Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 95906 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95906 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
“Hey, is that them?” King asked.
I forced myself to look up and felt my entire body go rigid at the sight of Micah trotting down the sidewalk opposite us. He was carrying Rory in his arms and while it was too dark to see his expression, there was no missing how he was quickening his pace as he got closer to the house.
My heart leapt at the sight of him even as my brain began sending up warning flags left and right as Micah all but ran up the driveway and disappeared inside the house. I didn’t know what possessed me to do it, but I found myself lowering my window. I held my breath as I tried to listen for any unusual sounds, but all was quiet.
For about fifteen seconds.
Then all hell broke loose.
It began with muffled voices which had to mean the voices were much louder within the house. I forced myself to remain in my seat even as I closed my fingers around the door handle.
Within a matter of seconds, things went from bad to worse. As whatever argument was happening in the house escalated in volume, it was quickly joined by screams followed by what sounded like furniture being thrown around. At the same time that one of the few remaining intact windows along the side of the house broke out, the front door was thrown open and two figures came pouring out. I immediately recognized Christopher and Rory.
“King,” I called as I jerked my door open and climbed out of the car. I didn’t wait to see if my brother had my back because I already knew the answer to that.
Always.
He’d always have my back, fight between us be damned.
“Christopher!” I shouted as I began running toward the house. The teenager froze in his tracks, causing Rory, who was once again wearing her princess dress, to run into him. I could hear both of them sobbing. I glanced back at the window—the one that had been broken out only seconds earlier—and tried not to lose my shit over what could be happening inside. By the time I looked back toward Christopher and Rory, the pair were on the move again.
Away from us.
“King!” I shouted as I made a split-second decision.
“I’ve got them!” King called from behind me. As I sprinted to the house, I saw King hurrying after the kids as they disappeared into a vacant lot across the street that was pitched in total darkness. Rage and terror gripped me equally as I ran up to the front door. Just as I was entering, I saw a man leave through the side door that led to the driveway. I felt my stomach drop out violently as I saw the man floundering to tuck his dress shirt into his open pants. When our eyes connected for the briefest of moments, the guy’s face fell and then he grabbed his open pants with one hand and tore like a bat out of hell toward the car parked in the driveway.
I knew that I could catch him if I tried.
I shook with how badly I wanted to vault over the rickety handrail and put my fingers around the man’s throat because I knew in my gut that he hadn’t been there for some inappropriate, albeit consensual fuck.
Not with the way those kids had come tearing out of the house.
But Micah was still in there and that was all it took to have me turning my attention to the front door. I didn’t even bother to check if the thing was locked or not. I directed all my rage at the flimsy piece of wood and kicked it in.
“You think you get to make decisions in this house, boy?” a man shouted as I rushed into the house. “You entitled little piece of shit!”
I heard flesh striking flesh and a soft groan. I knew in my gut who’d made that sound and that had me ignoring my usual instinct to clear each room as I made my way through the house. I wasn’t armed, but with the amount of rage spilling into my blood with every step I took, I didn’t need to be.
From the entryway, I had the option to go right or left. Since I knew where the fight was happening, I veered left. I tried to ignore the stench that threatened to overwhelm me as I made my way farther into the house. Rotting garbage and unwashed bodies assaulted my senses.
I didn’t want to even think about what else I was smelling.
“Maybe if you hadn’t let yourself go to shit, Barry would still be willing to pay top dollar for your ass!”
I didn’t hear Micah’s response but the sound of a fist striking flesh had me picking up my pace as I moved past a small living room. There was a woman in the process of shooting up on the couch, but I paid her no heed.