Page 16 of Protected

But Junior also never heard his father be this mean to his mother. He never talked to her like this. She was the only person who could usually calm Wolf down, and he always called her his queen.

Before Junior could brace himself, his father backhanded him.

Pain shot through his face and rattled his brain as if an explosion had detonated inside his skull. But on reflex, Junior hit him back. He jabbed his father in the jaw, putting enough power behind the punch to cause his dad’s head to snap back. Yet, it was as if Junior hadn’t touched him. The man stayed rooted in place.

He met his father’s gaze. At first, pride radiated in the man’s eyes, but his expression quickly turned to hatred. Junior was tall for his age, but Wolf had several inches on him and at least sixty pounds of pure muscle. He was also the meanest, nastiest person Junior knew. It didn’t matter that he was his father. Wolf wouldn’t hesitate to stomp him into the ground.

Junior might only be twelve, but he had already seen and done more than most kids his age, including staying out all night to sell drugs for his father. And one thing he had already learned from his dad was to never back down from a fight, and he never would.

“If you’re big, bad, and man enough to fight me, boy, then you need to pack your shit and get the fuck out of my house,” Wolf growled.

“You said mom is your queen, but you’ve been yelling at her and treating her like shit,” Junior shot back.

“Get. Out!”

“No! I’m not leaving.” Even though inside his bones were rattling like an overstuffed washing machine, Junior refused to show fear. His father could smell fear.

Wolf moved so fast, he was a blur when he grabbed Junior by the front of his shirt and slammed him against a nearby wall. Mina screamed from across the room.

“Your ass is leaving even if I have to literally throw you out.”

“Stop it, Maverick! If my son leaves, I’m leaving too.” Mina might’ve only been five-four and maybe a hundred and ten pounds, but she shoved her way in between them, forcing his father to release him. “I mean it. He’s just a child.”

“Mina, get out the way,” Wolf barked. “This is between me and the boy. You can’t keep babying him. If he’s man enough to talk back to me, then he’s man enough to fend for himself. Now get out the way!”

He shoved her to the side and got back in Junior’s face, but Mina pushed her way between them again.

“I mean it, Maverick. If you make him leave, I’m leaving with him!” she yelled, poking him in the chest.

“Shut up, woman! I will never let you leave me,” Wolf roared.

He drew his hand back and slapped her so hard, her feet left the floor as she went flying.

“No!” Junior screamed a second before the side of Mina’s head connected with the counter, and a loud crack pierced the air before her body crumbled to the floor.

“Mama!”

“Mina!” His father pushed him out the way and ran to her. “Oh, my God. Mina, baby, I’m sorry. Please don’t be…”

“Mama!” Junior dropped to his knees next to them as tears blurred his vision. He kept screaming her name over and over, but she wasn’t moving.

When his father released her and started howling and crying, Junior moved him out the way. He gathered his mother into his arms.

“Mama. Wake up,” he cried, shaking her. “Please wake up, Mama, please.” When he looked at her face, Junior froze.

He blinked several times, trying to clear the tears from his eyes, but then…

Chelsey.

What? How?

Chelsey! His heart slammed against his chest, and his body trembled as blood poured from the side of her head.

“No! No! Chelsey!” he screamed over and over. “Chelsey! Please, baby open your eyes. Please don’t leave me. Chelsey!”

Parker bolted upright in bed with a pillow in his arms as he struggled to catch his breath. His gaze darted around the darkened room, but all he could see was blackness.

His chest heaved as his heart pounded hard enough to be heard in the next room while sweat dripped down his face.

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