Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 90448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
“Hit me!” Troy reared back with a bloody fist and pounded on Noc’s face. “Hit me!”
“Troy, stop!” My whole body shook.
Tears streamed down my face.
I guided Vivian back and tightened my grip on her. She couldn’t go to Troy when he was like this. His mind drifted far away from us.
I’d asked him once where he mentally went when he beat someone so badly in a fight. He’d confessed it was to our home in South End on those nights when he’d watched our mom be beat and hurt, and he’d simply stood back as a defenseless kid unable to do anything.
“Arberbanm,” Noc mumbled. More blood leaked out of his mouth and streamed from his eyes as he coughed and tried to wag his hands.
Troy punched him again.
“No!” Vivian screamed.
“Troy, don’t do this. It’s over.” I closed my eyes and kept shaking my head.
“Oh my god! Troy! You’re going to kill him!” Vivian cried. “Please, don’t punch him anymore!”
The desire to run out of the apartment flowed within me, but I stayed there, unsure of what else to do.
I couldn’t call the cops.
Footsteps stomped into the apartment.
I opened my eyes. The bulky white bodyguard Lucy had pointed out in India rushed in.
A black guy twice his size bolted in soon after.
They both snatched up Troy by his arms and restrained him the best they could. Troy struggled and fought the two guards, but with them working together he was no match. One held his arms. The other captured his legs.
Neither said anything as Troy cursed.
“Who are they?” Vivian covered her mouth.
“They’re my guards.” I stepped over to Noc and prayed with all my strength he was okay. I tapped his leg with my foot. “Noc? Are you alive?”
“Mommy?” Noc rolled over in his own blood.
He wiggled his fingers a little. Heavy footsteps boomed behind me.
Now who is this?
I turned to see my worst nightmare come true.
“Everyone down, right now!” Cops pushed me out of the way with their guns aiming toward Troy and my guards.
With my hands raised in the air, I dropped to the floor full of anxiety and grief.
Welcome home.
Chapter 17
Savior
The cop barked at me, “Ma’am, if you don’t leave I will have you arrested myself,”
“But it was self-defense.” I hit the counter with my hand. “My brother was defending my roommate.”
The cop looked beyond me. “Next.”
A long line of people stood behind me.
The best thing about our apartment being located out of Oshane City was that our tiny town insisted on its independence.
Knightson had its own small police department, a one-truck fire team, a one level hospital, and a whopping total of two traffic lights. People in Knightson relished in the small town feel and low crime rate.
Fortunately for me, since Knightson police arrested Troy, Noc, and Vivian, all three remained behind bars in the same building.
If we’d been in Oshane, I would have been forced to race all over the city to different jails so I could negotiate Troy and Vivian’s release as well as post for bail.
Not that I could get any of them out.
They’d arrested Troy and Noc for assault and battery. And Vivian for the five pounds of marijuana the cops discovered in her closet.
I’d planned on cursing her out about the drugs as soon as Benny arrived and posted bail. I couldn’t believe she allowed Noc to keep drugs at our apartment or give him the keys to our place. Apparently, he’d come to pick up some of his stash when he found Troy and her having sex.
The only reason the police didn’t arrest me was because my airplane ticket proved I’d just gotten off a plane and my luggage bag was sprawled in the hallway.
When they found the drugs, Vivian pointed to Noc. Being the outstanding guy Noc was, he pointed his fingers right back at Vivian and claimed the drugs were hers.
And that’s what got Vivian arrested for possession of illegal narcotics.
“Step to the side.” The cop pointed at me. He munched on a baguffin I recognized as Mama Jane’s hot selling item, salty caramel pretzel.
I hope he chokes on it and dies.
“And you come back up here again, I’m putting you in a holding cell,” he said as he chewed. Crumbs sprayed out the corners of his mouth.
Returning to the sitting area, I glanced at my watch.
Hurry, Benny.
When I called him, he yelled at me over the phone. He’d never met Noc, for obvious reasons, and didn’t even know Vivian had a boyfriend. Additionally, he chastised me for not notifying him of Troy’s release.
I hope Vivian is alright in there. She’s probably freaking out.
I’d been at the police station for three hours. Sunglasses shielded my red and puffy eyes. More tears streamed down my cheeks. We could maybe save Vivian, but not my brother.
Troy had violated his probation by hitting Noc. Benny promised to do everything he could to keep Troy from returning to Oshane City jail.