“I have a USB right here,” she continued, holding up the tiny drive like it was a loaded weapon. “With video evidence of Victor breaking into my apartment and stealing. That’s enough to send his ass back to jail without question.”
Victor laughed, shaking his head. “Not true, sis. You?—”
I didn’t let him finish.
I slammed my fist into his face, bone crunching beneath my knuckles, his body collapsing like dead weight onto the pavement.
He hit the ground hard, clutching his nose, blood spilling through his fingers. His screams filled the empty lot, and I exhaled slowly, shaking the sting from my fist.
“That was for hurting Michelle.” My voice was calm, steady, absolute. “If you touch her again, or anything that belongs to her, it’ll be your skull next.”
Michelle’s eyes locked onto mine, unblinking, unreadable. But she didn’t scold me. She didn’t stop me.
She just turned back to her father.
The man looked at his son on the ground with thinly veiled disgust before shifting his gaze to Michelle.
“You were always my favorite child, Shelle.”
She smiled, all teeth, no warmth.
“You lost the right to call me that years ago.”
His eyes narrowed. “You think you’ve won? You think you can just walk away from this?”
Michelle stepped closer, arms crossing, voice unshaken.
“I also have a recorded phone call of you threatening me, Brooks, and ordering Victor to commit multiple illegal acts.” Her smile turned wicked. “You admit cops can be bought, which will piss off anyone in uniform. Add blackmail to your ever-growing list of crimes, and I think we’re looking at a real fun sentencing.”
His growl deepened, and I tracked his hand, waiting for movement. If he so much as twitched toward that knife, I was taking him out.
“I will get my money from you, even if I have to sell your organs.”
Michelle’s expression didn’t change. “You threatening to kill me?”
“Do I need to spell it out for you, brat?”
She smirked.
“Please.” Her arms remained casual, loose, but the glint in her eye was anything but. “Say it. To your own flesh and blood.”
Her father leaned in, his voice dropping to a low, simmering venom. “You might win this round, bitch, but I will kill you if you send me back to prison.”
Michelle’s head tilted slightly.
“You get all that, Brigs?”
“Oh yeah. Crystal clear.”
Brigham held up his phone, grinning.
Their father lunged, but Logan and I had already moved, tackling him onto the pavement.
“Should you call the cops, or…?” I asked, keeping my knee pressed into the bastard’s back.
Michelle let out a sharp exhale. “Yeah. Might as well. Let’s send them back where they belong.”
She dialed, stepping closer, voice mockingly nostalgic.
