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“Bastards?” Nyx suggests.
“Bastards wouldn't pay men for the privilege of raping one of our girls,” Squeal says, and I’m on my feet with his throat in my hands before anyone is quick enough to stop me.
I clench my fist so tight that he starts to choke. And Prez and Jessie are both on me, fighting to get me off him.
“You need to keep your head, Troj,” Jessie tries talking me down. Squealer's eyes are bulging now, panic starting to take over. ‘Bout time the cunt learned a lesson on running his mouth.
I release him, and he crouches over, holding his throat and spluttering.
“Squealer may be fuckin’ crude about it,” Prez throws him a warning look, “but he’s right. And if this guy had to hire manpower, I’ll bet he works alone.” He urges me to retake my seat.
“Only one man I know who works alone these days,” Brax says, lighting up his smoke and handing the zippo he just borrowed back to his brother.
“Chop?” Jessie looks unconvinced. “Storm said the guy wore a suit, you ever known Chop to wear a suit?”
“Only to the funeral of the woman he murdered,” Thorne looks at Prez, reminding us all that Chop was once one of us, and that he stood united beside us all when Prez and his daughter laid Mary-Ann to rest.
“’Til we find out what all this is about, we stay locked down,” Prez announces. “I want two men at the hospital, standing on Shaniya’s door until she can come home. Jessie, work a rota.”
Jessie nods, his eyes flicking over to me and telling me he’s committed to getting me what I need.
“Have Mads work on getting addresses for the names we got when she's back from the hospital. We’ll pick them up and get justice.” Prez leans forward and wraps his hand around my fist. I nod at him, feeling tears of frustration filling up my eyes. And I’m past giving a fuck if anyone else notices them.
“Try and get some rest, it’s been a hell of a night, boys.” Prez slams the gavel, and I get up and out of there before anyone can try and talk to me.
I rush straight to my bike but instead of going to the hospital, I head straight to my cabin. I should have asked Prez how Shaniya’s uncle took the news. Hell, a decent man would have gone down there and spoken to him himself.
But I don’t feel like a decent man right now.
The chief’s just another person that Travis Knox has let down. So instead, I grab a bottle of whiskey from the cupboard and sit at my table. Then distract myself by thinking about another person I let down. Because even the worst of my bad memories are better than thinking about what I caused tonight.
AGED SIXTEEN
I wait on the corner for him to show, and ignore the taunts and teases the hookers who are lined up along the sidewalk throw at me. It’s freezing, I’m bruised and aching, and all I wanna do is get home and shower.
“Here ya go, kid,” Luzo discreetly hands me the tightly wrapped ball of cellophane, and I slip the cash from my pocket into his.
“Heard you beat Flanigan tonight,” he mentions before I can leave.
“Yeah,” I nod back, pulling my hood up over my head. “In fact, I’m hearing your name more and more. They reckon you’re gonna be the next big thing.” He continues but I ignore him, I have no respect for a man like Luzo, he makes his money out of people’s weakness.
“You fight like a champion, but I’ll bet this is everything you earned tonight,” he holds up the cash.
And I shrug my shoulders back at him.
“This would be pocket money compared to what you could earn, you should speak to your brother, ask him for some of his connections.”
“I don’t do illegal fighting,” I bite back. I know what Aut’s got himself involved in, he’s ruined his future by being money driven. His trainer was convinced he could go pro, but illegal fights were paying more than the little cards he was getting on his way up.
“And what will you do when she needs more?” Luzo asks me, leaning his shoulder against the wall. “Addiction grows, I can’t promise to keep her off the streets if she keeps coming to me.”
“We had a deal!” I lose my shit, grabbing him by his neck and pinning him to the bricks behind him.
“Hey, calm down, young buck,” he smiles me a sleazy smile that I want to tear off his face.
“I’m just saying, those little semi pro fights you’re doing ain’t gonna keep your Mama off the streets, kid. She’s gonna need more than what’s in your hand soon. Then she’ll come back to me again, and she’ll keep on coming because I’m the only one who’s got what she needs.”
“She’s gonna get better, she’s had a rough time,” I explain through my teeth.
