Page 36 of A Daddy for Maddy

“You don’t know what you’re talking about, boy.”

I saw Ozzy was still breathing, then turned back toward Griff. “Leave him alone. He doesn’t want you.”

“How dare you talk about something you know nothing about!”

“I know he fainted from pure fear! Why would you want that in a boy?”

“Cute, isn’t he?”

My fingers curled into fists. “Why are you doing this to him?”

“Because he’s mine. I own him. And he knows it.” Griff strode forward so quickly I jumped back. He was bent over Ozzy within the blink of an eye. “Come on, boy. Get up. Get up!”

“Leave him alone!” I screamed the words. Everything that kept me polite and civilized and little went right out the window. I started to lash out. Kicking. Punching.

“Shit, you fucking brat! Stop that!”

Suddenly, hands were on me. Good. That would distract him. Maybe Ozzy would wake up and make a run for it.

I didn’t care about the hands on me, or how they rose to my neck and closed tight, making it hard to breathe. I kept kicking and punching with all my might. His hands choked the screams away. Now I struggled to keep my balance, to keep kicking.

“Little shit! Stop!”

The room began to spin. A sparkly darkness came in from the sides of my vision like a big, black tide. I heard a loud roar as the blood rushed inside me. Was this the end? My life had been so short. I wasn’t ready. And I had only just met the daddy I’d always dreamed of.

Suddenly, I was falling back. I thought I heard voices. So far away.

Somebody put a hand against my back, helping me to sit up. When had I fallen all the way down to the floor?

“Can you breathe?” a voice asked.

Air rushed into my lungs and out again. I blinked and the darkness that had creeped into my vision started to recede.

I saw Colin on top of Griff, struggling to keep him down. Griff was huge. Trent, in his three-piece suit, joined in, one knee on his chest as Colin sat on the man’s thighs and leaned in, holding his wrists to the floor.

Security came running into the room. “One man down at exit four. Alive but bleeding from a head wound.”

There were three men in uniform surrounding Griff, Trent and Colin, now. One knelt at Griff’s ankles and cuffed them with a short chain between them. Another knelt by Colin and Trent and cuffed Griff’s wrists with plastic bindings.

My throat hurt when I breathed, but I was okay. Now I was worried about Ozzy.

I forced myself up and went to him. He looked dazed and unsure, but his eyes were focusing again. I picked up Kornie and handed him to him to hold, then put my arms around him while talking softly into his ear.

“It’s okay. Griff’s caught. They caught him. He’s not going to hurt you ever again.”

As soon as security had Griff trussed up and on his feet, Trent jumped up and ran to Ozzy, taking him from me and gathering him into his arms. Colin came to me and hugged me, then leaned back and surveyed my neck.

“Are you all right? Do you need to go to the ER?” he asked.

I put my hand to my throat and rubbed. It felt like bruising only. “I think I’m okay.”

The guards dragged Griff out of the room. The detectives followed. Griff yelled and fought even as three guys held him, cussing worse than anyone I’d ever heard.

“It’s straight to jail with you and your brother Stewart,” I heard someone say.

Trent turned, still clutching Ozzy tightly to his chest. “Maddy should be taken for a check. Bruising around the throat can lead to swelling until he can’t breathe.”

“Right.” Colin caught me up as he stood, lifting me into his arms.

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