Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 72655 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72655 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
“Tomorrow,” Rome said, piping in for the first time. “Tomorrow he’ll be shipped here.”
Something passed between Rome and Slate then, and I was left wondering if maybe I should reiterate that Slate didn’t need to do anything stupid to jeopardize his own parole.
But I chose to stay my tongue.
Slate was a big boy, and he knew what he was doing.
If he wanted to beat the crap out of the man who had beaten the crap out of me, imprisoned two teenagers for three months and starved them, and was the reason behind another man losing his shit and going on a shooting rampage inside of a hospital, well then who was I to tell him no?
Rodrigo deserved what he got.
No questions asked.
I did relay a little bit of information, though.
“Rodrigo was shot in the left leg. It still pains him.”
***
Slate
I ground my booted foot into Rodrigo’s left leg, staring down at the little fucker who had done so much harm to my family.
What had started out as him smacking my sister around had turned into something much worse.
“What did I tell you would happen if you ever hurt her again?” I growled, pressing down.
Rodrigo started to cry.
“What. Did. I. Tell. You?” I snapped.
Rodrigo took a deep, steadying breath, and tried to breathe through the pain.
“You…you told me if I ever hurt her again, you’d ruin my life,” he hiccupped. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know that boy was related to her…and to you. I would’ve never taken him if I’d known. You made it more than clear when you found out I was h-hurting her that y-you’d kill me. I didn’t know!”
He ended that statement on a wail.
I believed the little prick.
When I’d found out that Rodrigo had been hurting my sister, we’d had a little chat. That little chat had shown Rodrigo the light, and he promised to never, ever touch my sister again. Nor would he go near her. We had an understanding that if they saw each other in the grocery store, he’d turn and go the other way.
And if he didn’t?
Well, I may be in prison, but I sure the fuck still had contacts everywhere.
I knew when things happened in my town, and I damn well knew if Rodrigo was following his word.
It gutted me to know that I’d fallen down on the job when it came to Ruben. When Ruben had been born, Oscar had made me his godparent. I took my vows seriously, and it really hurt to know that the fucker currently laying on the floor beneath my foot was the cause of such harm.
“All’s well that ends well, man,” Rodrigo wheezed. “Swear to God, I never meant to hurt them. I just knew the girl would talk, so I couldn’t let her out until I knew that I could leave safely. I had too many deals to tie up…I had to do it.”
He didn’t have to do shit, and we both knew it.
“Too late.” I finally stepped off of his leg. “Enjoy having Rome as your guard, though…that’s gonna be fun for both of us.”
As I walked away, I shook Rome’s hand but stopped when I would’ve normally let him go.
“The same goes for you, motherfucker,” I told him with a steely-eyed glare. “You had your one fuck-up. She tells me that it wasn’t your fault…but I’m still on the fence about it.” I dropped my hand. “Don’t make the same mistake twice.”
Rome’s eyes went soft. “It scares the shit out of me. I’m literally scared shitless with every step I take.”
I softened toward the man.
I knew what that felt like.
Knew it and hated it.
Living in fear wasn’t something anyone was designed to do. You shouldn’t have to move on from death, especially for loved ones that died way too soon.
I should know.
Vanessa’s—and our baby’s—death felt like a hot fire poker in my chest every single time I inhaled.
“Sometimes, Rome, you have to move past the fear, or you’ll never live again. Sometimes, you have to ride that fear and hope it doesn’t kill you the next time death sneaks up on you.”
With that, I went back to my cell and didn’t look back.
***
Rome
I walked into my quiet house later that night, very aware of the two teenage occupants that were staying there for another few weeks until their dorms opened up at their university.
Both kids had worked their asses off to graduate early with their GEDs and would be starting college in the fall.
I was even more aware of the way the house felt like a home for the first time since I could remember.
The big house now had three occupants that weren’t guests…that would never be guests.
Especially the one currently laying in my bed, sideways.
She was in her underwear and one of my old football jerseys. The jersey was so big that it usually hung to her thighs.