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She slides onto the driver side seat carefully, wincing. “Not this time, Louie. I owe him for the time I asked for an advance for Nik’s doctor visit.”
I swallow against the hard lump in my throat. I blink against the wetness in my eyes. The deep sadness I show, but don’t know how when Ma manages to always hold it together. How can I be weak when she’s strong?
I’ve gotta be strong too. I’m gonna grow up, become as huge and tall as possible, and I’m gonna figure out a way to make money to get us out of this. Even if I’ve gotta go into the lifestyle like the deadbeat. I’ll gladly be a soldier for the family if it means giving Ma and Nikki a better life.
“Ready, Louie?” Ma asks. She juts her chin at the motel. “Looks like Cragen just came out the motel office with a key. You grab our things. I’ll get Nik.”
We work as a team. Me carrying our backpacks and tote bags of belongings. Ma curling Nikki in her arms and limping toward Cragen.
He meets my eyes, the evil jerk. He grins and holds out the key like he’s gifting me something.
I know it for sure. I’ll kill him. Someday.
Keep your eyes closed ’til you see the sun.
SEVENTEEN
Tasha
PLAYLIST: ? RUSSIAN ROULETTE - RIHANNA ?
Present Day…
“D,”I gasp, taking a step back. He’s pointing a NAME OF GUN at my face. “What… are you doing here?”
He invites himself in. A ghost from my past I hoped to never see again.
Six-foot-seven. Three-hundred-pounds, easily. Wide and indestructible like a tank.
He’s just like I remembered him—permanent scowl, wrinkly bald head, eyes two different colors but equally cold and angry.
My neck aches looking up at him. Terror floods my insides. I can’t breathe. I can’t speak or think.
His presence means only one thing.
It’s over.
There’s no escaping Big D. Even when I managed the first time, I wasn’treallyfree of him—he’s held me and my family hostage ever since.
“D,” I say with a nervous laugh, “I don’t have anything you want.”
He scans the hotel room. I stand still like it’s going to make a difference, and he’ll forget it’s me he’s here to see.
“Going somewhere?” He gestures to my luggage with his hand holding the NAME OF GUN HERE.
I’m so damn caught off guard, I can’t even fucking lie straight. And I’ve always been better than most.
But D throws me off. I’m shaking and struggling to keep my cool.
“Changing hotels,” I answer, forcing on a smile. “I’m trying to get off the Strip. Apartment hunting without a car—it’ll be easier for me to stay in the area I’m looking.”
“Change of plans. Sit down.”
“I ordered an Uber. It’s waiting for me downstairs—”
“Sit the fuck down, T,” he growls. “Over there on that sofa.”
When Big D gives you an order, you do it. I learned this a long time ago.
