Page 118 of Flame
Reid spits a mouthful of blood on Banks’s shoe.
Banks steps on his hand, crunching bones in it as he walks away. “Oops.”
“Everyone’s okay?” Jess asks.“Someone talk to me. What the fuck is going on?”
“Everyone is fine here.” I pick up Reid’s phone and listen. “How are you, Jason?”
“Got a busted fucking lip. But this guy will be hurting tomorrow. Where’s B?”
“I’m right here, Jason. Mom? Can you hear me?”
Rory whimpers, sobbing quietly. “Oh, Bianca, honey. I’m so sorry.”
“Police are here,” Jason says. “I’ll call you later, Foxx.”
“I love you, Jason. Love you, Mom.”
“I love you, Bianca. I love you so much,” Rory says.
“Love you, B. Talk soon.”
The line disconnects.
Sirens pull up to the front of the house. It’s not two seconds before someone pounds on the door. “This is KBPD. Open up.”
Jess steps to the side as two officers race in, guns drawn.
“Hands up and nobody move,” an officer shouts.
“If you get arrested and need to be bailed out, call me,” Banks says, his hands in the air. “I owe you one. But I’ll let you get a sandwich on the way home because I’m not selfish.”
Now’s not the time, Banks.
I step away from Reid, immediately enveloping Bianca in an embrace. It’s never felt so good to hold her and have her in my arms.I make eye contact with Officer Schultz, one of Banks’s friends from high school. He nods at me that it’s fine to hold my wife.
Bianca shakes as she cries, fisting my shirt with both hands. I pull her closer and vow to never let go.
CHAPTER26
Bianca
Ihold a bag of frozen carrots to one eye and then the other. Banks sits across the table from me with a smile stretching from ear to ear at his helpfulness—or so he thinks. As soon as he heard me complain that my eyes were swollen from crying, he ran home and got a bag of frozen vegetables. He said it helped him when he had black eyes so he was sure it would help me, too. I’m not sure it’s the same thing, but I can’t possibly not give it a try. He’s so pleased with himself.
Foxx’s chair is pressed against mine, his hand on my leg. He’s been this way since the police hauled my father off a few hours ago. He refuses to break contact.
“I must not have turned the security system back on when I dropped off the key.” Damaris is pale. “I’m so sorry, Bianca. Foxx …” Tears trickle down her cheeks. Again. “Please forgive me. I’ll never forgive myself.”
Kixx stands behind her, massaging her shoulders.
The sky begins to darken. The palm trees sway outside, causing a host of shadows to dance through Foxx’s kitchen. It’s a somber scene for a somber day.
“Damaris, it’s not your fault,” I say.
“No, it is. I should’ve been more careful. Foxx is always telling us to be safe. To lock doors. I didn’t listen, and I caused this.”
“There could be a lot of fingers pointed today,” Foxx says, the smile I’ve enjoyed over the past few days long gone. “You should’ve locked the doors, Mom. Set the alarm. But I got careless, too. I should’ve been in here with her. It was my job. Ultimately, this is my mistake.”
“Stop it.” I set the carrots down. “I’m all for assigning blame and taking responsibility because that’s how mistakes aren’t duplicated.” I look around the table at the concerned faces. “But this blame sits solely on my father’s shoulders. He intentionally set out to hurt me. And every one of you, from Foxx to Damaris to even Banks, has gone out of your way to help me. To care for me.” I sniffle, trying not to cry because, if I do, I’m afraid it’ll be an ugly sob. “I hate that my father’s ugliness spilled into this family. Please, don’t blame yourselves.”
