Page 167 of Reaper
“I still have stuff in my old room, but Roger boarded up the door. I tried once to undo it to get my things. All that got me was a beating and him threatening to put a bullet in me if I ever tried again. Any time I stood up to him about needing my medicine or clothes or hygiene items, it ended in a beating and if I wanted something, then he said I should get a job. Mom tried telling him that’s what the money you had sent was for, but he wouldn’t hear it and would then beat her too.”
How the fuck could Julie stay with a man that continuously threatened her son? Threatened her?
In two steps, Anthony is in front of Julie and he grasps her chin, making her look up at him. “Did you seriously put your disabled son inthe fucking attic?!The attic that has no heat, no air? The attic, where the roof is so low, he’d bang his head on the rafters even with sitting on his ass and scooting around? Thatyou allow that piece of shit to live in my house and threaten both of you? To beat you?”
“You don’t understand,” Julie pleads and Anthony drops her chin like he’s been burned.
“I understand plenty. I’m glad Riggs didn’t hear any of this. It’s also a good thing Mom and Dad aren’t here to see what you’ve been putting Chris through, either.”
I look between them, confused. Are they related to Chief Riggs?
“Riggs is Reaper’s Old Man’s best friend,” Loki whispers into my ear. “He’s also Julie’s Godfather.”
Oh, that explains a lot.
“Here’s what we’re going to do,” Anthony says as he stares down Julie. “Chris is going to head inside and take anything with him that he wants to. I don’t give a fuck what room it’s in, if he wants it, it’s his. Then, you have until Friday to get the fuck out of my house. You’ve taken advantage of me for the last time and I refuse to allow Chris to be in an abusive environment for a second longer. I know either you, Roger, or maybe even both of you had to have threatened him to not say a word to me because you know I’d have had his ass out of here the very next second and taken you to court for custody.”
Julie’s lower lip trembles and she ducks her head, letting her dark brown hair fall forward, hiding her face.
“Now, you are going to step the fuck aside and keep that worthless piece of shit asshole in the living room. He doesn’t approach Chris, talk to him, or even fucking breathe in his direction. When we’re done, you will only have contact with Chrisifandonly ifhe wants contact with you. If you try and contact him, I’ll bring you up on charges of neglect and abuse. Am I understood?”
“Yes,” she weakly replies. I let her arm go.
She steps inside and a second later, yelling breaks out and I can hear the sound of a smack from where I am.
Anthony and a few others storm into the house. I’m about to follow when someone grabs my wrist. Looking back, I realize it’s Chris.
“He’s just come off a bender. I don’t want you hurt, too, Aunt Lark.”
Worry clouds his eyes and I nod as I crouch down next to him. “I understand, but even with how pissed I am at your mom, I’m not going to let her be abused by him—physically, mentally, or emotionally. I know of someone that can help her. If she’s ready to take that step, that is.”
My mind instantly goes to Mary and Mae and the new joint venture they are thinking of doing together. So far, it’s in the very early stages, but I don’t think they’d turn down offering to help Julie.
A war of emotions flit across his face before it falls. “She was a good mom before he came into our lives.”
Nodding, I pat his arm. “Let’s get inside. You can get your things while I try to talk to her.”
Chapter 62
Reaper
ChriswheelsinsideandLark walks in behind him. She spots Julie in the kitchen and makes a beeline for her. I have a feeling I know what she’s going to talk to her about, but right now, I’m too pissed off at her to speak to her. If I did, I’d say something I know I’d regret. Once I calm down, I’ll talk to her about getting her help, but I just can’t right now.
Looking around, my chest tightens at the filth that Chris has been forced to live in. My gaze lands on the chair lift I’d specifically picked out for him. I could have gotten a smaller one to fit his size at the time, but I knew he’d continue to grow and wanted it to be able to support him as he got older. My gaze zeroes in on areas of the track that look like they were tampered with. I grit my teeth when I see debris rammed into a few of the gears.
“Get the fuck out of my house,” Roger sneers as he sways on his feet, a bottle of whiskey dangling from his fingers.
I cross the room before I even realize I’m moving, getting right in his face while also ignoring the stench of booze, vomit, and piss emanating from him. My fingers twitch to grab him or make him hurt for what he’s put Chris and Julie through, but I don’t. I know that if I touch him, he’d be on the phone to his fucking crooked-assed father the next second. I’m not blind. I saw the still healing bruises he left on Julie and my stomach rolls at the thought of what he subjected my baby sister to.
“This ismyhouse, and don’t worry, your pathetic ass won’t be here much longer. You have until Friday to get the fuck out. If you ever come near my sister or my nephew again, I will bring you up on abuse and neglect charges and not even your fucking daddy will be able to get you out of the mess this time.”
He sneers at me and sways so violently I swear he’s going to fall on his ass. “You’re nothing but a criminal in leather. The waste of space should have just died and saved me the hassle. Then I would have had my hands on everything and would have been set for life, but no, the slimy little weasel just had to live and fight me at every turn.”
I narrow my eyes at him and Roger’s eyes widen in response, letting me know he hadn’t meant to say that. I turn and cock an eyebrow at Python. He gives me a chin lift and heads into the kitchen with his laptop. Roger swallows audibly as he stares at the doorway Python just went through and when he looks back at me, beads of sweat start forming on his forehead.
“If I find out you’ve done anything else to endanger my sister or nephew again,” I pause and let him see the beast inside of me, “well, going to jail is going to be the least of your worries. Now sit the fuck down before you fall,” I tell him and give him my back before crossing the room back to Chris.
He leans down to lock his wheels at the base of the stairs, and I am about to step forward to help him when someone puts a hand on my arm. Looking over, I’m surprised to see that it’s Cannon.
