Knocked Out: A Red, Hot and BOOM! Story Read Free Page B

man.”
    Evan’s blue eyes turned from concern to anger. “Sorry,’s not going to pay my mortgage.” He said
    as he got up from his chair and left the mill.
    When he arrived home, he was so mentally worn-out from what had happened to him at the mill,
    that he realized it was only 8:30 a.m. He was thankful that his mother, Edna lived with him and could take Everly to school. After that, his mom would then go to her sister’s for a few hours before picking up his daughter around 3.
    He had 6 ½ hours to try to figure out his next step. What would he do after this last paycheck? At least they’d have food and a roof over their head for the next month, but after that, then what?
    All these questions swirled in his head as he took off his hoodie revealing a gray t-shirt that
    outlined his narrowed waist and broad shoulders. He walked over to the cupboard and grabbed a cup...
    He poured himself some lukewarm coffee that his mother left in the coffee pot and sat down in the family room. In front of him were stacks of bills. He was disgusted as he began to leaf through them. Water bill, electric & gas bill, cable, phone…mortgage. But the one letter that disturbed him was from his attorney. Fucking Tamara, what now? Haven’t you done enough?
    He knew he should have thrown it out the minute he saw it, but instead he decided to open and
    read it. It was a request from his ex-wife petitioning for sole custody of Everly due to a recent stint in rehab. She was set to marry her longtime boyfriend in the fall and figured it was time to get to know her daughter.
    It took everything in him not to go and pick up Everly and fly out on the next plane to some
    nameless, small town where Tamara could never find them. It was the last thing he needed in a day that was already one of the worst he had ever had. Before last year, Tamara never had an interest in Everly.
    He didn’t understand the sudden push for custody. Kids cramped her party style. For him, his little girl was the best thing to have ever happened to him. As Tamara drove deeper into drugs, their little girl was the one thing that saved him from going over the brink. She was his light when things were darkest.
    His blue eyes were heavy from thought. As he drifted off to sleep, a tap on the shoulder startled him.
    “Daddy? Daddy?” Whispered the faint, female voice.
    Half-groggy, Evan opened his eyes and teased. “Not now...”
    The little girl with the long brown hair, standing in front of him wearing a pair of jeans and white t-shirt jumped onto his lap and yelled “Yes, now!”
    He hugged her and laughed. “I suppose so. What’s up Ev? Did you have a good day?”
    His daughter gave him a kiss on the cheek and sat back up. “Yeah, it was good. I beat my friend Lindsay at Flappy Birds during lunch.”
    Evan’s eyes rose. “Oh yeah, what was the score?”
    Everly’s blue eyes danced as she proudly stated. “213!”
    Her father was stunned. “Shut up. 213? I can barely get 10 on that thing.”
    Everly began to laugh. “Yep. 213. Let’s face it Dad, you’re not a video game type and that’s ok.”
    Evan smiled. “It is, huh?”
    Everly nodded her head in response. “Yep. You barely can use the DVR or use the toaster.
    Thank god you have me around.” She giggled.
    “I am baby. I am.” He told her as he drew her into another hug for several minutes before she sat back up. “Did you have a good day?” his daughter asked
    Evan took a deep breath and rolled his eyes. “Unfortunately, no. But you’re making it a better
    one.”
    Everly’s smile turned into a frown. “I’m sorry, Daddy. You don’t deserve a bad day.”
    He shrugged. “It happens baby. It is what it is.”
    “Did someone bother you? You need me to put someone in an armbar for ya?”
    His eyebrows raised in shock. He shouldn’t be surprised she knew what that was considering
    where he came from. “No armbars, Miss Thang, Daddy lost his job today.”
    She was playing with the ends of his