Page 67 of Fighting a Riot

Smile Like That

Yak

Maybe it was a trait of all women, but just like his mom, Nora had made him feel guilty for not inviting her over for the movie. Since he’d already made popcorn, he ate some for her. It sucked being such an ass to her, but she needed to focus on getting better.

He emptied the popcorn bowl and washed it in the kitchen sink. As he rinsed it, movement outside Nora’s place caught his attention.

He turned off the lights. His eyes adjusted to the darkness and he saw two men prowling around the perimeter of the carriage house. Yak grabbed an extra gun he left hidden in the cabinet, hurried to the laundry room where he shoved his socked feet into his boots. He opened the door slow and quiet, then stalked to Nora’s place.

The sound of glass breaking infuriated him. The woman had just undergone another round of chemo, it had to be taking a toll, and these assholes were breaking into her place?

Oh, fuck no. That would not stand.

His adrenaline surged and he hurried to her door because he didn’t think a woman like her had a gun.

He kicked in her front door. A gunshot rang out in the small house. Dread filled his veins, filled him to his soul with an icy chill.

“You fucking bitch! You shot me in the foot!”

A rustling sound came from his left. He crouched just as a fist flew through the air. Rising from his stance, he used his momentum to land a powerful uppercut to the man’s abdomen.

The overhead light in the kitchen came on and Nora still aimed her gun at her attacker. His face was twisted with pain.

Yak turned just before his assailant threw a jab at him. He dodged that and connected with his own jab to the man’s jaw.

A siren cut through the night air. Both men wore balaclavas, but the one in front of Yak darted to the front door. Yak lunged for him, but he pulled back when the man threw out a nasty backward kick at Yak.

“Drop your gun, bitch.”

The other man’s voice forced Yak’s attention back to Nora and her assailant.

“Get on the fuckin’ ground asshole, before I blow your brains out,” Yak snarled.

“Fuck you, Yak.”

“Not happening, asswipe. Drop your gun, and get on the ground.”

The front door stood open, and he heard a car—possibly two—stop near Nora’s home.

“Police! Drop your weapons!”

Yak caught Nora’s gaze and she slowly lowered her gun while he did the same.

The asshole, however, kept his gun aimed at Nora. Regret slammed through Yak as he realized his mistake. This person, whoever he was, didn’t care if he went down for a crime.

“Get down, Nora!” Yak yelled.

She hit the deck like a trained soldier a moment before another shot rang out. The officer behind him shot the man. Then Yak saw the man’s body jerk again as another shot rent the air.

A strange sense of disappointment washed through him as he watched the man’s body fall to the ground.

Shit.

Yak knew the man was dead. Whoever it was wouldn’t be offering up any answers… hell, it might be days before they found out who the man was since the cops were here.

Two officers came inside, one coming to him and the other going to Nora before checking on the attacker.

In no time, he stood on the opposite side of the backyard from Nora while an older, African-American officer asked him to recount what happened that night. For the fourth time, he repeated his story for the officer. The entire time he wanted to be at Nora’s side. He’d underestimated her thinking she wouldn’t have a weapon, but this had to be her first police questioning after firing a weapon. She needed someone to have her back.

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