Page 35 of Clash
“YOU BASTARD!” Gina screamed, her fist clocking me in the chin. “YOU FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT!” Another punch was thrown. That one I actually felt in my soul as it connected with my nose, possibly breaking it.
She screamed out in pain, shaking her hand as her eyes narrowed down on me, the anger and hatred she felt evident in every fucking tear.
“Gina, I’m sorry! Please, let me fix this. I’ll get your money back. I promise!”
“Why did you do that? Now how am I going to get to my sister?” She was nothing but tears and sobs, her entire body shaking with despair as she sank to the ground. “That ring wasall I had! Now it’s gone too. All because of you and your stupid goddamn mouth! I wish I would’ve never met you!”
“Gina… come on. I’m sorry. That cop, he’s had it out for me and my club. He had no right to do that, but he thinks he’s invincible. I promise you I’ll get your money back.” I took a step toward her, but she held up her hands, keeping me away.
“Stay the fuck away from me, Clash. And stay the fuck away from my son, too!”
Before I could stop her, she scooped Alex up in her arms, running away from me as fast as she could.
“Gina, Wait!”
She didn’t stop.
“GINA, COME BACK!”
She disappeared around the corner, leaving me a fucked-up mess of guilt. A frustrated hand ran through my hair as I kicked a rock on the ground.
FUCK!
I knew what I had to do, but the club wasn’t going to fucking like it. I just hope I didn’t get myself killed in the process.
13
Tears streamed down my face as I ran for my life again. This time, I was running from a man who was more trouble than he was help. That money was mine, and now it’s gone… all because of him. All because he couldn’t keep his damn mouth shut and wanted to piss off a cop. Maybe I should be thankful that the cop only took the money and didn’t fish out my wallet. If I had to guess, Eric has already filed a kidnapping report on Alex, and it was only a matter of time before I saw both of our faces plastered on the television.
I’d barely made it two blocks before my lungs and legs gave out on me.
Alex seemed confused, tugging on my pant leg as I dropped to my knees, out of breath and defeated. “Mommy, are you okay?” Alex moved one of our garbage bags aside so he could hug me, and I found myself running my fingers through his thick black locks, allowing the comfort of his tiny body to soothe me. Kid hugs are so medicinal.
“No, Alex, Mommy’s not okay. That police officer took all our money, and I don’t know how we’ll get to Aunt Cadence now.”
“Oh, Mommy, it’s alright. He’s a police officer, he’s probably just taking the money to keep it safe for us till we can call Auntie Cadence.”
I loved his optimism, but deep down, I saw the corruption in that officer’s eyes. He had no plans of giving me a fucking dime of my money back, and I couldn’t chance going to the cops and reporting him… the second I stepped into a police station, I’d be as good as gone. No, my only choice was to keep running, but where could we go now?
I wasn’t even aware of my surroundings, so when a pair of shuffling feet stopped just beside us, my blood ran cold.
“Are you okay?” a soft, female voice asked.
Relief washed over me when I glanced up and found a charming elderly woman standing over me, her body blocking out the blinding sun just over her shoulder.
“Yeah, just having a rough day,” I answered, rising to my feet.
The woman had dirt on her jeans, and she was wearing a pair of floral covered gardening gloves. Her short, curly, ashen white hair was covered by a floppy straw hat, and she wore a bright green floral shirt that perfectly flattered her aging figure.
“I’m Bessie. My friends call me Bess, though.”
“Nice to meet you, Bess. I’m Gina, and this is my son, Alex.” Holding my hand out for her to shake, the kind woman gently took it, giving it a firm shake before dropping it. She frowned slightly when my sleeve rode up and she saw one of my scars. Then she glanced at Alex, eyeing the cuts on his face and his broken arm with too much scrutiny.
“I was about to head in and get a glass of lemonade. Would you and your son like to join me?”
Alex shot me a hopeful look, his toothy-grin widening at the thought. I can’t even remember the last time we had a fresh glass of lemonade.
“Sure, we’d love that.”
