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)
She smiles and waves at me. “Bye, Hollis.”
Roan doesn’t even look at me. Simply slams the door shut and walks off, his arm slung over his sister’s shoulders in a protective way.
I don’t drive off.
Just watch them walk away.
Alone. In the dark. Snow billowing all around them.
Fuck if my heart doesn’t squeeze inside my chest with worry.
The asshole better text me back.
Roan
I hate this place, but I especially hate it at night. Most everyone leaves me the fuck alone because they know I’ll kick their ass if they don’t. But it’s dangerous for a teenaged girl.
Pulling Roux to my side, we weave our way through the parking lot, steering clear of any groups of people. This complex is a haven for drug deals. A few guys call out to me. I acknowledge them with a head nod, but don’t further engage.
“Charlotte is my best friend,” Roux chirps happily. “We’re going to have slumber parties every weekend. She said her mom will take us roller skating. Did you know she used to have a python, but she had to leave it with her dad when she moved?”
I can’t help but smile as Roux rattles on. She hasn’t been this excited in God knows how long. Truth is, Roux has a hard time at life. Her mom is worthless. Her dad is doing life in prison for shooting and killing three men during a bar fight. And the kids at school are fucking monsters to her. All she has is me.
And now Charlotte.
It makes me uneasy because I know how kids can be. Especially the pretty popular ones. They’re vicious and mean. What happens if Charlotte realizes Roux doesn’t have any friends? Will she leave her behind for the cool kids?
That thought angers me.
I swallow it down, though, and focus on getting up to the third floor in one piece. Several assholes glower at me like they might start some shit, but I crack my neck and eyeball them back. In the end, they leave us alone. As we walk up to our apartment, I notice smoke sliding out from underneath the door.
What the fuck?
I touch the handle, but it’s cold.
“Hold this,” I tell Roux, passing off the leftovers as I unlock the door.
With the turn of the knob, I open the door and push it open. Thick, gray smoke billows out.
“Stay here,” I instruct as I rush in. “Mom? Alejandro?”
Nothing.
They’re not home.
I choke and wave my hand in the air as I make my way into the kitchen. A fucking pot of macaroni is cooking, but the water has long since evaporated. It’s charred to black and smoking. With a growl, I turn off the stove and then toss the pot into the sink. Once I fill it with water, I open a couple of windows and head back to Roux.
“Is our apartment on fire?” she squeaks.
I scrub my palm down my face, fighting exhaustion. “No, but it’s smoky. I’m going to call Mike and have him come check it out for us. Make sure we can sleep here tonight.”
Roux sits down on the dirty carpet and pulls out one of her novels. While she reads, I call one of my mom’s few ex-boyfriends who was worth a damn. Of course he smartened up and moved on. It just sucked we got left behind too.
“This is Mike.”
“Hey, man,” I grunt out. “How busy are you tonight?”
“Never too busy for you or Roux.”
I let out a sigh of relief. “Great. So, uh, Mom or Alejandro left something on the stove. The apartment is filled with smoke—”
“Don’t go inside. I’m on my way,” he says, immediately going into fireman mode.
“I already did. Got the stove turned off and the pot in water. I opened a couple of windows.”
“That was dangerous, Roan,” he chides. “You could have been exposed to toxic smoke.”
“I know, I know,” I grumble. “You don’t have to bring the firetruck—”
My words are cut off by the wail of a siren on his end.
So much for that.
As I wait, I notice my phone has been blowing up in my pocket. I wouldn’t even have a phone—neither would Terrence or Jordy for that matter—if it weren’t for Cal getting his dad to put us on their family plan. We pay him ten bucks a month each for the added lines. Sometimes I don’t know what I’d do without the added security of being able to call someone like Ms. Frazier if I need help with Roux or when I need a ride from one of my boys.
Unknown Number: This is Hollis.
I add the number in as “Rat,” and it changes all the texts from him, which are a lot.
Rat: Are you safe?
Rat: Do I need to come get you guys?
Rat: I know you hate me, but just reply, okay?
Rat: You don’t have to be a dick about it.