Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 77992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
I move the dresser out of the way, and she bolts into the bathroom. Leaning against the wall next to the bathroom, I wait for her. Music plays from the living room, but I imagine everyone’s gone home or passed out. I’m yawning when I sense a presence.
Alejandro.
“Fucking pussy decided to come out of his cage?” he sneers, taking a menacing step toward me.
“Mom!” I bark out. “Call off your dog.”
Alejandro’s lip curls up. “She’s out.”
“Mom! Wake up!”
“Not asleep, dumbass. Out.”
Where in the fuck would she be at four in the morning?
“Leave us alone,” I warn.
Roux opens the door and steps out behind me. Alejandro’s eyes drop to her and he grins like a motherfucking wolf about to devour a bunny.
“Go to our room,” I hiss at her.
“Roan.” Her whine of terror is my undoing.
“Go!”
She scurries off and slams our bedroom door shut. I wish she were strong enough to move the dresser. Fisting my hands, I square my shoulders and glare at Alejandro.
“Leave us the hell alone.”
“This is my home, boy,” he sneers. “My rules.”
“Last time I checked, it’s HUD housing under Mom’s name and you’re not even supposed to be here.” I take a step forward, cracking my neck, ready to beat this motherfucker’s ass if need be.
His dilated pupils glimmer with hate and then he rushes me. I barely get a swing before I’m shoved into the wall, something cold digging beneath my jawbone at my throat.
“I could blow your fucking head off right now,” he threatens, grinding the barrel harder into my flesh. “Make your sister clean your brain matter off the wall.”
“You’d go to prison,” I spit back at him.
“So?”
“You don’t think my old man won’t find you and gut you like the pig you are for killing his son?”
His eyes narrow, but I know he contemplates my words. My dad is a mean bastard. Alejandro is nothing in comparison. With a cool expression, he takes a step backward. And then with a hard swing, he pistol whips me with his gun.
Pain explodes across my cheek and I stumble. He cracks me over the back of the head with the gun, sending me hurtling to the floor. I groan and blink away the dazed feeling. When I hear a scream, I get on my hands and knees, adrenaline fueling me. I rush into the room after him, ignoring the dizziness. Alejandro, with his gun in hand, swats at Roux like she’s a pesky little sister and they’re playing. This fucker is twisted, so I don’t want him playing anything with Roux. I tackle him, sending him crashing into the dresser. He snarls as I start wailing punches on his back. I manage to get one good one to his head and knock his ass out. With a grunt, I drag him out of our room and into Mom’s. Once the door is shut, I make my way back into our room, pushing the dresser back into place. I hide the gun under the mattress. The room spins and I crash into the end table, knocking over the lamp.
Roux is crying, but I’m so fucking tired.
I fall onto the bed now that she’s safe and pass out.
My head is killing me.
The voice on repeat is making it worse.
“Roan! Roan! Roan!”
Roux.
I force my eyes open. My sister sits beside me on the bed, sobbing. She hands me my phone.
“Who is it?” I croak. “Hello?”
“Oh, Roan, honey, thank God.”
“Mom?”
“No, baby, it’s Kelsey. Roux called the house phone crying. Hollis and I are on the way to come get you.”
“What?” I’m so fucking confused right now. “Why?”
“It’s not safe there.” Her voice is firm. Motherly. Fuck, it makes my heart hurt worse than my head. “We can bring you here—”
“No,” I bark out. “I mean, we have someplace to go. The fire station. I have a friend there.”
“We’ll be there shortly. If it feels unsafe to leave, let me know and I’ll call the police.”
“Please don’t,” I beg. I’m eighteen, but Roux? They’ll fucking take her from me.
“Okay,” she says with a ragged sigh. “Be there soon. You have Hollis’s cell if you need to call us.”
We hang up and I frown at Roux, which makes my head throb worse.
“Why did you call them?” I murmur, hurt in my tone. I always take care of her. We don’t need anyone else.
Her bottom lip wobbles. “I tried all your friends. No one answered.”
“Mike?”
“He must be asleep or at a fire. He didn’t answer either.”
“The dresser is there. We would’ve been fine,” I try, hating that I don’t even believe my own words.
“Not you,” she utters. “You’re bleeding and I think you have a concussion.”
“Okay, Dr. Hirsch.”
She laughs and the sound is a miracle worker. “My new best friend said she’s going to be a doctor like her dad when she grows up. I think I’ll be a doctor too.”