Page 86 of Watched

I pull on my pants and Rain’s black hoodie, then jump out of the car and snatch my phone from Rain’s extended hand, turning it back on while fighting to ignore the lingering discomfort in my ass. The sound of a motorcycle rumbles beside us as I throw myself into the passenger seat, flicking through the notifications from four minutes ago.

Indie: Missed Call.

Indie: Missed Call.

Indie: One new voicemail.

I wretch the seatbelt across me, trying to breathe through the guilt flooding my chest. Gravel crunches under the tyres as Rain takes off down the decline, and I click on the voicemail, putting it on speaker.

“Rome!” Indie screams, completely distraught. Tears rim my eyes. “Rome, please come back! Dad just punched Kilah, and she fell down the stairs. Pl-please…Rome! Where are you? No! Dad, give me my—”

A tear falls down my cheek as I stare at Rain, the most disgusted look twisting his features.

“I heard a commotion,” the female detective informs Rain as I run past her. “Rain, you know I can’t forcefully enter that house without backup.”

“You do what you’re fucking paid to do!” he shouts.

I race up the front steps and scan my finger on the screen, swinging the door open.

A chill sweeps across my back as I stare at the blood trail from the bottom of the stairs to Indie and Kilah huddled in the corner near the couch. Kilah’s face and hair are covered in blood, her hand clasped over a gushing head wound. Mum stands before them, her face and neck bruised as she stares at my father a few feet in front of me, two phones smashed against the far wall.

He turns to face me, drunk off his ass. “Look who’s here to play knight in shining fucking armour,” he spits, wobbling on unsteady legs. “You thought you could take my family from me, you fucking little shit.”

Everything inside me snaps.

I lunge for him, my fist colliding with his jaw. Pain erupts up my arm as he stumbles sideways, and I land another, sending more blood flying from his mouth. He tries to swing and does a very fucking shit job. Rage blurs my vision, but I manage to grip his shoulders and throw him backward into the window. Glass shatters around him, drowning the screams and gasps of my mother and sisters as he falls to the floor, leaving a blood trail down the wall. I lift my foot, slamming it to his chest.

I hope that broke a fucking rib.

Hands land on my shoulders, and I swing my fist around.

Rain holds up his hands before gripping my seething face tightly. “Good job, baby.”

“I’m going to kill him.”

“I won’t allow that on your conscience. Go wash your hands.” I only see red, and it takes a few seconds before his words sink in. “Go.” He pushes me toward the kitchen.

I stumble over, witnessing the horror on the girls’ faces as they stare at me.

“Girls, go wait outside,” Rain instructs. “Blade, call—”

“Already called,” Blade interrupts.

The girls huddle out the door as I turn on the tap and wash the blood from my hands. The door quietly closes, revealing my father, bloodied and unconscious.

Rain steps to Blade. “Do it.”

Blade grins and pulls his fist back, smashing it across Rain’s jaw, sending him stumbling sideways.

What the fuck?

Rain blows out a breath, working his bloodied mouth and jaw.

“What are you doing?” I ask as he takes a frying pan from the cupboard.

He stalks past me and hits it against my father’s right hand before coating it with his blood.

No, no, no.