Hood River Rat (Hood River Hoodlums #1) - K Webster Page 0,68
I’m right here,” Jordy grunts.
“It was hot?” I ask, astonished.
“Seeing you try to beat that thug’s ass to defend me. Hell yeah.”
We kiss, uncaring that we have Jordy as an audience. He mutters about us being freaks, but that’s the extent of his displeasure.
“Oh, look,” Jordy says, “the fucker left me a present.”
I pull away from Roan to look at Jordy. He holds Alejandro’s gun in the palm of his hand.
“Maybe we should go to the river and dump it,” I suggest. “You’re great at tossing things into the river.”
Jordy snorts. “Careful, rat. You keep that smartass attitude up and I might actually start to like you.”
Roan winks at me.
Holy shit.
I think I just somehow earned points with my boyfriend’s psycho best friend who tried to kill me.
Roan
“He’s so hot,” Roux says loudly on her phone, talking to Charlotte. “So hot. Oh my God, I think I’m going to die.”
Girls.
They’re so annoying sometimes.
As she babbles about Kayden—because that’s all she talks about—I try to decipher Jordy’s instructions he texted to me on how to make his “real” tacos. I’m not even sure if I bought all the right ingredients. My phone buzzes and it’s from the asshole himself.
Jordy: Any word?
Me: Nope.
Jordy: I have Renaldo on it.
I don’t like Jordy owing Renaldo shit, especially because of me.
Me: What’s Renaldo going to do?
Jordy: Tell him to back the fuck off.
Me: At what cost?
Jordy: Does it matter? Anything for you and Roux.
It’s been days since the Alejandro shit, but I’m still completely unnerved by it all. Tonight is date night for me and Hollis. I’d hoped to cook Roux a nice meal before taking her over to hang out with Charlotte. Looks like we’ll be having grilled cheese. The one—and only—good thing about having a boyfriend who won’t fucking eat is I don’t have to take him to dinner. He isn’t interested. We go to a lot of movies instead.
Someone knocks on the door. I frown, wondering if Hollis decided to come early to pick us up. Shoving my phone in my pocket, I head for the front door. I peek through the window and see a familiar face.
“Carol?” I open the door to Roux’s social worker. “What are you…” I trail off when I see two cops with her. “What’s this?”
She gives me a gentle smile. “We’ve come to take Roux home.”
I’m already shaking my head. “W-What? No. She lives here.”
“Her mother—”
“Fuck Mom!” I bellow. “She’s an addict who has an abusive boyfriend who wants to kill me!” Are these people fucking insane?
“Son, I’m going to have to ask you to calm down,” the cop with blond hair instructs, his hand awfully close to his gun.
“Calm down? You’re about to take my sister from her happy home and toss her back to the wolves!”
“You don’t have custody,” Carol tries to explain. “This living arrangement was temporary.”
“She can’t go back there,” I cry out. “They’ll hurt her!”
“We’ve inspected Mrs. Hirsch’s apartment and find it suitable—”
“This is wrong,” I roar. “No!”
“What’s going on?” Mike’s voice carries up the stairs outside.
“Oh, good. You’re here,” Carol says. “We’re taking Roux back home.”
“Fuck,” Mike curses.
“You know the rules,” Carol states. “My hands are tied.”
“What’s going on?” Roux asks from behind me.
“Go to your room,” I plead to my sister, like that might somehow keep her safe. “Please.”
“Sweetheart,” Carol says in her nicest social worker voice. “I’m here to take you back to your mom.”
“No!” Roux yells. “I don’t want to go back!”
I try to slam the door in their faces, but the blond cop pushes inside. Before I can swing at him, Mike is on me. I struggle against him. “Let me fucking go!”
“No,” he snarls. “You let them do their job. This isn’t the way to stop it. We’ll find a way, but this will only get you in trouble.”
My eyes blur with tears as the cops have to physically restrain my sister, who tries to run. I’m no match for Mike’s brute strength, though I fucking try. Our screams are like wild animals being captured and beaten.
“Roux!” I bellow. “Roux!”
“Roan! Help!”
I’m in a rage and I’m lost. I can’t save her. I can’t fix this. I don’t know what to do. They haul her out of the living room, just past me. My fingers brush along hers as she’s dragged away. We’re both fucking crying.
How do I fix this?
How do I save her?
“Please,” I beg anyone who’ll listen. “Please. They’ll hurt her. Please don’t let them hurt my baby sister.”