AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“My kid likes that show too. C’mon. I’ll get you set up, ok?”
Lake nods his head, that floppy red hair bouncing into his eyes.
“Yo, Eric. I ain’t got all day. You giving me my shit or what?”
I fix Seth with a stare. “You can fucking wait.”
Once the kid is sitting on the couch watching cartoons and drinking an orange soda, I turn back to his piece of shit dad. My mind races as I figure out the best way to handle this situation. I know I’m not letting this kid go home with him. What I’m gonna do with him, I have no fucking clue. Hopefully, his mama is better than Seth and I can just bring him back. If that isn’t the case, then I don’t fucking know. I just know if I reject Seth’s offer, he will find someone else who will take it, and I can’t let that fucking happen. I draw the line at sex trafficking. Gods.
“Hang on,” I tell Seth and dig through my stash. I hate giving him more drugs. Fucking hate it. But it’s the quickest way to get him out of my damn apartment and away from this kid. I’m also worried about the damn brother. Is the kid safe? Otherwise, I have to find a way to get him too.
Cursing myself mentally, I take out the stash and go back to Seth. He’s pacing the room and scratching his arm. The kid is still sitting on the couch, blatantly ignoring his dad.
I shove the drugs into the asshole’s hand. “Here. We’re even. Get the fuck out of my house and don’t come back here. We’re done.”
Seth looks down at the bag before shoving it in his inside coat pocket. “And we’re square? You’re taking the kid?”
I fucking hate the words coming out of my mouth, but what choice do I have? “I’m taking the kid.”
Seth nods. “Good. It’ll be good for the kid anyway. He’s a fucking freak. And pretty sure he’s a queer too. He’ll feel right at home.”
I’m not gonna punch the guy. I’m not gonna hit him. It’s not fucking worth it.
“Get the fuck out of here.”
Seth puts his hands out in front of him, the sign of “I don’t want no trouble.” “Easy, man. I’m leaving.”
And Seth walks out of my apartment, not glancing at his kid once.
I slam my head against the wall by the door as I lock up after him. I’m done with this shit. I’ve been getting tired of being in the game for a while now, tired of not seeing my kid grow up. But this, this is the final fucking straw. How does it get to the point that people think I’d take a fucking kid as payment? Am I really that much of a lowlife? I never meant for it to go that far.
I finally push away from the wall to realize that the boy, Lake, is watching me, not the TV. I force a smile.
“Am I supposed to live with you now?” he asks calmly and matter-of-factly.
I force myself not to blurt out, “Fuck no.” Instead, I say, “Is that something you want?”
Lake shrugs. “Will I still get to see my mom and River? Mom might be sad if I don’t live with her anymore, but it might make things easier for her. As long as I could visit, I think it would be ok.”
Fuck, this kid. “Who’s River? Your brother?”
“Yeah. We’re twins.”
“And where is River right now?”
“He’s probably at Liam Johnson’s house. Mrs. Johnson was supposed to watch us after school while Mom worked, buthepicked me up instead. I told the school Mom said that he wasn’t allowed to, but they didn’t listen.”
Gods. What the fuck is wrong with the school? The good news is at least the brother is safe. Everyone knows Nora Johnson in the neighborhood. She’s the neighborhood mama, taking care of all the kids and half the adults as well. She’s been doing it since I was a kid. She’s technically Liam’s grandma, but the kid calls her mama, just like most others around here.
I also know that must mean that their mama was good people. Mrs. Johnson would think nothing of keeping the kids if she thinks they don’t have a safe parent to come home to. But still, I’m gonna double-check.
“And your mama? You like living with her?”
The kid's eyes get wide as he nods. “Yeah, she’s the best. I know she was really tired from working all night yesterday, but she still stayed up and helped me build my science fair project. And I got first place!” The kid fishes a blue ribbon out of the pocket of his hoodie. “See?”
I can’t help the smile on my face. “Nice job, kid. I bet your mama is proud. Do you know her name or where she works?”
Lake quickly rattles off the woman’s full name plus the name and address of her job.
