77 Blacktop Obsession
"Carter, what are you doing out here?" Shayde put her arms around him from behind, laying her head on his back. "Han has called a clean up crew. It will get taken care of." She promised.
"I really don't think she needs a car, Shayde. She's clearly not well." Carter observed.
"Hector, can you please give me a few with Carter?" Shayde asked, smiling at Hector to let him know everything was fine.
"Sure thing." Hector nodded and left quickly. He wasn't sure if Shayde had heard all of that or not, but he sure hoped she had.
"It's tough. I knew this would be hard on you seeing her like this." Shayde said, playing with his hair.
"I'm okay. I just worry about how much more you can handle and how it is affecting you. You almost pulled a headshot on your best friend." Carter grinned.
"Key word, almost. I had it under control." She hit his chest lightly, making him smile.
"You know what I am talking about, Shayde Verone." He said, shaking his head, trying to not smile.
"It's gonna be okay, Carter." She promised.
"I am just saying, I don't want her having a car. She can't be trusted to not take off and pull stunts like that and then she ended up hurting herself." Carter advised.
"Carter, it is not her fault she hurt herself." Shayde argued.
"Well, we will have to agree to disagree. She stole the keys, she snuck out, she is on meds and flips out and goes crazy at times and she wore sandals. Three out of four things are her fault. She has to take responsibility. I want this car destroyed or I will forbid her to drive and lock it up." Carter threatened.
"Carter, that car is her baby." Shayde protested.
"My house, my rules. I am not negotiating this one. The car gets destroyed. I don't care how you do it." Carter insisted.
"I thought it was our house?" Shayde asked, raising an eyebrow as she chewed angrily on her lip to bite her tongue. She knew tonight was going to be a very long night.
"It is our house but I get the final say. You know how this works. She is on meds and not in her right mind. You are lucky I don't have her evaluated for an institution." Carter warned.
"Carter Verone, If you dare say that or think that, we are over." Shayde warned, her voice low and filled with venom. Carter could see he took it too far.
"I am sorry, Shayde. I am just really stressed out. I am not used to this kind of thing. Please forgive me. I didn't mean it." He tried to put his arms around her.
"Do you really want your daughter in an institution?" She asked, looking him in the eyes, her worry showing right through her.
"No, no, no. Of course not. You know my temper is as bad as yours. I am sorry. I didn't mean what I said. I do want the car destroyed though." He said, looking at her as he put his arms around her. She was stiff and unrelenting to him.
"Carter…" She started. She knew she couldn't press him too hard or he would probably make Kaidyn go to an institution and she wasn't sure if she had the resources to fight him on that.
"Shayde, I am not budging on the car. Right now, it's a danger. You know it and I know it. You can either tell her she can't drive anymore because she's not well and have her hate you or you can destroy the car and figure out something to tell her." Carter gave her the ultimatum.
"That car is a custom car. She put the wrench time in it and she invested hard earned money she made from racing. She will be heartbroken." Shayde disagreed.
"It is in her best interest, Shayde. I am her father, I get a say in things too. I haven't been able to be a dad in a long time and I am telling you, it's better with no car for her." Carter said, his tone signaling the discussion was final.
"Fine, I will figure something out and we will destroy it. But damn it, when she is able to drive you will be buying her whatever kind of car she wants and anything she wants for it." Shayde warned.
"That's fine. I really hope that day comes and she gets better. Because if she can race a car she will grow up some and quit being such a bur...problem for you." Carter said, correcting himself.
"She's not a burden. She's our child and I love her and I know you do too. I think you might just be out of practice being a dad since it's been so long. I have faith in you though." Shayde looked at him and smiled.
"Do you? You think I have potential, mhmm?" he asked with a smile.
"I do. Just keep trying to be patient and have some understanding, please." Shayde said, her mind still reeling from overhearing what he had told Hector. She knew she had to keep him calm and on her good side.
"Well, let me work on being a good husband again and then I will work on being a good dad. I have missed you." Carter kissed her.
"I have missed you too. I just need you to let me do my thing and handle her. I promise it will get better." Shayde said, kissing him back.
"That's my girl." Carter looked happy and satisfied, making Shayde feel a bit more at ease.
"Now, I need you to get your cute ass in there and go talk things out with Dom. Hector will be in there with you." Carter swatted her on the ass.
"Carter, you know how I hate that." Shayde grumbled.
"But I love your ass." He smiled, winking at her. She turned around and rolled her eyes. "Now go talk to Dom please. No weapons allowed." he said, holding the back of her neck. "I know you well, Shayde." He whispered in her ear. "No more pulling guns tonight." He ordered.
"I don't know. I like my guns." She pouted.
"Sweetheart, I know you do. That's why I built you a weapons room." He kissed her. "But you have to talk to him gun free." He said, rubbing her hair.
"I am not apologizing but I will talk to him." She promised. "I think Letty's up to something." She said.
"No, not Letty." Carter said, making Shayde look at him in shock from disagreeing with her. "Yes, she is up to something." He agreed with an impish smile.
"You are something else tonight I see." Shayde smiled, slapping his chest playfully.
"You talk to Hector and Dom and I will keep Miss Ortiz busy." Carter promised with a raised eyebrow.
"You have to behave too, Carter." Shayde gave him a kiss and a smile.
"Do I?" He asked, shrugging.
"Yes, you do." She replied.
"You know Kaidyn won't believe she crashed that car and she will dwell over that if we tell her that she crashed it." Shayde looked at the car and the smashed glass. But I think I may have an idea." Shayde said. "Come on, it's not doing you any good standing out here. The clean up crew will be out here and fix this." She pulled him by his tie.
"After things calm down, you and I are going on a vacation." Carter promised, walking behind her, his hands on her waist as she led him out.
"Sounds good. I'll bring the grapes." Shayde smiled, winking at him.
"How is she doing?" Carter asked, walking over to the table where Tej was holding her in his arms.
"She'd be better if she got in a more comfortable space." Tej said, looking Carter in the eyes. Roman was watching Carter closely to see how he'd react to Tej holding Kaidyn.
"Why don't you and Rome take her to the theatre room." Shayde said, pointing down the hall. "There's a couch in there that has recliners and she can stretch out and the lighting will be low so she can rest." Shayde said. "Please make sure you guys keep your eyes on her at all times." Shayde requested, leaning into Tej to tell him that part quietly.
"You got it." Tej nodded. "Come on Rome." He said, getting up carefully with her.
"You got her, you need help?" Roman asked, grabbing a blanket to bring with him.
"Where we goin?" Kaidyn asked sleepily when Tej started to get up.
"We're gonna go chill in the movie room and you can relax in there, baby girl." Tej said.
"Don't leave me." She mumbled, her eyes closed as she hung onto his neck.
"I'm right here. Rome's here too." Tej promised, sitting her in the middle of the couch. Roman propped her feet up and covered her up with a blanket.
"Tej." Roman said, pointing to her nose.
"Damn." Tej quickly wiped it. "How's your head feeling, Kaidyn?" he asked, holding the rag to her nose.
"She's out again." Roman breathed a sigh of relief. "Damn, talk about a rough night for her." He settled in the chair, looking at Tej. "You okay over there, Homie?" Roman asked, watching Tej just stare at Kaidyn, his expression a mix of anger and concern.
"Yeah, I'm straight. Just glad we outta that room, I couldn't keep my temper in check much longer. All this coulda been avoided." Tej shook his head, looking at her bloodied arms and her swollen fingers.
"Yup, I don't know what the hell he was thinkin." Roman agreed. "Once I know she's out I may have to go grab us some snacks." He said, rubbing his stomach.
"You really are gonna run their grocery bill up. You really are." Tej shook his head, making Roman laugh.
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"Shayde, come on, we got business to handle." Hector said, motioning for her to follow him. He put his arm around her to lead her to the meeting room.
"I'm tired." She replied, not really tired. She just didn't want to be forced to apologize and wasn't ready to talk to Dominic yet. She knew Carter was going to be watching the cameras.
"Don't pull this with me, Holmes. Not tonight. Been too long of a night already." He shook his head with a grin.
"Ugh. Fine." She sighed.
"Got any more guns anywhere you want to pull on me?" Dominic asked, his arms folded, his expression stoic.
"Let's not start this meeting off on the wrong foot." Hector said, shaking his head, watching Han come in and sit down quietly with his potato chips.
"I'm unarmed, are you happy?" She asked, shrugging her shoulders.
"Yeah, right, Shay. You are never unarmed. Don't lie to me like you just met me." Dominic rolled his eyes.
"It's Shayde." She scoffed. "Don't call me Shay when you aren't on my side." She added.
"Shayde, you need to know I did not put all my weight on her. I was not hurting her." Dominic said, looking Shayde in the eyes.
"You need to know I don't think straight when I see her hurt and like that." Shayde countered. "I will kill anyone that is trying to hurt her." She looked up at the camera in the corner of the room, knowing this was being recorded. It helped fuel her anger she was needing to have towards Dominic.
"I would never hurt her. I didn't hurt her." Dominic said, looking disappointed that his best friend he had known for so long would think this.
"Yes, you did." Shayde shot back, her eyes narrowing.
"NO, I did not." Dominic argued.
"I think there is a misunderstanding here." Hector said, looking at Han, who nodded.
"You pulled a gun on me. Me of all people, Shayde. You don't do that to family." He said with a frown and hurt in his voice.
"I seem to remember you pulled one on Brian...twice, wasn't it?" Shayde held her chin up defiantly and narrowed her eyes, calling him out.
"That was before I knew him to be any part of this family and he was a Buster then." Dominic said, rolling his eyes, his voice deep.
"You were willing to shoot him to go help Jesse." Shayde reminded him.
"Yes, but this was not the same thing. He and I didn't know each other for years and years." Dominic said, holding his hands out.
"Dom, when you birth a kid and you have to cover her from being killed after just waking up from her sleep and you have to do anything to help her like I have for the past eight years going through hell and everything being taken from you for her protection, then come talk to me. Because you pulled a gun to just go find Jesse and he was in your way. Think about if you gave birth and watched him get shot in your own home and him being a kid." Shayde said, starting to get very angry.
"Deep breaths, Shayde." Hector said, rubbing her shoulders.
"Shayde, I may be harsh with Kaidyn sometimes but I would never hurt that girl. I love her like she's my own." Dominic said, looking Shayde in the eyes.
"I know you do. But I can't say I am going to apologize for protecting my baby." Shayde said, folding her arms.
"Fair enough, what can I do to make this right?" He asked with a sigh.
"You can say you crashed the car." Shayde said, making Han choke on a chip. Both boys knew Dominic Toretto, King of the Streets would never admit if he had crashed, much less causing a crash he did not even have.
"Sorry." Han coughed, catching the bottle of water Hector threw at him.
"Shayde, she would hate me for ruining her car." Dominic said, making Shayde shrug.
"You asked what you could do." Shayde blinked and stared straight ahead, not wavering.
"That's asking a lot…" Dominic sighed, thinking it over.
"You asked, I answered. I will not have Kaidyn thinking she crashed her car and can't drive all because you made a choice to not give her the prescribed meds she needed. She was so excited to be out driving with you, I won't ruin her confidence for your ego and fuckup." Shayde said, taking a deep breath.
"She will know the car wasn't wrecked, If she caught us lying to her, she'd never get past that." Dominic objected.
"I have someone in mind who can destroy the car for me. They used to make a living at it and we can take care of that." Shayde countered.
"She will hate me for wrecking her car." Dominic said, shaking his head, still thinking it over.
"Well it's either her or I. Take your pick." Shayde said, making Hector turn away and look at Han with an amused grin. "My anger is much worse than hers, I promise." She raised an eyebrow.
"Shayde, you know I love that kid. I'll do it. I don't need the threats." Dominic said, frowning.
"I was hoping you'd say that, Dom." Shayde said.
"It's Dominic, Shayde." He grinned, holding out his arms for a hug.
"Oh you are funny." She said, rolling her eyes. "I won't apologize for what I did, but I am sorry how I handled it. I know you would never hurt her." She admitted in his ear.
"So are we good?" He asked, getting up to give her a hug. She pulled him in a tight hug. Han got out his phone and nodded to Shayde, letting her know he was scrambling the mic.
"We're good. I got us scrambled. Talk quick." Han said. He waited for the text to come through from Brian to let him know where Carter was and what he was doing.
"Carter has lost his fucking mind. Hector, I heard everything he said. We are so screwed guys. I don't know what we are going to do." Shayde admitted. "Hector can fill you in later. I am already going to have to deal with him tonight and what I did out there." Shayde said, talking quickly. "You did good, Dom." She smiled.
"So did you, that was very convincing. You were right about him and the meds." He whispered back.
"Thanks for doing this. I needed to test my theory." She said.
"Anything for you or her, you know that." he grinned, kissing her on the top of the head.
"We are definitely screwed. We gotta come up with a plan." Hector said, shaking his head. "It's bad." he admitted.
"Not good. I am gonna find a way to stay here and try to help now that I am on his good side." Dominic promised.
"I'll try my best to keep him off you guys and keep him distracted, Shayde." Han said.
"Thanks guys. I am glad you guys are here." Shayde said.
"You gonna be okay tonight?" Han asked, looking worried.
"Yeah, as good as can be. You guys just promise me you will keep Kaidyn safe as possible please?" She asked, looking at them.
"Of course. We are going to keep you both safe." Dominic promised.
"You can't help me that much but please just help Kaidyn as much as possible. Her first. Always. Please." Shayde said, knowing she had to make sure they knew Kaidyn was number one priority.
"We good now?" Han asked, looking at them, then his watch.
"We're good. Turn it back on." Shayde nodded. "I am glad we settled this, Dom. I am glad you agree to my plan." Shayde nodded, looking pleased with herself.
"I'll tell her I had too many coronas and that this is what happens when you drink and drive." Dominic said.
"Oh, that's a great thing to teach her." Han said, nodding approvingly. "I like that, turning that into a lesson." He agreed.
"Thanks Dom." Shayde smiled. "I think that is a good idea as well." She nodded, looking pleased she had settled and won this argument.
"Anything for family." He promised. He meant it. Their argument was staged for Carter's benefit but he was taken aback by her request to say he ruined the car. He knew that could not have been Shayde's idea.