Excuse The Obscene

Zacky’s P.O.V.

“Kill the headlights.”

Jimmy nodded once at me before turning off the headlights and plunging the street back into total darkness. A quick glance at the clock showed that it was just after 11 as we drove down the street Slade’s house was on. It was a quaint little neighborhood that seemed completely at odds with Slade’s personality but I suppose that’s the kind of thing you’d look for in a hideout spot.

Jimmy pulled the car to a stop in front of a two story house with green shutters and a beige door. Quaint. I smirked a little before nodding for the guys to get out. Brian and Matt slipped around the side of the house while Jimmy, Johnny and I headed for the front door. Jimmy had only just thrown the front door open when a figure leapt out the first floor window and started sprinting down the street. Johnny moved to chase after him but I pulled him back, shaking my head.

Twisting the silencer on my pistol, I lined my gun up with Slade’s retreating figure. There was a small popping sound seconds before Slade, who had made it up far up the street, clutched his knee and fell to the floor.

“Go get him.” I gestured down the street and Jimmy and Johnny took off.

I let myself into his humble little home with Matt and Brian following behind me. I hadn’t strayed far when a white board in the living room caught my eye. Pictures of me, the guys, Toni, the Berry twins and other lackeys of mine dotted the board with strings connecting each picture to the next. Clearly Slade had a bit of an obsession.

“Take those down and burn them.” I said to Matt before turning to Brian. “Search the rest of the house.”

A few moments later, Jimmy and Johnny returned, dragging a bleeding Slade between them. It didn’t take them long to have him chained to one of his dining room chairs. I looked down at him, older and scruffier than when I’d last seen him, and smiled viciously.

“You’ve been a real pain in my ass lately. So tell me, why’d you come back?” I pulled up a chair and sat across from him as if we were two old friends catching up over lunch.

“To kill you.” He said, shooting me a smug look.

I glanced once at Matt who picked up his bat and swung it full force into Slade’s face. The sound of his jaw breaking filled the room and blood spewed from his mouth.

“And how’s that working out for you?” I asked, with a chuckle.

Slade spat blood onto the floor and didn’t respond. I stood from my chair and took Matt’s bat from him, moving closer to Slade. Placing the bat between his legs and directly on his crotch, I leaned down hard and whispered into his ear.

“I’m going to make what you did to Jason Berry seem like a fucking walk in the park.” I pressed the bat harder into his groin and was pleased to hear a strangled groan leave his mouth. “When I’m done with you, you’re going to beg me to put a bullet between your eyes.”

I stood back up, whipping my pistol out my back pocket and firing two shots into his groin. Slade threw his head back and yelled in agony.

“That’s for being a dick.”

I pointed my gun at his unwounded leg and fired two shots into his kneecap.

“And that’s for the Berrys.”

I took a step back and tossed Matt his bat.

“Go to town guys.” I said and they all surrounded him.

I watched for a while as the guys did their worst and screams of pain filled the room.

“Alright, stand him up.” I said after a few minutes.

Matt and Jimmy undid the chains before bringing Slade to his feet. He immediately crumpled the moment they let go. I rolled my eyes and motioned for them to hold him up on his feet. Once they had him standing I retrieved two sharpened knives from the duffle Brian had brought inside.

“You know, it was pretty ballsy of you to put a hit out on my girlfriend.” I spoke slowly, twirling a knife in one hand and seeing red again at the memory of the hitman that had attacked Toni and I on our retreat.

I stopped right in front of Slade before plunging the knife into his stomach.

“Did you really think you could go up against me and win?” I asked, conversationally as I took hold of the knife and twisted it slowly, feeling it carve a hole into him.

He threw his head back and let out another bloodcurdling scream before falling forward as I pulled the knife out.

“When I ask you a question, answer it.” I spoke, running the bloody knife along his cheek.

For a few moments he just stood there, held up by Matt and Jimmy and panting like a dog that had just run a mile.

“Where is that girlfriend of yours? Alone and unguarded?” Slade attempted to smile but his mangled jaw just drooped.

“Put him against the wall.” I said to Matt and Jimmy who pushed Slade back against the wall and held his arms out crucifix style. I took the two knives in my hand and jammed them right through his hands, pinning him to the wall and ignoring his shrieks. His screams were cut short as his eyes closed and he passed out, presumably from the pain and blood loss.

I walked over to Brian who had been leaning against the couch.

“What the fuck was that ‘alone and unguarded’ bullshit he was spouting?” Brian asked, looking over my shoulder at Slade’s unconscious body.

“I don’t know.” I muttered, pulling my phone out of my pocket and dialing Toni’s number.

“Hello.” Toni answered after the first ring.

I let out an inner sigh of relief at the sound of her voice. Slade was delusional and grasping onto last ditch efforts to rattle me – Toni was fine.

“Hey.” I responded, signaling to Brian that she was fine.

“Zacky, what happened?”

“We got the little fucker.” As I spoke, Slade started to come to, groaning in the background. “I gotta go babe. Don’t wait up, I’ll see you in the morning.”

I hung up the phone and turned back to face Slade who was mumbling beneath his breath.

“What the fuck is he saying?” I directed my question at Jimmy who was standing right beside him.

Jimmy just shrugged and looked from me back to Slade. I rolled my eyes, having had more than enough of this game. I whipped my pistol out of my pocket for the third time tonight and sent a bullet right through his head.

“Clean that up and let’s get out of here.”

I watched as the guys dealt with Slade’s body. I’d spent half my life clawing my way to the top, earning the respect and fear that I deserved and killing for it. Slade was the first man in years to try to challenge me and this is where he ended up. I smirked as they rolled his limp body into a bag before turning on my heel and heading back out to the car, ready to put the Slade mess behind us.

Toni’s P.O.V.

I woke up the next morning to a pair of strong tattooed arms circling my waist. I vaguely remembered Zacky slipping into bed at around 4 am. Twisting in his arms, I wrapped my arms around his neck and moved in closer. Half awake, he placed a sleepy kiss on my lips.

“Is it done?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

“Mhmm.” Zacky mumbled, rolling onto his back and pulling me on top of him.

I let out a small sigh. If I didn’t have other pressing things on my mind I might have contemplated throwing a goddamn party to celebrate. Ever since Slade had reappeared a few weeks ago our lives had been completely hectic. By all rights, I should have been excited to have everything finally go back to normal. But I didn’t want normal. I wanted something else. Someone else.

I placed another kiss on Zacky’s lips before wiggling out of his embrace and climbing out of the bed. Lord knows he’d need the extra sleep after the added stress of the Slade debacle. Besides, Zacky’s cutting me out of the trip to Phoenix hadn’t been completely useless. I used the time to get some research done. I’d found the family service agency that was handling Emilee’s case and scheduled an appointment with her court appointed social worker.

Another glance at Zacky left me feeling a little uneasy about my plans for the day. Adopting a kid would be a big deal for us and Zacky’s reaction yesterday didn’t exactly make it seem as if he were open to the idea but I couldn’t sleep with the thought of Emilee living with that useless bitch in that rundown house. Besides, what would taking one little meeting hurt? I’d have time to talk Zacky around to the idea later. After he’d had some time to unwind from the Slade situation.

I slipped out of the house unnoticed and took a moment to enjoy being free of my four goons. The moment didn’t last long as I revved up my car and sped out of the driveway. An hour later, I found myself sitting in an uncomfortable wooden chair across from a middle-aged brunette woman with incredibly stern features.

I sat silently for a few moments as she flipped through paperwork and tapped away on her computer.

“So,” she said finally looking up at me, “Ms. Foster. You mentioned over the phone that you were an old friend of Matt Berry’s and you’re looking to gain custody of Emilee Berry.”

I nodded once and waited for her to continue.

“And how did you know Mr. Berry?”

I paused for a second before fabricating another lie.

“His twin and I used to be co-workers. Our families were very close.”

“I’m sorry for your loss.” She said, her features softening just a little. “Well adoption is no easy feat. It is a long process and there will be roadblocks thrown up at every turn. “

“How long?” I interrupted her, thinking of Emilee having to put up with Dina for longer than she already has.

“It could range anywhere from months to years.”

“Years?!” I asked, outraged. “Emilee got tossed into that foster home in a matter of hours but getting her out could take years?”

“Yes well adoption is a more drawn out legal matter than foster care. We screen foster care providers far in advance and kids simply cycle in and out of these homes. Adoption is permanent and depending on the case can require a lot more diligence but we’re getting ahead of ourselves.” She pulled out yet another file and a pen before glancing up at me. “How about we start with some preliminary information. What do you do for employment, Ms. Foster?”

I sucked in a low breath and mentally slapped myself for not being prepared for these types of questions.

“I’m…in between jobs right now.” I replied slowly.

“And when did you last hold a job?” She asked without looking up, scribbling away on her pad.

“A few years ago. Bartending.” Even as I said it, I knew how ridiculous my situation would seem to her.

She looked up and frowned at me.

“So you have no income. Where do you live?”

“With my boyfriend.”

The social worker, Emma DeWitt according to the plaque on the desk, put down her pen and pad and just stared at me.

“Ms. Foster. I’m going to be honest with you. You’re unemployed and living with your boyfriend. Not exactly the kind of candidate that can be given custody of a child.”

“Wait a second.” I replied, mentally reeling at the fact that Dina the stripping waitress could be given custody of seven foster kids but I couldn’t gain custody of just Emilee. “You don’t understand. My boyfriend is wealthy through…inheritance.” I explained, telling another little white lie. “And I occasionally freelance in a variety of things. Income and a home is not a problem for me.”

“Even so,” DeWitt shook her head, “with no stable income of your own and no home of your own – it isn’t likely you’ll pass all the requirements the adoption agency would demand.”

I felt an inkling of rage starting to build and gritted my teeth to keep from lashing out at the woman that was just doing her job.

“So what you’re telling me is that Emilee is going to have to grow up being tossed from one seedy foster home to the next because I don’t fit some generic profile of what makes a good candidate for adoption?”

“I’m sorry.” Dewitt said, finally dropping the stern look and seemingly sympathetic. “Trust me, in my line of work I’ve seen just how awful the foster care system can be at times. I’d love nothing more than to place Emilee in your care where she could grow up knowing real love instead of temporary affection and sometimes hostility but this is how the system works and I can’t change it.”

I was contemplating the mechanics of kidnapping when she turned to her computer and spoke again.

“But there might be one other way.”

I rose one eyebrow and waited for her to continue.

“It says here that following Matt Berry’s death a few weeks ago, Emilee Berry was supposed to be placed in the care of a Natasha Wilkins – her mother – but Ms. Wilkins chose to forfeit custody.”

Johnny had already told me all of this when I first asked him to hack into police files and I almost told her I knew all of this but remembered that my knowing it hadn’t exactly been done on legal grounds.

“And…” I asked, waiting for her to make her point.

“And government paperwork, especially in this department, takes months to process. So technically speaking, Natasha Wilkins still has rightful custody of Emilee. And she’s free to sign over custody to anyone she likes.”

I took a quick moment to process what she was saying.

“So, if I find Emilee’s birth mother she can legally sign over custody of Emilee to me?”

“Yes, she can essentially appoint you Emilee’s new guardian.” Dewitt nodded. “The paperwork could take months to process but you’d be able to take Emilee home with you right away.”

“Here.” She said, rummaging around and pulling out all sorts of files before handing me a folder. “She signs these with a lawyer present and Emilee is all yours.”

I grabbed the folder and stood up, already working through in my head how I’d get this done.

“And wait one more thing.” Dewitt tapped away on her computer, scribbled something down on a piece of paper and passed it to me.

A quick glance at the slip showed Natasha Wilkins’ New Jersey address.

“You didn’t get any of this or hear any of this from me.” Dewitt said, stern look back in place.
I nodded once, already moving towards the door. I paused with my hand on the door handle, looking over my shoulder at the social worker.

“Why’d you do all of this if you know it could get you in trouble?”

“Because you care.” She said with a shrug. “And that’s all I want for anyone of the children’s cases I handle.”

I smiled and left the agency, hopping back into my car. This was the perfect solution. No drawn out process, no repeated visits from social workers and paperwork piled on paperwork. One signature and I’d be Emilee’s mother. Mother. Mom. Me. I inhaled deeply and tried to wrap my head around it all.

I was halfway home when I belated remembered once last obstacle. Zacky. I’d been counting on a tedious adoption process to give me time to work him into the idea. But now that I knew I could gain custody of Emilee in just a matter of days I wanted to get the ball rolling. And no matter how much I wanted Emilee, I couldn’t do it without Zacky by my side.
I turned the car around and sped back in the direction I’d came. I had to make one more stop.

Zacky’s P.O.V.

I had just gotten out of the shower, whistling to myself as I finished getting dressed when the door to my bedroom opened. I could tell from the soft sound of the footsteps that it was Toni, back from wherever she had snuck off to this morning.

“Hey, baby.” I said, turning around to face her with a smile on my face, feeling better than I had in weeks since the Slade ordeal started.

“Hey yourself.” She said with a grin on her face. “There’s someone I want you to meet.”

She turned towards the door and in walked a little girl with long brown hair and wide brown eyes, clutching a backpack in one arm and a stuffed elephant in the other.