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)
“Oh, fuck, Roan. I’m so sorry.”
He rests his forehead on our conjoined hands. “I just need t-to think. I just need to sleep.”
“Sleep,” I murmur, squeezing his hand. “Sleep. Then we’ll figure it out together.”
His breathing comes out soft and rhythmic a moment later. It lulls me into my own nap. At least when we’re sleeping, we don’t have to deal with all the unfair bullshit.
We’re going to figure this out.
We have to.
Roan
Two months later…
His dark eyes are vacant. Jordy is no longer the kid playing basketball with me or fucking with me about my lack of cooking skills. No, he’s dressed in a cheap suit that probably belongs to his dad awaiting his sentencing.
I hate how resigned he is to his future.
Hollis grips my hand so tightly, I think my bones will break. It would feel better than the shredding of my heart.
Roux fidgets from beside me. She’s upset. We both are. But there’s nothing we can do. Jordy was adamant about what really went down. Some fake ass story that the cops pretty much rolled their eyes over, but one they accepted, nonetheless.
Rival gangs.
I was some tool for him to get to Alejandro.
He swore to them that I was just there to visit my sister, not kidnap her like Mom claimed. The gangsters attacked me and Roux, and then Jordy killed those men. He told them it was convenient, because they needed to die anyway. For gang related reasons.
During the trial, they attempted to get answers from Jordy. The name of the supposed gang he was with. Why they had beef with Alejandro. How come he told the cops during the standoff he was protecting us and never mentioned these alleged gangs. It was a shitshow and Jordy just sat there stone-faced and quiet. The one time he decided to speak was to plead guilty. Everyone was pissed off. The lawyers. The judge. Us. But what can you do when someone just willingly takes the heat for shit?
Nothing.
My mind drifts to the one time we spoke.
“My attorney says I’m going to prison no matter what I tell them,” Jordy says, swallowing. “No need to have them drag you through the mud.”
“It’s not dragging me through the mud,” I hiss. “It’s being honest as to why we were there. She was being assaulted. I went there to save her. You were worried, so you came too. The four men were trying to hurt us. You killed them. The fucking end, Jordy. We all go home. Together.”
He shakes his head, his dark eyes sad as they probe me. “We’re not boys anymore, man. We’re adults. Your mom’s claim means you’re looking at serious jail time for attempted kidnapping. Years, Roan. You have a future.”
“Oh, give me a fucking break,” I snap. “You have a future too and you’re ruining it. Ruining everything.”
“For Roux,” he growls. “And you. Besides, I’m not ruining everything. I’m being smart. For once in my damn life, I’m being smart. You ‘visiting’ your sister and getting caught up in a gang war keeps you both innocent and victims. I’m going to prison either way, so I may as well keep you clean.”
“This is bullshit! You were defending us!”
“I think it’s time for you to go. It’s done, brother.”
I hastily swipe at my tears. “It’s not done. I’ll tell them all this. That it’s all just your way of protecting us. You’ll get a lesser sentence. You can come back to us.”
His features grow cold. “I’ll deny it.” He sneers. “I used you. To kill those motherfuckers.”
“Stop, Jordy,” I beg. “Please. The cops who responded already know you were protecting us. Come on, man, we can fix this.”
“This takes the focus off why you were there,” he snaps. “How many times do we need to go over this? They will toss your ass in jail just as quickly as they will me for what I did. Do you want Roux all alone with your mom and her next asshole boyfriend?” He cracks his neck. “I sure as hell don’t. Who’s to say the next one doesn’t hurt her in ways that can’t be undone? She needs you.”
“She needs you too,” I argue, choking on an angry sob. “We both do.”
“You have the rat and she has his sister. Just…” He sighs. “Just let me take the fall for this and stay clean. Make me proud. Go fight fires like you always wanted. Go make babies with the rat for all I care. Just make sure Roux is right there with you and safe. Swear it to me, Roan. On our friendship, brother.”
Defeated, I nod.
I’ll do it for him.
I’ll do it for Roux.
Because, honestly, I don’t know what else to do.
As the memory fades, I stare at Jordy. He’s so resigned to doing this. It kills me. But, after researching the laws, he was right. If they dug and could prove I had plans to kidnap Roux, which they easily could, I would get a few years if convicted. A few years that Roux cannot afford to lose of me. I’d read up on Oregon laws and his sentence would be reduced if he could prove extreme emotional distress, which was plausible considering he was trying to save us, but that would once again shine the spotlight on why I was there. We all know it wasn’t for a friendly visit. I was there to take her.