Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 89928 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 450(@200wpm)___ 360(@250wpm)___ 300(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89928 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 450(@200wpm)___ 360(@250wpm)___ 300(@300wpm)
“Don’t go that way!” his mom yelled, interrupting his aching plea.
He opened his eyes and saw she wasn’t even paying attention to him, her concentration on the television program. Ruxs huffed a small sigh. He wasn’t giving up. He’d wait until the show went off. He didn’t have shit else to do. He removed his hand from her knee and sat back on the couch, draping his arm around her. “So what are you watching?”
She shrugged his arm off. “None of your business.” She stood up and went to the front door. “You have to go. I’m tired.”
Ruxs ran his hand over his hair, squeezing the back of his neck. This whole situation was so fucked up. He literally had no one to turn to. He looked up at her, just now fully taking in her appearance. He frowned at the ratty house robe closed tight around her narrow waist. Her lipstick was smeared around her mouth; her eyes looked like a raccoon, her dark eyeliner smudged like she’d been crying – but that was impossible – she was incapable of such an act. He tilted his head to the side, her eyes were everywhere but on him, shifting back and forth, her leg bouncing nervously. Ruxs looked around the small space, finally standing up. His anger was rising quickly, he couldn’t believe this. Didn’t want to believe it. He walked back towards her bedroom. Ignoring her screeching for him to leave.
“What are you doing?” she yelled. Her small fingers uselessly grabbing at his thick bicep.
He ignored her still. He marched back to the front of the apartment and peered out the kitchen window. Nothing back there. He took in the scene in front of him. The usual dirty dishes littered the sink, but there was also takeout.
“That’s it! Out! Right now, Armin! I don’t want you to come back, ever!” She opened the front door, pointing outside.
Ruxs came back into the living room, yanking the door out of her hand and slamming it closed. She jumped at his anger. Good. He took a calming breath, not wanting to act too rashly. Green wasn’t here to keep him out of trouble. He leveled his angry gaze on her and hissed his question. “Who’s the man in the closet?”
Her eyes widened before narrowing. “You’re crazy. Get out of my house.”
“Who’s in there? It’s got to be a man because you wouldn’t hide a female.”
“You’ve lost your mind. I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.” She shook her head at him, walking back over to the couch, plopping down and lighting another cigarette.
“That’s what I’m talking about.” He pointed at her. “You’re sitting over there, like always. But when I came in I had to kick the recliner closed… meaning someone had obviously been sitting in it. Someone just used the shower because the mirror is still foggy.” He tilted his head at her. “But your hair’s not wet. You also have no money, but you have enough takeout in your kitchen to feed two grown men.” Ruxs stood over her. “You forget I’m a detective don’t you? So I’ll ask one more time before I put a bullet in the fuckin’ door. Who’s the bastard in the motherfuckin’ closet?”
His mom jumped up her eyes bulging at the sight of his Glock in his hand. “I’m going to call the police. Put that thing away right now!”
“I am the police!” he yelled back.
She slapped him hard across his face. The sting only making him angrier. The beast inside him snarled and clawed. Green wasn’t here to chain it. Someone was fucking his mom and was too damn cowardly to show his face. His vision dimmed around the edges. The darkness opened its doors and Ruxs eagerly jumped in for the ride.
“You’ve got until the count of three to come out, or else I’m going to unload my goddamn clip, then I’m going to reload it and empty in there again!” he yelled, his deep voice flooding the duplex. “I won’t stop until you either come out or I hear your body drop!”
Ruxs cocked the hammer of his weapon, not seconds after he did, he heard a man’s voice pleading, “Wait, wait, I’m coming out.” The knob turned slowly on the closet and the door creaked open.
“Let me see your fuckin’ hands first,” Ruxs yelled, pointing his gun in that direction.
His mom had a hold of his other arm but he kept his aim steady. “Leave him alone! This is my house! You have no right!”
He saw the man’s hands before he stepped out of the closet wearing only a towel around his neck and a pair of low-slung denim jeans. Ruxs lowered his gun slowly, but his breath caught when he realized who it was. It was a low-life piece of shit that he’d busted more than once. The young twenty-seven year old hustler had served six months for possession before he was released just a year ago. Only he came out doing the same bullshit. Selling to kids and crack mothers, basically anyone that had the money.