Page 99 of Anything To Be With You

I fire him a look and he flashes that Axe smile.

Mason shoves Axe towards the stairs. "I’ll see you tomorrow sometime, Ma."

"Be home for curfew." I remind him.

"I know. Make sure you have clothes on when I get home."

"Smartass."

They haul ass downstairs and out the door, leaving me standing at the top. Letting out a breath, I scoop up my clothes and head into my bathroom.

Banging on my front door startles me and I sit up on the couch. Netflix is stuck on are you still watching. I glance at the clock, a quarter to one in the morning. The banging continues as I climb off the couch.

I keep the top child lock in place as I open the door enough to look out. It could be Mr. Wallace again. He has been known to lock himself out of the house, so he gave me a spare key. But he usually calls first.

"For fuck sakes. What the fuck are you doing here?" I demand. The scent of stale beer hits me in the face.

"Let me in." Josh pushes on the door.

"No." I throw all my weight into the solid wood door, but he has a good seventy pounds on me.

"Dani, let me in."

"Go fuck yourself," I say, leaning all my weight against the door.

"I’ll break it down," Josh warns.

I manage to get the door closed but before I can throw the deadbolt, Josh slams into it, busting the child lock, and sending me flying into the stairs.

"Where’s my son." He slurs.

I pick myself up. "Not here. Get out."

Josh grabs my arm and flings me into the wall, pinning me in place with his body.

"Where did he go? He was here two hours ago." Josh demands.

"Have you been watching the house?"

"I have been watching my son. Seeing as how you’re out all night. Where is he." Josh grabs my arms tightly and slams me against the wall, rattling the pictures above my head. "Answer me!"

"I know where he is and that’s all that matters." I bark.

His hands tighten on my arms and I bite my tongue to keep from crying out. It’ll just fuel the fire. He snarls and slams me again, this time knocking a couple of pictures off the wall. They smash on the floor, sending shards of glass everywhere.

"Did you send him out to wander the streets so you can invite Luke over. I know you’re fucking him."

I spit in his face. "What I do is none of your business and no, Mason is not wandering the streets. I would never do that to my son. No matter what you believe."

"I wouldn’t put it past you. You don’t give two shits about that kid. I can see it and so will the judge and they'll have no problem handing my son over to me."

"He stopped being your son the minute you left us and never looked back."

Josh slams me against the wall once more before hauling me to the floor and pinning me there with his massive body. The glass shards cutting into my bare arms. His face softens as he looks at me. I push against his shoulders.

"I miss your pussy," he yanks at my shorts. "Fucking was the only thing you were good at."

I smash the heal of my palm into his nose, causing him to roll off me. I scramble to my feet while Josh is preoccupied and run out the door. I’m not going to allow him to hurt me again. I’m not that scared sixteen-year-old girl anymore.

---