RAY
Cuddling sweet Cara close, I worried my lip with my teeth as I wore a hole in the bedroom floor with my nervous pacing. I’d arrived a little while ago to babysit for Petra while she got ready for her escort gig. She’d said tonight’sdatewas her last appointment, and that she’d quit. I was so proud of her.
Then her ex, Oscar, had turned up. Drunk. I’d babysat enough times for Petra to know this was a common occurrence in her life. We both hated when Oscar made his sporadic visits. It always ended in an argument, or worse, a fight. The moment he saw Petra dressed in a black cocktail dress, all hell had broken loose, and the wordwhorericocheted inside the apartment.
No, Petra didn’t want Cara growing up with the same words that Oscar threw at her to also be flung at their daughter. I seriously wanted to hurt him. He was an idiot, and liquor brought out his violent side and dickweed tendencies.
“Mama…” Cara’s low cry made my chest ache.
“It’ll be okay, baby.” I tried to comfort the two-year-old. Her tiny arms gripped my neck tighter as voices grew in volume. Her terrified whimper had my anger rising as I paced the bedroom, listening to Oscar’s yell, and Petra’s placating tone.
I’d brought Cara into the bedroom to protect her from the drunken fool, who had somehow managed to create a miracle like this little girl. But worry for my friend grew, and I put Cara in her cot. Big, brown eyes stared at me, her rosebud mouth quivering. Cara was a replica of Petra with her alabaster-pale skin and dark hair, and she was equally gorgeous, even at such a young age.
“It’s going to be all right, sweetie,” I soothed, pressing a kiss to her curls.
A small TV stood on the table opposite the cot. I switched it on to a kids’ channel so she couldn’t hear the argument and put a few of her soft toys close to her. As her attention settled on thePeppa Pigshow, I quietly slipped from the room, shutting the door behind me.
“Cara issh mine—mine,” Oscar slurred, swiping the spittle from his mouth. “I w-want her.”
In his early thirties, he’d been attractive enough once, but liquor had taken a toll on him. He appeared almost gaunt and the weight he’d lost seemed to have found its way into his bloated belly. His tan skin appeared blotchy, his eyes sunken.
“You hear me, you stupid cow?” he yelled. “She’s mine!”
“You didn’t want her. You wanted me to abort my child.” Petra brushed back her wavy, bobbed hair from her pale face with a trembling hand. Her dark eyes glittered as if struggling not to give in to her fear. “G-get out, Oscar, or I will call the police.”
“I have money now. I can keep Cara better than some whore who spreads her legs to put food on the table for my child!” he spat-slurred in her face. “Go on, call them. They-they will know—everyone will know you’re a s-slut…”
Petra’s features turned bone-white. I so badly wanted to punch him. In the mouth. Until his damn teeth fell out. My friend was a decent person, and she didn’t deserve this asshole in her life.
“Get out!” Petra hissed, shoving him hard. He stumbled back, then he lurched for her, fury distorting his mottled features. I raced across the room and pushed Petra out of the way as his fist flew. The blow missed Petra and caught me on the jaw. My head snapped back, pain flooding my face.
“Oh, God, honey,” Petra cried out, grabbing me. “I’m so sorry.”
“Ra-Ray, get outta the way—” Oscar demanded. “I’m gonna t-teach this whore a lesson.” He whipped out a switchblade from his sagging jeans’ pocket.
Oh, shit. This wouldn’t end well, not with a drunk who thought he was so damn right. I prayed he didn’t flick open the blade. “Oscar, it’s okay,” I tried to soothe the volatile ass through gritted teeth.Christ!My jaw hurt to speak.
“Get outta my way, Ra-Ra…” He couldn’t even say my name, that’s how pissed drunk he was. “I want that bitch to learn her place. She stole my child—” Grunting, he staggered forward, his hand flying out. I leaped back, but his punch caught me hard in the chest, stealing my breath—shit!
Anger spurring me, I spun around and kicked him hard in the solar plexus, then grabbed the hand brandishing the weapon, twisting it to his back. He shoved and struggled against my hold, then broke free, slashing out with the damn open blade that seemed to be glued to his palm. I ducked another wild hit and kneed him in the balls.
A low screech emitted from him. Oscar hit the small side table, tripped, and fell to the floor in a heap of alcoholic fumes. He curled into a ball, groaning, both hands clutching his crotch.
My chest heaving, adrenaline still running high, I glared at him. Hell, breathing hurt from the hit to my ribs. Silence reigned for a second. Then the cussing started as Oscar stumbled back to his feet, his eyes wild like a stark-raving lunatic. Did nothing keep this asshole down?
“Pet, get the door,” I snapped.
She sprinted across the room and flung open the door.
I was the one who hurt him, but Oscar stumbled after Petra. “Bitch—”
I dove behind him and thrust him out of the apartment. Oscar lurched into the hallway, and I slammed and locked the door. The banging started.
“I’m going to call the police.”
“Please don’t,” Petra begged, grabbing my arm. “I only said that to scare him. Ray, with the police here, the landlord will throw me out. He warned against disturbances—I already have two warnings. When he finds out what I do, because Oscar will say I’m a whore and that I use this place for-for my activities…” Her eyes swam with tears. “I have no way to disprove that. I-I could lose Cara because of him.”
The hammering on the door continued. Dammit. “Okay, okay.”
