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Jessa gave me a pleading look. Don’t do anything stupid, please. But I couldn’t bear the thought of Vince putting his dirty fucking hands on her. It was bad enough that my father treated her like shit.
“He’s busy,” I said, pulling to my full height. I wasn’t stacked like Vince, but I wasn’t a pussy either.
“Phoenix.” Jessa used her sharp voice, the one she usually reserved for the nights my old man came home drunk and smelling like cheap perfume. “Vince is right, you should—”
“No. No fucking way.” I stepped in front of her, shielding her. “I’m not about to leave you alone with—”
He whipped his pistol out, clicking off the safety and pointing it straight at my head. “You really don’t want to fuck with me, kid. Now I suggest you get the hell out of here so me and Jessa can settle your old man’s debt.”
“Nix, please,” Jessa clutched my back, her fingers trembling against my t-shirt. “It’s okay, sweetie. I can handle it.” Fear clung to her whispered words despite the conviction in them.
She would do this for my father. For me. And it fucking gutted me.
“What’s it gonna be, kid?” Vince pressed the barrel of the gun closer until the cool steel touched my head. Fear and adrenaline coursed through me. I didn’t want to leave her… to leave her like a lamb to the slaughter. But Vince Colombo wouldn’t think twice about putting a bullet through my skull. And I wasn’t any good to her dead.
Fuck.
Fuck!
My body trembled, blood roaring between my ears. I wanted to roar, to throw my fists into his smug fucking face and protect Jessa. She deserved more, so much more than being used like a fucking whore all because my old man ran in dodgy circles.
“Nix…” she whispered again, nudging me gently.
Go, her touch seemed to say. It’s okay.
It wasn’t. Not by a long shot. But what choice did I have?
“Yeah, I’m out,” I said, holding up my hands in surrender.
“Right choice, kid. Now get the fuck out of here and don’t come back for an hour or so.”
Jessa stiffened, her fear a living, breathing thing brushing up against me.
Grabbing my cell phone and keys, I forced myself to move toward the door, glancing back at her. “I’ll see you soon, okay.”
Tight-lipped, unshed tears glistening in her eyes, she nodded.
And I slipped into the night, releasing a thin breath.
My cell phone taunted me. I could call the cops. Report a suspected assault. But it was The Row, I’d be lucky if they’d even send a cruiser. Add in Vince Colombo’s name and they’d run a fucking mile. Besides, ratting him out was as good as signing my death warrant.
So I did the only thing I could. Climbed in my car and started my own vigil, waiting until he left.
If I couldn’t be in there with her, it was the least I could do.
Time stood still.
Five minutes.
Ten.
Thirty.
Each long second was more painful than the last, a heavy weight crushing my chest. So heavy that every breath was a struggle.
I could imagine what he was doing to her. I’d heard my old man do it enough. Even witnessed it a couple of times.
My cell taunted me. I’d texted my father the second I’d gotten into my car giving him hell for Jessa’s predicament, but the bastard still hadn’t texted back. I snatched it up and contemplated texting Zane or Kye. But they would both want to come and back me up and I didn’t need things escalating when Vince finally emerged from the trailer.
