Midnight Daffodil (Poisonous Petals #1)

Chapter 40Luke

forty

LUKE

A idan and I stood in the living room of Vera and Olivia’s apartment in our work uniforms as she nibbled on the macaroni and cheese topped with barbeque pulled pork on the couch. The smell of the savory sauce filled the air as the cats gathered around her to beg.

I didn’t need to see the note to know who it was from. Matt walked a fine line–a dangerous one. He lost control of her, and men like him hated when the power shifted. Olivia had been free of him for almost four months now, and he wasn’t happy. Words weren’t crimes but could easily be promoted when actions are put behind them.

“It was on the flower when I got here. I didn’t see him in the hall or lobby,” she told us slowly while eating. “Thank you for bringing this to me.”

I should’ve been paying attention. I should’ve been aware of my surroundings instead of stuffing my cock into Olivia. Fuck, I couldn’t let anything happen to her.

“We could take it to Lampton; with the other note and the voicemail, you have grounds for a restraining order,” Aidan said.

She had plenty for one. But it almost felt like Matt wanted us to know it was him.

Why was he being so obvious? Just what was his endgame? The thought echoed in my head, the answer elusive.

Wouldn’t the smart thing be discretion? He seemed to be intentionally leaving breadcrumbs for us. Little clues we hadn’t been able to piece together.

Something else was going on here.

We were blind to something only Matt could see. A bead of sweat trickled down my spine.

“Yeah, it’s probably time I do that.” Olivia’s voice pulled me from my reverie, her frown deepened.

“I want to do whatever you want, angel, but I think it’s worth it for you to make an official statement,” I told her, sitting beside her on the couch.

Her lip quivered, her wide eyes heavy with trepidation. I knew the subject was a sore one. I hated bringing it up, but I didn’t care anymore.

“You don’t have to talk about anything else. Just the unwanted gifts and the notes.” I needed to convince her. Something bigger was at play. I refused to let Olivia be collateral.

She blankly stared at the TV, avoiding my eyes intentionally.

“I don’t feel good about you being here alone,” I told her as she finished off her pulled pork.

“I’ll be fine. Matt never touched me when we were out in public.”

“Yeah, but that’s because you shared a home; things are different now.”

Aidan grunted in agreement. He could feel the magnitude of this situation. It always starts out like this. I ran a hand through my hair, needing to keep them busy. Insidiously, things were leading up to the grand finale. And that’s when shit was really going to spiral.

“How about this,” I softened my tone, taking her hand in mine. “We take this to Lampton tonight, and you take the rest of the evening to think about the restraining order.” I wasn’t willing to negotiate. She was going to do it regardless, and I’d make damn sure of it.

She nodded. I kissed her forehead and stood up.

“It was good seeing you, Olivia,” Aidan said.

“Don’t open the door for anyone. And lock it,” I told her, squeezing her body to mine.

We headed out, and I stood outside the door until I heard all the locks latch. That nagging feeling crept its way up my spine. I didn't like it. That eerie sense pounded in my veins, like a sinister premonition, right before shit went left.

“So, uh,” Aidan said as we made our way out, “Do you only door dash food to hot girls you’re fucking, or can I get in on that too? Cuz, ya boy be hungry sometimes.”

“Aidan,” I growled.

“What’s up, bossman?” He laughed like he told the joke of a lifetime.

“Shut the fuck up.”

T he night was fucking shit.

Corner store robberies at gunpoint, a carjacking, and an insane altercation turned into a shootout at a gas station. That one fucked everything for the entire night. I tackled a man to the ground for attacking his ex-wife, nearly beating her to death at the fucking pump. Aidan and I were diffusing the situation when his brothers decided to show up guns blazing.

What the hell did these people think this was? John Wick?

We were in Seattle at a gas station, pump three to be exact, for fuck’s sake.

After shoving Aidan to the ground and narrowly missing a bullet to the fucking head, they started rapid firing into the car with the ex-wife in it. It took hours to take control of the situation.

After loading them into an ambulance for minor injuries and sending the wife beater with another team to intake, I was ready for the damn night to be over.

“Thanks for saving my ass back there, bossman,” Aidan said quietly. He drove the cruiser in silence.

We didn't have Rev that night; he was at the vet getting fluids. He got into the trash, ate everything he could get his chubby paws on, and made himself sick.

“That’s what I’m here for,” I muttered. We both ate shit going down, a bullet grazed Aidan’s arm, but it was better than it turning the streets into Jackson Pollock with his brains. My body screamed with every movement from connecting with the concrete. We were both tired as fuck.

“You ready to get this shit with Lampton over with?” he asked, pulling into the parking lot.

“Yeah. I’m ready to go the fuck home,” I said. We exited the cruiser, entered the building, and then to Lampton’s office.

“Ryder, Damsel,” he greeted us from behind his desk. His glasses sat low on his nose as he looked over paperwork, his thick hand wrapped around a steaming mug of coffee. “What can I do for you this morning?”

My eyes fucking burned.

“Got some more stuff to add to Matt’s file. He left another note for Olivia at her door while we were on vacation,” I told him as Aidan handed it over to him.

He set his paperwork down and frowned. “I don’t like this.”

“I don’t either.”

“Have you talked to her about filing an official report? A good step for her to have in her corner would be a restraining order,” he said, shaking his head as he placed the note with the other one right next to the printed recording of their phone call. The stack of stalking allegations against Matt kept getting thicker. I couldn’t help but wonder what his endgame was.

“We’re trying to convince her,” Aidan said. “I think fear plays a big role.”

Lampton just nodded.

“I’ll convince her and bring her in tonight. Can you stay late? I feel like shit after the night we had,” I said. I had to get Rev in just a few hours, so I knew sleep would be elusive.

“I can do that.”

Aidan and I let ourselves out and headed towards our cars.

“I don’t like this game Matt is playing,” Aidan said. “I’m getting a weird feeling.”

“Me too.”

We said our goodbyes and got in our vehicles, ready to take off for the morning. Aidan’s arm would be stiff as a motherfucker tomorrow, and my head was already starting to pound. I pulled out onto the streets and made my way home like usual.

Again, that fucking feeling hit me, creeping like a drug up my spine.

My eyes flicked to my rearview mirror, and our stares locked.

Matt fucking Duquesne tailed me in his Mercedes. He gained on me; I turned down a one way that went the opposite direction of my house, even though part of me would’ve loved for him to try some shit on my property. He kept calling me a hick; I could show him how we really got down in the South.

His tires squealed as he followed me down the one way, gaining speed. I slammed on the brakes. I could see his pissed off smirk on the mirror as he skidded past my truck, stopping at an angle, blocking my way, barely avoiding rear ending me.

My body cam was on; it had to be when I was in uniform. I made a mental reminder to turn this shit in as the driver’s door to the white Mercedes opened. Matt sauntered out, all five foot nine of him, wearing a gray suit with black loafers. He tapped the hood of my truck.

“Too scared to come out and talk to me like a man?” His voice slimed its way through my eardrums.

Don’t beat his ass again, don’t give them another news feature. Keep control for her, do it for her, I internally chanted. Reminding myself that this body cam was there to incriminate either one of us.

I stepped out of the truck, my fist gripped the door handle so hard I was shocked it didn’t snap under the pressure.

“I have a request for you.” The tooth implants shined impossibly bright as he spoke.

My gaze didn’t waver.

“I want you to stop seeing Livie.”

Stupid.

I shook my head, turning to get back in my truck. My hand still gripped the door handle when I heard his footsteps near and felt his hand connect with my shoulder, attempting to whip me around to face him.

“Get the fuck off me,” I growled.

“You need to listen to me and cease your relationship with Livie. It won’t be long before she realizes what she left behind.” His grip on my shoulder tightened.

“Get. The fuck. Off me.”

I looked down at him, speaking through clenched teeth; he tried his best to hide a quiver that went through his body. His hand slowly went back to his side.

“You don’t want a woman like her anyway, Luke,” he shrugged. “She can’t cook; she’s a shit driver when she does have her license; she barely cleans or does anything a good woman is supposed to do.”

He didn't stop there.

“Wouldn’t you rather have a respectable woman, a southern one who understands your”—he cleared his throat—“circumstances? You know, your trailer park past.”

I slammed the truck door.

“No. I want her. ” The words came out like venom.

“She’d be useless to you. Only I can care for her how she needs,” Matt’s voice raised in octave and volume. “Livie was mine first. You need to keep your fucking dick out of what doesn’t belong to you.”

I took a step closer, struggling to control every fighting urge. He swallowed hard in his throat. “I’ll continue to put my dick where it belongs every single fucking night"—the words rumbled out of my chest—"her worth isn’t tied to what she can do for me. I love her.”

It would’ve felt better to tell Olivia first, but this would have to suffice. Matt’s expression turned to one full of malice. I did love Olivia more than I ever loved anything.

“And she wears my love a whole lot different than how she wore yours,” I ground the words out. What Matt felt for her was never love.

His hands balled into fists at his sides.

“She’s mine, you fucking hillbilly piece of shit.” He swung his arm back, preparing to punch me. I grabbed his fist mid-throw and twisted his arm around. He automatically turned with it, wanting to avoid a dislocated shoulder. I slammed him face first into the radiator grille of my truck. He struggled in my grip, his breath coming out in sharp huffs.

“You’re pathetic,” I snarled, “when I let you go, I want you to get the fuck out of my way. If you go anywhere near Olivia, I’ll find you. And when I do, you’ll wish I never had.”

“You’ll never have her.” He spat on my shoe.

“Test me, Matt. After I’m done with you, even your own mother won’t recognize you.”

I whirled his weightless body around and shoved him towards his car.

“You’ll regret this. Everything.”

Matt stomped off to his Mercedes; before the door fully closed, he skidded back onto the street. I shook with rage. I waited thirty minutes to ensure he wasn’t following before going home.

By the time I showered and settled, I had two hours before I needed to get Rev.

The pillows and sheets smelled like Olivia, and an overwhelming need for her rushed through me. I rolled over on my back and sent her a quick text. She responded immediately with emojis and pet names, telling me she hoped I’d had a good night at work.

I didn’t. But that wasn't the problem.

Matt was.

She would get that restraining order.