“Step aside, Sinclair,” the officer to the left demanded.
“What is this?”
“Curfew check.”
Bullshit.
My curfew was ten p.m. to six a.m. No one initiated a curfew check at five-fifty in the gotdamn morning.
“You see me. There’s no need for you to come inside.”
The plainclothes asshole pushed through the officers, flashed his badge to identify himself as a Parole Probation Officer, then smiled smugly. “I see you but I also have reason to believe you have illegal substances on the premises, which is also a violation of your parole. Now would you like to willingly move out of the way or would you prefer to be cuffed and wait in the back of their car while I do my job?”
My jaw flexed in anger but my hands were fucking tied. Saniya and Raiden were here. I refused to let this touch them, so I stepped aside. The more I resisted, the more he would havepushed. This wasn’t random. Someone sent this guy here to fuck with me.
The officers moved inside but remained near the door while the guy walked in, handing the folder off to one of them before he moved to the sofa and began yanking the pillows from it. He carelessly tossed them on the floor then scaled his hands down the sides and back, coming up empty. There weren’t any drugs here but I had a feeling he didn’t assume there were. This was just to provoke a reaction. One I was struggling not to provide.
“I didn’t get your name.”
“I didn’t give it,” he said after lifting the edge of the sofa and tossing it back so that it flipped over.
I cut my eyes at the officers who smirked but didn’t say a word. They knew this shit wasn’t protocol but were allowing it to happen.
“Then at least explain why it’s you and not Lenette Knowles. You’re not who I report to.”
“She was busy.”
I ground my teeth when he moved to my kitchen and began yanking items from the cabinets, tossing them to the floor. Plastic plates, bowls, and cups scattered everywhere.
“Whatever the fuck she told you?—”
“She didn’t tell me anything. I’m not here on behalf of Ms. Knowles.”
“Then why are you here?” I gritted. He lifted my trash can and emptied the contents on the floor.
“I have the right to be. You’re property of the state, Sinclair.”
He yanked drawers open and roughly dumped the contents on the floor before the drawers followed.
“My son’s in the back asleep. If you’re going to do this, let me get him out of here.”
“No.”
I crossed the room and got in his face. “You want to trash my place, fine, do it. You won’t find a damn thing but he doesn’t need to witness this bullshit.”
“Back the fuck up.”
My fists clenched at my sides. The only thing that made my feet move was the potential to end up back in a cell. I refused to allow my ego to land me right where I came from. The place I swore I would never return to.
“You can’t leave; so your son stays put.” He smirked and pushed past me.
“I can take him.” I closed my eyes at the sound of Saniya’s voice behind me. When I turned in the direction it traveled from, I found her standing defensively with her arms locked over her chest. Thank fuck she listened and put some damn clothes on or I wasn’t going to survive this.
“Fine, but anybody and anything that leaves here gets searched before they bypass that door. I need to be sure she’s not hiding anything for you. I know how this shit works.”
“You’re not touching her,” I demanded.
“Is there a problem, Lenox?”