Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 105398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 527(@200wpm)___ 422(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 527(@200wpm)___ 422(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
I was so goddamn mad at Sidney. During the trial, she’d brought up every bad thing I’d ever done. The time I smoked pot when I was sixteen. When I took a joyride in my neighbor’s ’64 Ford Mustang. The time I had sex with her in front of an open window, even going as far as saying that I forced her. Everything she had on me was seriously stupid shit that I haven’t done in over ten years. (Minus the sex thing. Ember brought out the bad in me.)
When Ember left me sitting on the bench, I knew she was a little miffed with my attitude, but I just couldn’t help the deep-seated hatred I felt for Sidney. Every time I saw her, I wanted to choke the life out of her. I was trying my hardest not to take my annoyance out on Ember, so I kept my mouth shut and waited for the judge to call us back in to his chambers.
I was about to get up and head after her when Ember’s piercing scream tore through me. My heart dropped down to my toes, and I ran faster than I’ve ever ran. I slammed the doors open and bounded down the steps. I saw her on top of a car, kicking for all she was worth. Taking in every little detail, I saw form of a small child in the backseat, and knew exactly what she was trying to do. Extracting the gun from the small of my back, I used the butt to break the passenger window.
The next few minutes flew by as I tried my best to bring Cora’s temperature up. The paramedics arrived, and I decided to ride with them. I rode with her, and left Ember on the courthouse steps looking devastated. I sent Max a quick text telling him to get to the courthouse ASAP, and shoved it back into my pocket.
We arrived at the hospital, and I stayed out of the medic’s and doctor’s way as they brought Cora to the trauma room. One of the emergency room nurses told me to have a seat in the waiting area, and I did so reluctantly. It was the hardest thing I’d ever done, walking away from her.
I was in the rickety waiting room chairs for a little over ten minutes when Ember burst through the doors. Her hair was wild. What was once a braid, now more resembled a rat’s nest. She had bruises forming up and down each of her arms. Her face was a tear-streaked mess. Her mascara was running down her cheeks in little black streaks. She looked horrible.
She saw me and ran full tilt towards me. She barreled into me and wrapped her arms around my neck.
“Oh God, Gabe. Is she okay?” she asked rasped.
Just as I was about to answer, a hysterically screaming Sidney entered through the doors of the main entrance.
“My baby, my baby!” the bitch screamed over and over again.
My blood ran cold. That fucking bitch.
Ω
Ember
“You have got to be fucking kidding me!” I screeched.
I sounded like I’d just chain smoked twelve packages of cigarettes. My throat burned with each word I said, but that woman made me see red.
I made it two steps before Max was able to catch me. I struggled to get away from him while security went over to the horrid woman. Two cops that were inside the trauma room came out into the lobby at the sound of the commotion. One split off and came in our direction, and the other went off towards Gabe’s ex.
“What’s going on here?” the cop asked.
“That woman was the one who left her child in the car to die. I saw her in the hallway when the ambulance pulled out. She said she resented Gabe, and seeing all that happened with her baby made it all worth it. She also said something about Gabe’s stepfather, but didn’t elaborate.” I managed to get out.
Gabe passed me like a shot. One second he was behind me, and the next he was shoving the cop out of the way to get to Sidney. Max cursed and let me go, heading to intercept the fight that was inevitably about to break out. That was the last thing that Gabe needed right now.
Coughing to get my voice to come out a little stronger, I listened as the officer addressed the one trying to get Gabe away from Sidney.
“Murphy. Give it a second.” The uniform yelled.
Murphy backed up, and let the train wreck play out. Max had his arms banded tight around Gabe’s chest from behind. Muscles were bulging on both of their bodies. Gabe looked like he was about to choke the life out of her.
“How could you forget our baby in the mother fucking car?” he seethed.
“You’re nothing to her. Where were you when I had to give birth to that little rat? That’s right you were deployed. I needed you and you weren’t even there. So I did what I had to do.” She sneered.
“Sidney! You told me you aborted her! How was I supposed to be there with you when you told me you aborted it, and then wanted to break up?” he said with deadly calm.
She must have sensed that she was in serious danger, so she retreated two steps back and bumped into the wall.
“That kid ruined my life. My husband left me when he found out that kid wasn’t his. He was skeptical in the beginning when he saw the black fucking hair and the dark skin and left me, but I managed to convince him to come back. All was fucking great until that bitch came along and ruined everything. I lived for the day that I got to rub her in your face. Today turned out a little differently that I had planned, but it all worked out well in the end. Too bad your step daddy wasn’t here to witness this.” She sniggered.
The bitch was not only crazy, but she was suicidal. Max strained, but his grip held true. Time for me to intervene. I walked up slowly and placed myself in between Gabe and Sidney. I was plastered right up against Gabe so I didn’t touch Sidney at all. He was looking over my shoulder, not acknowledging me in the slightest. I got up on my tiptoes to look him in the eyes.