Read Online Defensive by J.D. Rivera - Free Book Online Page B

absolutely no graffiti anywhere in sight. I would have felt a lot better if Vanessa lived in an area like this or with me. I’d really love it if she would’ve moved in with me. But she was stubborn and refused.
    I knocked on the door and two seconds later, Eric opened the door. “Jackson! Wanna play Xbox? We have a basketball game. Or we can play something else if you want.”
    “Eric, let him inside. We can play a game in a little while,” Landon said as he marched up to the door. “Sorry,” he offered as he opened the door wider for me.
    I stepped inside. “That’s okay.” I looked down at Eric. “We can play whatever you want.”
    “Well, make yourself comfy,” Landon said, gesturing to the couch and chairs. I plopped down in the recliner and sighed. It had been a long morning. “My sister getting to you yet?” he asked as he sank down in the chair next to me.
    I watched Eric pick up a controller and start playing a game. “She’s a stubborn girl.”
    “Yes she is. Always has been. Since the divorce, she’s different, though. Still stubborn but has no self-esteem.”
    “I love your sister but man… she drives me insane sometimes,” I said, rubbing my forehead.
    “What the hell did she do?” he asked.
    “She had a tow truck come pick up her old car today and take it to a repair shop.”
    He gave me a quizzical look. “She needs a working car, though. It only makes sense that she would fix her car.”
    “I gave her the car she’s been driving. I mean, I actually had her name put on the title. She doesn’t need to drive that junker around. What if she breaks down and she’s in a bad neighborhood?” I didn’t mention that I had paid a guy to make it a junker.
    He laughed. “A new car could break down in a bad neighborhood, too. I’m more concerned about her neighborhood than her car.”
    “Don’t even get me started on her neighborhood. If I had my way, she’d be living with me.”
    He took a drink from his can of Dr. Pepper. “You’re really serious about her, aren’t you?”
    “I think I would have married her the night of our first date if she hadn’t still been married,” I said with a big smile.
    “What? Still married?” he asked.
    “Yeah. We met just before her divorce was finalized. I thought you knew that.”
    “I knew that. It was the way you said it. It made it sound like it was before then.”
    I got up. “I’m going to get a Dr. Pepper, okay?”
    “Help yourself.”
    After rifling around in his fridge for a drink, I sat down on the floor next to Eric. “You ready to let me beat you?” I asked.
    “You can’t beat me. I beat my friend Cody and my dad every single time.”
    “Yeah but they stink. I’m good at this stuff.”
    He laughed. “Video game basketball is a lot harder than real basketball.”
    I chuckled. “Oh, really? I guess we’ll see about that.”
    After staying about three hours with two and half of those being spent playing video games with Eric, I left and drove home. I decided I needed to clear my head and run. I put on some sweats and a hoodie and took off through my neighborhood. My mind automatically went to Vanessa fixing that damn car. I knew this had everything to do with Cynthia and the baby. Vanessa was scared that I’d dump her one day and leave her screwed. What she didn’t understand was that I loved her with all my heart and I’d never leave her like that. I had never believed in soul mates or true love before but she had changed that. After being with her, I knew that I was meant to be with her. That I was put on this earth to be with her.
    I was beginning to sound sappy to myself so I put on some Eminem and upped my pace. I focused on my run and the hill in front of me. One foot in front of the other. As soon as I reached the top of the hill, I picked up the pace and ran as fast as I could back to my place.
    After taking a quick shower, I got dressed and decided I’d surprise Vanessa with dinner and a movie. We had never done