Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 88080 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88080 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
She can’t work here.
Not with Renaldo breathing down my neck.
A smile is tugging at her lips until her eyes meet mine. One quick perusal of my beat to shit face, and she’s pushing through the door into the kitchen.
“Jordy!” she shrieks, her eyes teary as she looks up at me. “What happened?”
I wince when she touches my bruised cheek. “Got in a scuffle.”
Her amber eyes turn hard. Just like Roan’s. “Oh hell no. Not now. Not after everything. Tell me who did this to you. I’m not buying your usual protector bullshit. Tell me the truth.”
“Renaldo,” I mutter with a sigh.
“Why would he…” she trails off, horror washing over her features. “Kayden? Is he…”
“He’s fine. Just got his bitch ass kicked when I left last night.”
“Because of me.” Her eyes water and her bottom lip trembles. “I’m so sorry.”
I cup her face with my palms, frowning at her. “This is not your fault. None of this is your fault.”
“You should go to the doctor. Your cheek looks like it might need stitches.”
“Nah,” I grunt. “I’ll be fine. Why are you even here anyway? Not that I mind seeing you.”
She nods, gesturing to the wall. “Garrett’s buying the building. The vacant space next door is where he’s going to open his office.”
“He’s staying here? Charlotte and Penny will be happy.”
Her smile is brief. “Yeah. I think it’ll be a good thing having her dad here. Anyway, Hollis and Roan are looking at the space with him. I decided to come over here and apply for a waitress job when I saw the sign in the window. Wouldn’t it be cool if we worked together?”
My heart clenches in my chest. Working with her, under normal circumstances, would be fun. Getting to see her more often would be great. But it can’t happen.
“I’d like that but not with Renaldo riding my ass. It’s not safe, Little Hoodlum.”
All happiness fades as understanding dawns on her.
“I want to kill him,” Roux seethes. “Can’t we go to the cops?”
I grab her hand, leading her to the back where Bob has a small desk wedged into what looks like used to be a supply closet. Quickly, I close the door behind us.
“Listen, baby,” I murmur, pressing a kiss to her mouth even though it hurts my split lip. “You can’t say shit like that. He has people everywhere. Even here.”
Fear shimmers in her coppery eyes. “I didn’t think…”
I stroke my fingers through her soft hair. “Just be careful what you say. I’ll be fine. I guess I needed the reminder of what a psycho Renaldo is.” I close my eyes. “It’s not safe for you to be around me. If he knows what you mean to me…” I swallow down that statement. “He can’t know.”
She hugs me. “I’ll be careful. I’m so sorry, Jordy.”
“It’s okay,” I rumble. “Everything’s going to be okay. Give me some time to work shit out.”
Her head tilts up so she can see me. “I want to help.”
“You can’t,” I growl.
“I’m not letting you go to prison again. And I sure as hell am not letting you die. Tell me what I can do.”
Everything in me screams to take her back to the dining room and deposit her into her brother’s arms where she’s safe. But Roux’s not some helpless, scared girl. I know how she grew up. She’s had a rough life. The girl is made of tough stuff.
She’s a Hoodlum like me.
I draw her close, brushing my lips to her ear.
Whispered words tumble from my mouth. With each word, she hardens, straightens, grows determined.
I guess she’s right.
Having people on my team is better than going at it alone.
Roux
Kayden’s not here.
Every school day, but especially on Mondays, after not seeing me all weekend, he’s usually waiting for me by my locker, ready to woo me. Today, he wasn’t there. There were lots of rumors going on about what Ryan did to him, but I stayed out of it like Jordy told me to. Jordy said Kayden’s okay and not dead or anything. So that alleviates some of the worry.
I make it to the top of the stairwell, headed for Wes’s class, when I see them.
Ryan and Charlotte.
The arrogant creep has her caged in against a bank of lockers, one hand above her and his body close to hers as he bitches her out. Her head is bowed, her limp hair hanging in her face. He must sense my staring because he turns, his sadistic grin making me shiver. Slowly, he raises his middle finger at me. Then, he pulls Charlotte to him, kissing her in a possessive way that makes my skin crawl. I hurry to class, hating Ryan with every fiber of my being.
Wes’s eyes brighten when I enter the classroom. I give him a small smile before heading to my desk. Quickly, I tap out a text to Hollis.