Rescuing Atticus

Who is Nathan?

Song: Our Demons- The Glitch Mob

Dedicated to @jdoggy AKA: Jayson- Hope you enjoy the chapter. Thank you so much for taking the time out to vote and make comments.

Several weeks go by and we have only had a few jobs here and there but we still make enough money to keep us going. I just finished my morning workout when there is a knock at the front door. Phillip goes to answer it and a guy is standing there requesting to see Zane. Phillip leads him into the house. "You can wait here in the foyer; I will let him know that you are here."

The guy steps in as Phillip turns to go get Zane, the guy walks all the way into house. He is wearing a dark suit and the white shirt underneath is partially unbutton. He looks really nervous and I watch as his hands tighten up and then release then tightens again over and over. He looks to be in his mid-forties with a slight hint of gray in his dark brown hair. I also notice a faint bruise on the one temple. I wonder how he got that nice little shiner.

Minutes later Phillip walks back in to talk with the guy. "Zane said that he will see you, follow me."

The guy walks behind him and that is when he notices me. He looks my way for a split second and then looks back down at the floor. I feel like I saw him once before but I never asked who he was. When he goes into the room, Phillip comes back out and shuts the door behind him. I'm not sure what is going on in there but at one point I hear the guy pleading for Zane to help him. After about fifteen minutes the door opens up and the guy looks more nervous than before. Then he quickly dashes out to the house.

"Atticus...I need you to follow him." I look up to see Zane looking at me from his office. "Tell me where he is going; what he is doing with my money."

"Who the hell was that?"

"That was Nathan. He keeps finding himself in situations that he can't handle. He comes to me time to time begging for my help and I'm just tired of his shit. You need to be going if you are following him out of here."

"Yes sir." I run out to the garage and get in the truck and take off down the road.

He is in a BMW several car lengths ahead of me. I follow him for a good forty-five minutes before he pulls into the track. I find a place to park and then follow behind him. The place is super crowded. I watch as people get in line and make their bids, including him. Once he places his bid he goes to the stands to watch. I find a seat and not only watch him but the horses on the track. This is my first time ever being at the track. It was actually interesting to watch.

The winning horse crosses the finish line and Nathan curses. His whole body tightens up and he is fisting one hand into the other with the crumbled up piece of paper in hand. Apparently he lost. He doesn't wait long before he is rushing out of the stands and out to his car. I jump up and quickly follow behind him. I follow him to a nearby bar. The place is one of the back roads and the sign lights up with green bold letters, 'JAYSON'S BAR'.

I walk in and take a seat at the end of the bar and order one beer so no one find in suspicious that I am here watching him. There is very little smoke in the air and the music is playing at a good pitch. It wasn't the music of my choice but the country twain added to the atmosphere. He orders one after another and hands Jayson the owner enough money to pay for the drinks.

Jayson is a bigger guy, more built than anything. He has on a short sleeve black shirt that shows off his guns underneath. I can tell that he must work out on a daily basis. All the locals know him well and several come here daily not only to drink his beer and mix drinks but to also eat his famous...Jayson Burger. I can't seem to get my eyes off the massive burger that the guy at the other end of the bar is eating. I try to focus on my target...Nathan.

In the meantimeI call Zane. "So I traced him to the track. I believe he put all the money on a horse."

Zane barks on the other end of the phone so loud that I am surprised the whole damn bar doesn't here him. "He fucking betted all my money on a fucking horse and what the fuck was the outcome?"

"Well...let's just say he didn't win and at the moment he is getting plastered at Jayson's Bar."

He yells louder and I have to pull the phone away from my ear so that he doesn't bust out my damn eardrum. "That motherfucker blew the money I just gave him are you fucking kidding me?"

"I'm sure he placed at least half of it on the horse if not all of it. He had a few twenties in his hand but just handed that to Jayson the bartender. What do you want me to do?" I continue to talk to him in a calm voice.

I can hear him gritting his teeth and he exhales in frustration. "Nothing...just come on back; I will deal with him later."

Jayson walks over to me. "You need another beer man?"

"Nah...I'm good; thank you though." I had him ten. "You can keep the change. You have a nice day now."

As I am walking out Nathan turns to me. "He has you following me doesn't he?"

I look at him like I have no clue what he is talking about. "What? Who? Man you are wasted. I don't know what you are talking about."

"Don't play dumb with me...Zane...you work for him don't you. I saw you at his place earlier. You tell him that I'm good...I got it covered."

"I don't know what you are talking about." I start to walk off.

He jumps up and stands in my way. He is so close to me that I can smell the cheep ass beer on his breath. I wait for him to lay a finger on me because once he does he is going to wish that he didn't. "You are just another one of his little guard dogs...you jump when he says jump. He fucking owns your ass and you have no idea what he is capable of. You better watch your back around him."

"Again...you don't know what you are talking about." I hold my hand up between the two of us and turn to leave in that moment. And I know what I got myself into he doesn't need to warn me.

When I get back, Zane is on the phone with someone. He sees me standing in the doorway and motions for me to walk in. I walk into the office and take a seat. I wait for him to get off the phone.  He isn't happy with whoever he is talking with but I have a feeling it's not Nathan because he keeps bring up his name.When he does he throws the phone down on the desk in front of him. He looks frustrated and pissed off. I don't say anything to him.

"This isn't the first time he has done this. I knew he was blowing the damn money. I hoped that he was paying off his debts and getting better but he is fucking greedy. He thinks he can make more money at the fucking track and he is just a fucking idiot."

"So this Nathan guy...who is he to you?"I just had to ask. I had to know if maybe he worked with him before me or was he related to him maybe even an old friend. Why did he feel the need to help him out?

"Nathan is the dickhead that married my Addison. He can't support them with his habits that he has. It started about two years ago he got mixed up with some bad people at the track. He owed more money than he has. He was so far in debt that he was going to lose the house and everything. He came to me once before begging for my help."The whole time he is talking he is pacing back and forth behind his desk.

"I'm surprised that you even offered to help him."

I guess that struck a small nerve. He looks over and me and when he walks back over he sits down and looks off towards the side. "It's not just him; I don't give a fuck what happens to him however...I couldn't see Addison out on the streets and I for sure can't see Scarlett out there. She deserves so much better than that. So I gave him money. I know what you are thinking it shouldn't be my problem but they are. I care too much for them. Hell he already owes me over three hundred thousand and I just gave him another two hundred thousand...and that motherfucker goes off and blows it all on a fucking horse."

"So what do you want to do now?"I ask.

"Oh believe me I will take care of it."