looks of this guy, and I know we shouldn’t judge on appearance, but I have a bad feeling about him.”
“Just give me a minute, okay?”
“Fine. Thank god Tamryn is gone shopping, or she would have freaked out. I gotta say, man, maybe it’s a good thing you’ve found another place. We don’t want any trouble.”
My mouth had gone dry. Why would anyone want to talk to me? It wasn’t the police. If not them, then who?
I quickly pulled on a pair of sweatpants, and a T-shirt went over my head as I left the room. Barefooted, I headed down the stairs and followed the rumbling of voices to the living room. Jackson stood a few feet away from a man who had his back to me. He had blond hair that was thinning at the top of his head.
“Here he is now,” Jackson said.
The man slowly turned. I had never seen him in my life. His face was horribly disfigured with permanent, angry scars like he’d been in a knife fight.
His eyes assessed me from head to toe, and his lips curled in a smile that made my skin crawl. Jackson was right. Whoever this man was, he oozed nastiness.
“You’re Shaw?” he asked me in a raspy voice.
“Who wants to know?”
“Of course you are. He’s talked a great deal about you. I have to say I expected something better. At least someone in better shape.”
“I can say the same.” I turned to Jackson, who took everything in. I needed him to be far away before this man said anything I couldn’t afford him to hear. “Will you give us a moment, please?”
“Sure, but you need to wrap this up quickly, Shaw.” His expression was hard and his posture stiff as he walked out.
“You seem like a smart man,” the stranger said, “who’s about to get involved in a very stupid thing.”
“Why don’t you say what you need to and go. Starting with who you are.”
“My bad.” He smiled and held out his gloved hand. “My name is Ken, and I’m Ari’s father.”
I shook my head, not taking his proffered hand. “You’re lying. Ari’s father is dead.”
“He thought he killed me.” The smile was replaced by a menacing glare. “He didn’t manage to complete the act, which is possibly the worst mistake he’s ever made. I’m here to teach the little shit a lesson, and you’ll do well to stay out of my way. If you think he’s bad, you have no idea what you’re in for should you come between us.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“Just extending courtesy for you to know Ari’s only Daddy is back. You don’t want to get hurt, so step out of my way."