AllFreeNovel
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“What the fuck, Lyra?” Daze hisses, matching her disgust pitch for pitch. “What were you thinking? Bringing him here without telling me—”
“Maybe you should answer your goddamn phone,” Lyra snaps. “I was worried sick about you!”
“You have a funny way of showing it,” Daze says, laughing in that empty way only he can.
“Have you even been watching the news?” Lyra moves so that I can see her clearly.
If she isn’t Daze’s sister, she’s his clone. Though slightly older, her gray eyes blaze with that same piercing intensity.
“Or have you been too busy fucking—shit. I mean…Sammy, baby?” She switches to a sweeter, softer tone as she crouches before the boy. Smiling for his benefit, she fingers a lock of his golden hair. “Why don’t you go into your Daddy’s room for a second while we have big grown-up talk time?”
“Wait—” Daze turns and snatches something from the counter. “Here,” he says, shoving a bundle of fabric into my arms.
Whatever it is reeks of sweat, and I flex my fingers against the soft cotton, unfolding it cautiously. It’s his shirt. Without having to be told, I wrench it on over my head. Thank God it’s long enough to cover most of me, including my panties that were on perfect display.
“Well, don’t let me interrupt your little party,” Lyra snipes from the doorway. Her gaze flicks over me once and narrows.
A white blouse and black slacks only enhance her disapproving vibe, reminding me of one of the matrons from primary school. She has the glare down pat.
“Sweetie, you can join theotherchild,” she says, gesturing toward Sammy. “Trying out a new breed, eh Daze? At least this one is sober—”
“That’s enough. You’re my sister. Not my damn mother.”
“No,” Lyra says tersely. “It’s not ‘enough.’ And yeah, I thought I should bringyourson to your home, for once. Do you have any idea what a mess you left the other night? And then, with everything else going on, I was afraid you’d gone and gotten yourself killed—”
“Jesus Christ, Lyra!” Daze winces, gritting his teeth. “Don’t pump my kid with your fucking paranoia!”
“Watch your mouth,” Lyra counters. “Though maybe I was worried for the wrong person?” She scoffs and nods toward his hands, which, while clean, display minor bruises. “How the hell are you going to explainthatto your PO? You’re lucky Silas isn’t pressing charges!”
“I’mlucky?” Daze stiffens, his body radiating tension. “Mutt,” he snaps to the boy. “Go into my room. I’ll be there in a second. And...” He shoots me a wary look from the corner of his eye. “Stay.”
“Oh yes, please stay,” Lyra says with fake enthusiasm. “Don’t let me ruin your fun. Sammy, honey, take Daddy’s friend into the bedroom, will you? The adults need to have a little chat.”
“Okay.” I look down as something warm brushes my hand, and I wind up staring into a pair of eyes so wide they swallow nearly every ounce of light in the room. Endless. “Come on,” Sammy says before tugging pointedly on my arm.
Before I can reconcile the consequences, I’m already crowding into the narrow space beside the bed. Without warning, Daze marches over and kicks the cinder block propping the door aside, slamming it shut.
“Just what the fuck were you thinking?” I hear him bellow.
“What was I thinking?” Lyra counters. “What wereyouthinking? Apparently not about Sammy when you beat the shit out of someone on his front doorstep! He is alive, by the way, and conveniently seems to have amnesia, so he hasn’t named you.Yet.”
“Don’t change the subject. You let that fucker into your house,” Daze roars. Something heavy slams against the wall. His fist? The sofa? I can’t decide which would be strong enough to rattle the apartment to its rafters. “When I let you take custody, you were supposed to, I don’t know,protectthe kid or something? Instead, you serve him up to Silas for ‘visitation.’ And I’m letting you know now—If I see him again, I’ll kill him—”
“Don’t even joke. Not with your rap sheet, and I won’t be an accomplice next time your ass goes to prison,” Lyra warns. “And I can’t help that Sammy’suncleis a ‘fucker’ as you put it. Not that fatherhood has taught you much of a lesson. I sure hope you used a condom this time. Maybe you shouldthinkbefore you screw someone, eh?”
“So what? You bring Mutt here to punish me? Well, don’t you get the wanna-be-mother of the year award?”
“Oh no, you don’t.” Two sets of footsteps resonate through the floor, heavy and stern. “You listen to me, Daze Marcus Keaton, don’t youeverinsult me like that again. You’ve been out for what? Three months, and yet you’ve barely utilized your visitation. Say what you will about Silas, but at least thatfuckershows up every now and again. Not to mention, he has a goddamn house with actual rooms for Sam to stay in, andheat least makes sure not to leave beer cans lying around when he does!” Materials rustle, most likely the garbage strewn on the floor. “Seriously, could you at leastpretendlike you want custody? If not for me, then for Sammy’s sake?”
“So you can take him back whenever you feel like it? Fuck you, Lyra.”
“Fuck me? Well, at leastI’mon birth control. Look...” She sighs, and I sense lighter steps drifting deeper into the apartment. “Let’s cut the bullshit. All I care about is Sammy, and I think that somewhere beneath the booze, you do too—”
“Don’t even fuck around,” Daze hisses. “YouknowI do.”
“Good. Then be here. His school was canceled today because of the mess going on downtown—”
“What mess?” Daze interjects.
