Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 73716 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73716 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
“Jay was a good person,” Ephraim bellowed in Audrey’s face.
Ghost pushed Ephraim back until there was more than two feet of space between them, but that only gave room for Brenda Shaw to step in.
“He was my baby and that monster killed him by beating him to death.”
Audrey took a step forward, but I caught her around the waist before she could get closer to the vile woman.
“You think that your son didn’t deserve that?” Audrey asked, deceptively calm. “Let me tell you something, had my brother been there when I was raped, he would’ve done the exact same thing.” She was shaking in anger at that point. “Then again, maybe it’s okay in your book that your son raped a young girl for years. A girl around the same age as your daughter.” Audrey pointed to the side of the room.
That was when I noticed Krisney in the corner of the room. Her face was pale, and she looked like she’d rather be anywhere but where she was.
Ghost grunted in approval at Audrey’s words.
I looked around when I heard all the gasps from the other diners, and I almost missed the way that Brenda stepped forward and tried to slap her hand across Audrey’s face.
She would have, too, since Ghost was still blocking Mr. Shaw’s path, and I was looking the other way.
Krisney, however, did not miss it.
She was across the space so fast that I barely turned my gaze back to her when she caught her mother’s hand in an iron grip… and flew with her mother’s momentum.
Krisney was a small woman. Much smaller than her father and mother.
She was about five foot one, maybe a hundred and twenty pounds soaking wet and just about the sweetest thing you’d ever meet.
Krisney went flying to the floor, and I moved Audrey out of the way by swinging her up and around, depositing her behind me before I turned back to the woman who used to make Jay and I cookies when we hung out at their house.
There was no sign of that woman in the one that was standing before me.
Especially not when she balled up her fist and hit me.
I let her.
I could’ve moved.
I probably should’ve moved, but I didn’t.
Her balled up fist hit my eye, and a starburst of pain came and went just as quickly.
My head didn’t even rock with the hit, but I could tell that Mrs. Shaw was proud of herself.
“I let you have that one hit for your son, Mrs. Shaw,” I said very carefully. “But that will be the last one you get. Shaw - Jay,” I corrected since the Shaws hated it when I called him Shaw, “was your son. I realize that, but what you don’t seem to understand is that he committed the ultimate act of violence against my sister. He did it repeatedly and right under my nose for years. I walked in on him in the act of raping her. Trust me when I say that he deserved what he got, and I’d never change what I did, even given the option. My sister’s gone. Your son’s gone. It’s time for you to stop acting like a raving lunatic over something that you know can’t be changed. I’m sorry that he did what he did and it has led to where we are now. I’m sorry that this happened to all of us. But it’s time to stop taking it out on me when you know in your heart that you’d have done the same damn thing had you been in my situation.”
Brenda didn’t reply, but I could tell that she wanted to.
Her angry eyes were practically brimming with accusations that she wanted to scream at me.
But luckily, Ghost saved her from looking like a fool.
“It’s time to go. Cops are here.”
Brenda’s head whipped around.
“Ma’am, sir,” said the cop, a young rookie who looked to be in his early twenties. “I’ll be escorting you out now.”
“Why not him?” Brenda hissed.
The cop looked to where she was pointing. “I saw you hit him, ma’am. I’ve already questioned a few of the patrons about what they witnessed, and they’ve told me that this man only came over here to defend his girlfriend.”
“He’s dressed like a thug,” Brenda growled, gesturing toward my cut. “I just wanted to come eat here, and he offended me. He’s in a biker gang, for Christ’s sake. Who do you really want to believe here?”
“He’s in a motorcycle club,” Ghost corrected. “And he’s a police officer. He’s been one for years now, and before that he was a Navy SEAL. Trust me when I say that you’re barking up the wrong tree. And don’t think I didn’t notice the multiple complaints you file against him, his house, his fucking dog. I also saw you check his mail…which I might add is a federal offense.”