Stockholm

Chapter 16

I park Wyatt's little sedan he let me borrow in an empty space in the parking lot at his shop. The bays are open, cars hoisted up in the air as a steady noise of power tools and metal clanking comes from within. My truck sits in the parking lot, looking cleaner than when I left it, showcasing its rust that's slowly eating away at it. It's less noticeable if I leave a layer of dirt on it and seeing how weathered and old and beaten down it looks sends regret flooding my body. So much so, that I opt to get out rather than make any false promises to it.

I don't even make it out of the car completely before Wyatt comes stomping past. A wave of anger rippling in his wake.

"Wyatt?" I call after him, glancing back at the shop.

It all seems normal until Laney comes rushing out after Wyatt in hysterics.

"Dad, please!" She cries. "It was my fault! Don't! Please!"

Wyatt's at his truck, fumbling with his keys, his hands visibly shaking and I head for him.

"What's going on Wyatt?" I demand.

He's muttering under his breath, jaw clenched as Laney and I reach him at the same time.

"Please daddy." She's sobbing, her face streaked with tears but it's less the tears and more of the angry shade her cheekbone is that gets my mind stirring.

"Go back to the shop Laney." Wyatt barks out, just as he gets his keys in the lock. "Now."

Her eyes meet mine and I want to console her but whatever is going on, I think Wyatt needs me first so I nod my head. Plus I see a few of the shop guys put down their tools and linger at the open bays, they'll take care of her.

"Please dad, he didn't mean to." She whispers before her shoes crunch across the loose gravel of the parking lot. I wait until Laney's halfway across before I say "what hell is going on?".

"Get in the truck." Wyatt tells me.

He doesn't look at me, instead he pulls his door open and climbs in and I'm left with no other option than to do what he says. I pull myself into the passenger seat as his truck roars to life but before he can put into drive I grab the gear shift.

"Wyatt." I press. "Why does Laney look like someone hit her?"

Every muscle in his body looks coiled and ready to strike. It's a sight I'm not sure I've ever seen.

"I'm gonna kill him Wyatt." His voice just a low rumble, threatening and dark and full of determination.

"I can't let you kill someone, I'm a cop."

"Don't be a cop then, be my friend." He bites at me. "That fucking punk put his hands on my baby. You either got my back or you get the hell outta my way."

I don't let up, "you're not gonna kill him Wyatt."

"To hell I'm not!" He roars, reaching for my hand that's clutched tight around the gear shift.

"You're not!" I shout back and he instantly challenges me. "Laney needs her dad here. Not in jail." He pauses long enough for me to take a breath and I forge on "I'll handle it but I swear Wyatt, you can't go near him."

His eyes level with mine, full of anger and fear. I know that combination, that feeling of helplessness and desperation when someone you love is hurting and you don't know how to fix it.

"He hit my baby, Kyle." He chokes out, the fight rushing from him in one big wave. "And she's tellin' me it's her fault."

He leans back into the seat, his hands raising to cover his face. His truck smells like a mint air freshener but even through the scent I can smell the sweat and grease and cigarettes that live so deep in the fibers it'll never come out.

I can't come up with anything to console him with, instead I reach across the truck and turn it off.

"Laney needs you." I tell him. "And we need to get her to the station to file a report."

His head slowly nods, muffled sniffles coming from him as he regains composure. "And what if she won't?"

I'm glad I'm not in Wyatt's shoes. "Don't give her a choice."

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Merry Christmas everyone! Hope everyone's having a great day. My house is a disaster who wants to come clean for me? 😂