Ant, get over here. I’m not playing!
My brain short wired as the reality hit me. It was the middle of the goddamn night. Oak was probably getting ready to pack for his trip back from leave.
He definitely wasn’t playing.
I don’t think I slowed the bike until I parked the thing in front of C.C.’s driveway. There was no time to collect myself or check inwith Oak, the scream that sounded the minute I killed the engine sent me scrambling across the street.
Once I saw her pinned to that rail, it was over with.
Something in my mind snapped seeing that fear in her eyes. When I came back to myself, he was beneath me in the hallway of the trailer. I had no memory of entering, but it was clear from the bold, red color of his face that my hands had been around his neck for more than a minute or two.
Long, painted nails scrabbled at my grip and a slap caught my ear, before Oak managed to tear Crystal’s mother off me.
“Joplin! Joplin get in here,” she frantically wailed, but Joplin never came.
I tried to take his windpipe with me, when Oak wrestled me off the cocksucker. Oak put his sturdy frame between me and the target and herded me out the door with a series of shoves. He pushed me down the steps as I fought every ounce of that big bastard to get back to the red-faced fool.
“Anthony!” he barked, grabbing both sides of my face. “Ant, she’s there.”
I was heaving, when he forced me to turn and look at her.
“Crystal,” I exhaled.
My world froze, and my thoughts stopped spinning. I instinctively tried to gather her in my arms.
She shot up to her tiptoes and slapped my face without a moment’s hesitation. It landed solid enough to convince me she’d been dying to do it for twelve damn months. While I’m sure I’d been hit harder, it was the last thing I was expecting, so I ate it blindly.
“Go to Hell.” The blow wasn’t shit compared to the emotion that strangled in her voice.
It cut me deep.
I grabbed at her arm as she turned toward Joplin. “Crystal, wait.”
“Wait? I lost everything because of you and your fucking friends. I don’t have time for this right now.”
“Joplin, get inside or don’t you ever come back,” Crystal’s mother seethed from the doorway.
Joplin trembled, until Crystal grabbed her arm, and nodded toward the car.
“Come on. We’re out of here.”
Oak grabbed my shoulder when I started toward her.
“Brother,” he quietly whispered.
I jerked away from him and marched toward the car. Crystal was putting her seat belt on, but Joplin was holding out a scrap of paper. Crystal huffed and took it. Her face contorted and she cracked her window just enough to wad up the paper up and toss it at me.
I thought it was a wrapper or a piece of trash, until I spotted Oak’s handwriting.
She put the car in reverse and glared at me before backing away.
“What the hell did you do that girl, Ant?” Oak whispered.
“I–I don’t know.” I wiped my face and checked the swarm of feelings buzzing around me. I needed a goddamn drink.
“Where are you going?” Oak called, hurrying after me.
I exhaled and shook my head. “Steel Cages, I guess.”
