Free Ch. 01

So, he reluctantly took a step back. He didn't back down, though. Still staring him in the eyes, he slowly repeated his question. "Did...you...fuck...the mother of my child?"

To his credit, Manny let out a sigh, like he regretted the situation. Instead of answering the question, though, he said, "Look bruh, that's a question for her."

Ironically, that non-answer was an answer in itself. Still, Rick needed to hear the words. Pressing on, he said, "But I'm asking you, bruh. Man to man. You owe me that."

After another sigh, Manny finally relented. "Look man, if it wasn't me it would have been somebody. Remember, you were supposed to be gone 6 years. Traci wasn't going to last that long. You had to know that. The fact that she made it as long as she did is a testament."

"So, that's your reasoning for fucking my wife? She was going to fuck somebody, so it might as well be you?" Rick said through gritted teeth with furious tears threatening to fall. "Of all people, YOU should have been the one protecting her!"

"WHAT DO YOU THINK I WAS DOING?" Manny yelled out, his emotions also getting the best of him. "Do you know how many diapers I bought for Anya? How many times I gave Traci money for groceries? Who do you think bought your daughter all those toys she was just playing with? You see those brand-new clothes she has on? Guess who bought them? ME! That's who. ME!"

Rick's eyes were practically bubbling right now. His fists were balled up so tight that his fingernails were digging into the palm of his hands. If Manny wasn't carrying right now, Rick would have been on top of him, laying down blows on his unconscious corpse.

Still keeping a measured bit of sanity, Rick rejected the temptation to lash out. Instead, he asked, "So, you want to replace me? Is that it? You want my family?" Rick asked.

"No, Rick!" Manny said, like Rick was being ridiculous. "You and me both know that there is no replacing you in Traci's eyes! I just wanted to help your family like I was helping you. I made sure that all of you were well taken care of. I put money on your books so you could always afford to buy what you needed, and I made sure Traci had a little pocket change so she could take care of Anya without begging her mom too much. I was trying to be there for you as best I could."

"And that gave you the right to fuck her? That was the cost for your generous hospitality?"

Manny shook his head, sucked his teeth, and groaned, like Rick just didn't get it. "Look, maybe me and her got too carried away with it, but it wasn't like that. One day when she came over to get some money for Anya, I could see that she'd been crying. When I asked her what was wrong, she told me how much she missed you. Then, she just broke down sobbing. I mean, dude, she was balling her eyes out! I tried to calm her down, but she just wouldn't fucking stop crying!"

Manny must have completely convinced himself of his innocence, because he was speaking to Rick like he was relaying a funny story. It was almost as if he were talking about fucking some other guy's wife.

Manny continued with, "I made her some drinks, she got to talking about needing you inside of her. She actually said that: SHE NEEDED YOU INSIDE HER. She had on this short skirt with these thigh-high boots and fishnet tights..." He shrugged like that explained everything. "Shit just kind of happened after that."

By now, he was noticing how Rick was reacting to his story. Trying to backtrack a little, Manny quickly added, "But it's over now. Once she found that you were getting released early, she called it off. I backed off out of respect for you; no questions asked."

Wait; what????

If that was supposed to quell Rick's rage, it did the exact opposite. In fact, it infuriated him to the point of physical illness. A sick feeling settled in the pit of his stomach as a new realization hit him.

Maybe it was his ego protecting itself, but he'd unconsciously built up a scenario that somehow made this situation more manageable. A drunken night, a slip of judgement, or just Traci being horny at the wrong time. Something, anything, signaling that Manny putting his dick between the legs of his wife was an unfortunate anomaly.

But it wasn't a one-time thing. He and Traci didn't just fuck; they WERE FUCKING. Not only that, but it was happening up until they found out he was one of the lucky 400 (the prisoners nickname for them). But that was only... SIX FUCKING MONTHS AGO? Manny could have very well been boning his wife for years!

What was he supposed to do with that information? Be thankful that Manny was such a "good guy" and returned his used-up wife to him?

Rick's hands started shaking. His breathing became labored. Every muscle in his body tensed up. A red tint started to shade his vision.

Anya. She needs her father. She needs him to stay out of prison, and not go back for beating a man to death.

That's what Rick kept repeating to himself in his head. That was the only thing caging the demon inside of him. But that cage was rattling hard. The lock wasn't strong enough to keep the snarling beast contained.

Manny saw the chain reaction; the losing battle to stay in control. The emotions played out across Rick's face like a movie screen. The clenching of the jaw, the flaring nostrils; Manny knew this look. He'd seen it many times before in the past. Rick was on the ledge and about to jump off.

But Manny knew Rick just as well as Rick knew him. In typical Rick fashion, he was conflicted. This was always his dilemma. He was a wolf who'd convinced himself he was a German Shephard. He was always trying to do the right thing; always trying to be what he wasn't. Even when they ran together, doing the most illegal shit known to man, Rick would paint invisible lines in front of him that he wouldn't cross.

Just because he killed people when it was necessary, it did not make him a killer. That was what he would always say. There were other things he avoided. He would never sell to a kid, never hit a woman, and never, under any circumstances, cheat on Traci.

Blah blah fucking blah.

It was all a façade though. The lie that he told himself was well ingrained into him, giving him hope of being someone worth love. Do you want to know the real Rick? Rick was the guy who sent a man to the hospital for two weeks because he insinuated that he was going to rape Traci if he didn't get product for the price he wanted. He was the guy who held a man over the ledge of a bridge to find out information about a competitor. Even when he didn't kill anyone, he left enough of an impression to make people not want a living encounter with him either.

The flip side of Rick was that insufferable martyr complex. Instead of keeping those nasty little details of his life a secret, he felt the need to tell Traci everything. He wanted to be upfront with her about who he was; show her the man that she was married to. "Marriage needs honesty" was his mantra. He'd martyr himself at the altar of her and her mother's disapproval, then whine to Manny about how bad it made him feel to keep disappointing them.

In Manny's opinion, the real reason that Rick felt guilty was because he DIDN'T feel guilty. That act of contrition was so he could convince himself that deep down, he was really a good guy who just so happened to do bad things.

Even though it irritated the fuck out of him, it was why Rick made a great right-hand man. He had just enough edge to get shit done, but also enough guilt to not want the top spot. His loyalty was just built into him.

But now, for the first time ever, Manny wasn't sure which Rick he was going to see. Fucking a man's wife does tend to make him a bit...unpredictable.

Instinctively, Manny's hand slid down and gripped the pistol at his waist.

He really didn't want to shoot his one-time friend in the face. To protect both of them from an unfortunate situation, Manny took a couple steps back and calmly said, "Look, I'm gonna get out of here before you do something that we'll both regret. For what it's worth, I'm sorry about that you feel like I stabbed you in the back. One day, I'm hoping that you realize I actually did you a favor. But that day isn't today, and that's cool. But..."

Manny's stare became hard and threatening as he tightened his grip on the handle. With a tone of voice that left little need to be interpreted, he said, "...don't let your emotions outweigh your logic. If you don't do anything stupid like come after me, we'll be cool. You got me?"

Rick kept his eyes to the ground. He was afraid that if he looked up at Manny, then the last shred of will power would dissipate.

In a voice trembling with barely contained rage, Rick softly said, "Get the fuck out of my face Manny. Leave, and never come back here again. Stay away from Traci and Anya." Finally looking up at his friend turned nemesis, he ended with, "If you come back, I will kill you. And you'll need more than that Desert Eagle to stop me."

Manny simply nodded and backed away. The entire time, his hand stayed at his hip; his eyes never left Rick. When he was a safe enough distance away, he turned and walked back to his car, leaving Rick standing there alone.

Tears of fury blinded Rick with blurry vision as he heard Manny's expensive engine start up with a soft whir. His emotional pain seemed so intense that it became physical. His head was pounding. His stomach was churning. His hands were hurting.

Wait a minute; his hands hurt?

Looking down, he saw imprints of his fingernails dug into the skin of his palm. The area surrounding was red and inflamed.

Footsteps were approaching him from behind. He turned to see Traci walking up. She stopped short when she saw the look on his face. The tears streaking down his face; the clenched fists...

He knew.

Fucking Manny! He PROMISED not to say anything. He PROMISED!

"Rick...baby..." she started to say, but everything just died right there. What could she say? And even if she found words, would he listen?

The only thing that kept Rick from grabbing Traci by the throat was the sight of his daughter standing in the doorway, looking outside. Even through a rage so intense that it left him shaking, her beautiful face cut through.

If he lost it now, he'd also lose Anya forever. He couldn't be the monster who attacked her mother. He wouldn't.

So, Rick did the only thing he could. He turned and started walking away. When he heard her footsteps following him, he started jogging.

Her voice yelled his name, begging him to come back to her. That only made him break out into a full sprint.

He felt like a coward. He'd never run from anything. Since he was a boy, he was always taught to stand his ground; to fight until he couldn't fight anymore. Running away was for pussies.

Yet, he ran from his cheating wife. And the guy who'd been dicking her down was...simply allowed to walk away.

Yep. He was a pussy.

But he'd rather be that than lose any chance of getting his daughter's love. So, he ran; far and fast. He ran until the shrill screaming of his wife disappeared from his ears.

***