Page 112 of The Bitter Words

I raise my gaze to my ma’s. “Eventually Guns will. Livianna… I don’t know. She seems to be moving on.”

“Why do you say that?”

A hole where my heart should be forms in my chest. “I found a condom box and some of them were gone. She’s been with someone else.”

“There could be another explanation.”

“Such as…?”

“Maybe she was carrying them for a friend.”

“Who knows?”

There’s a knock on the door. My ma gets up and answers it, and a woman stands on the other side.

“Hello. Can I help you?” Ma asks.

“Is Callum Mayze home?” The woman tries to peek inside.

What’s this about?

I stand and go to the door. “I’m Callum Mayze. What can I do for you?”

She holds out an envelope. “This is for you.”

I take it with my brow furrowed. “What is it?”

“You’ve been served.” She turns and leaves the property.

“Fucking hell. Now what?” I rip the envelope and pull out the papers.

My ma tries to read them. “What does it say, Bubba?”

I review the legal document and my chest caves in. “This can’t be right. There’s no way she would do this.”

“What?”

“Livianna.” My pulse zooms. “I’ve gotta go figure this out.”

I tuck the papers in the back pocket of my jeans and race to Livianna’s house. It’s not the smartest thing to do, but I’m not gonna let her go. She’s part of me and I won’t walk away.

I park my car and jog to the front door. Expecting it to be unlocked like it always is, I try to open it. It doesn’t budge.

I ring the doorbell and pound on the wood with the palm of my hand. “Livianna, we need to straighten this out. Let me in and let’s talk this out like we always do.”

A minute passes with nothing happening, so I start the process over. The door swings open.

Bren’s apathetic expression comes into view. “What do you want, Cash? For us to call the cops?”

“What the fuck, Guns?” I reach into my back pocket and show Bren the papers. I smack the folded document with the back of my hand. “Do you know what these are?”

“I do.” He blocks the opening to their house so I can’t enter. “That’s why I’m surprised you’re standing on our porch.”

“You can’t agree with this.”

“Why? You’ve hit her in the face twice now and can’t seem to get it through your head. You being around her causes her pain.”

“Guns, she filed a temporary restraining order on me.” My chest tightens. “You know I didn’t mean to touch her.”