Abby

CHAPTER FORTY

They stood outside the gym. This was his hangout. The only thing he did like clockwork. Apparently, he always had a police tail. Jason had received an anonymous call letting him know where to find Mikey. His name was Mikey. Jason and Brian made small talk while they waited. And then he came out. He was finishing up a conversation, yelling back in the door.

"Of course, it'll be a party, I am the party!" His grinned, gesturing to himself. He turned to walk towards his car.

"Hey, Mikey." Jason said casually. Mikey stopped and looked at him.

"Hey." He said with a smile, trying to place his face. It was familiar, but Mikey didn't think they knew each other. Well, he knew Mikey at least. The smile and friendly tone made Jason want to kill him ten times more. "Any plans tonight? A party? Like the one I just heard you talking about?" This man looked friendly enough, harmless enough, but Mikey wasn't buying this nice guy routine.

"I've always got a party going on." He said, being cautious, but playing along.

"Parties with pretty girls that you prey on?" Mikey didn't reply, he was searching Jason's face for another glimpse of recognition. For a memory to jog. "Girls with talent and a bright future if they could just get the fuck away from you?" Mikey's face fell.

"You're Abby's dad."

"Damn fucking right." Jason said, not bothering with the fakeness anymore.

"The resemblance..." Mikey said, gesturing to his face. Jason could see the panic in his eyes. He was debating whether or not he should run. Her dad must know what happened, or else he wouldn't be there.

"Anything else you want to say?" Jason asked.

"It's just the way this world is. It was nothing personal." He said with a shrug, and Jason couldn't believe, a straight face.

"Nothing personal?!" Jason asked, astounded.

"Abby's a sweet girl. You did a good thing with her. We all love partying with her. She just overstepped her boundaries." Jason's eyes burned with fury. Brian was rather proud of his friend for holding it together this long.

"I don't care where she steps. You never ever put your hands on her." Jason had walked forward as he spoke. Mikey stood his ground. This dad was ultimately harmless. If the cops couldn't bring him down, Abby Demarco's dad wasn't gonna do it.

"Maybe you should take this up with her boyfriend." Mikey said. Jason grabbed him by the shirt and threw him against the nearest car.

"Jace is a piece of shit- we both know that. But he didn't beat her up. He didn't-." Jason couldn't even say the word. "He didn't rape her." Mikey saw the wrath of God in Jason's eyes. He was beginning to worry. They were in public, but the police would hesitate to help him. And his gun was in his gym bag.

"If it makes you feel better to hit me, do it." Jason knew the pain he could only imagine his daughter had endured and would continue to live with wouldn't go away even if he killed him. A few people had lingered or all out stopped on the sidewalk, watching to see how this might escalate. Brian kept an eye on things while Jason tried to keep himself in line. He'd had a plan when they'd arrived, but now... he just wanted to go home and hug his daughter. Listen to her play the bass. Let her know that real men didn't treat her like she'd been treated, and that if someone loved her, they'd protect her, not lead her to harm's way. He stepped back and shoved Mikey against the car as he let go.

"I have no problem setting you up to take a pretty big fucking fall with the police if I hear another breath about you or from you." Mikey debated whether it was better to let it go or give a little push back. A car door opened and shut. It caught Jason's eyes, and Mikey looked too. The police. Mikey casually walked away, the officer stopped and watched. Jason didn't want to let him go. But he didn't have the energy to continue this, and he didn't want the police involved. Abby had been clear to her mother that she wanted to pretend it had never happened, and Jennie had made him promise that he'd honor that. And so, he let the piece of shit drug dealer walk away. And he pondered what he'd done wrong that this was even a moment in his life.