Page 183 of New Growth
He reached for my hand, fingers lacing with mine. “Come on. Let’s go before you start swinging.”
I let him guide me down the gravel path toward the parking lot, away from the chaos. The second we hit the grass, I exhaled, but it didn’t last long.
Footsteps.Again.
“You just had to show up with a new man, didn’t you?” Jonathan’s voice called from behind us. “What? You trying to make me jealous?”
El stopped walking.
I turned, already regretting it. Jonathan stood a few feet away, chest puffed, Ryan trailing behind him, looking like she wanted to be anywhere else. Ma wasn’t with her, thankfully.
“Don’t,” I warned. “Just don’t, Jonathan.”
“Don’t what? Call it like I see it? You never should’ve brought him here, Elliot. It’s messy as fuck.”
El dropped my hand slowly, turned, and stepped forward once—casual, but I knew him. Knew the tension building under his calm.
“I didn’t realize you owned the state of Texas,” El said, voice even. “Or your wife’s sister.”
“I’m trying to protect her.”
El tilted his head. “From what, exactly? You don’t know me.”
Jonathan’s jaw ticked. “I know your type. Old motherfuckers who’s ready to swoop in when young women are vulnerable. Then, as soon as they’re dependent on you, you start taking advantage. You think you’re better than me or something?”
“No. I know, I am.” El didn’t blink. “I’m everything you ain’t. I’m better than you. Smarter than you. Richer than you. I smell better. My house is bigger. I make her scream louder, and I last longer. Don’t try to measure yourself against me,little boy. You will be disappointed. And don’t ever address me like that again. I’d hate to fuck you up on your wedding day.”
Ryan stepped between them. “Okay, enough. This is stupid.”
But Jonathan’s pride had already caught fire. “Just because you’re older, you know more? You don’t know anything about her or what she’s been through. I was there when she took care of her daddy, I wiped her tears at the funeral. What do you know about Elliot?”
“I know not to yell at her like she’s a little kid.” El took a slow step forward, eyes narrowing. “You wanna try that with me and see what happens?”
“Stop it.” I moved between them, chest heaving. “Both of you. Stop it.”
But Jonathan wasn’t done.
“You’re gonna hit me over Ellie?” His face scrunched until his eyes fell on me, then it softened. “Look man, I get it. She tastesverysweet. But she makes you work so fucking hard for it. It’s damn near begging. Is it really worth all that?”
That was it.
El’s fist flew, fast and clean, and landed square against Jonathan’s jaw with a satisfying crack. He staggered back, holding his face, eyes wide in disbelief.
“El!” I grabbed his arm, pulling him back before it escalated.
He didn’t move toward Jonathan again. He didn’t have to.
“I don’t give a fuck what you say about me. But if you ever speak about Elliot like that again,” El said, voice cold and clear, “Iwillkill you. Do you understand me?”
Jonathan wiped his mouth, blood on his thumb.
I turned to El, still clutching his arm, heart caught in my throat. “Let’s just go.”
We barely had a second to breathe before Ma came storming out from around the building. Her eyes swept over the group like a storm scanning for damage. A few people wondered out as well, looking for a chance to finally see the Sawyers lose their shit.
“What the hell is going on out here?” Ma demanded, her gaze finally landing on me. “What did you do?”
“Me? I didn’t—Jonathan followed me out here—”
