Vicious Rebel (82 Street Vandals #2) - Heather Long Page 0,52

the giraffes. She even let me go on the carousel. It had been a fun day. When Daddy got home, he’d been mad ’cause dinner wasn’t ready. Mommy also forgot to pick up his beer.

The yelling started, and I got under the table like I always did. Mommy said if Daddy didn’t see me when he was mad, he probably wouldn’t hit me. But he kept hitting Mommy.

He hit her until she wasn’t even crying anymore.

Then he dragged me out from under the table and made me go to bed. Mommy was on the floor for two days before the cops came.

Where did Daddy go after I went to bed?

I didn’t know.

I didn’t care.

Daddy broke Mommy.

Now I had to live somewhere else.

Finally, they let me leave.

“You did great, Jasper,” Ms. Stephanie praised me as she guided me out. “I know you’re tired of answering those questions. But it’s important, and I’m so proud of you for being a strong little boy.”

Except, I wasn’t strong.

If I’d been strong, Mommy wouldn’t be broken and I would have hit Daddy when he kept hitting her.

I didn’t argue with Ms. Stephanie though. She meant well.

She really did.

I’d forgotten all about the other boy until we made another stop. That was also when I realized I’d moved homes again. Did that mean I was moving schools? I’d stayed at three different group homes in the last few months. They moved me every few weeks.

At first, I’d thought it was an adventure. Now I knew better than to get attached.

To anything.

Or anyone.

“Jasper,” Ms. Stephanie said as she led me into the yard where a dark-haired, dark-eyed boy watched us with all the suspicion I felt. “This is Milo. Milo, this is Jasper. He was the boy I told you about this morning.”

I wasn’t the only one to shoot her a sharp look. She’d told him about me.

“Why don’t you two get to know each other while I take Jasper’s things inside and talk to Ms. Joanie.”

Neither of us said anything, and she left us alone to stare at each other. Milo squinted at me, then back at the house when a baby cried before he swung his gaze to look at me again.

“You want to play?”

“Not really,” I told him. I wouldn’t be here long. This kid would start something, we’d fight, and I’d end up somewhere else.

He shrugged. “Well, I’m gonna play over there.” He pointed toward a row of toy cars and an old racing set. I’d had one like that. “It’s better with two. But do what you want. Ms. Joanie will make us clean up before dinner.”

Without another word, he walked away, and I sat down on the steps. I didn’t play with him, and he didn’t say anything else. Ms. Stephanie left with a wave and a kiss to the top of my head. Milo and I were out there all afternoon, not saying anything. But when the other kids got home, he did something weird.

He came to sit on the step next to me. Not saying a word, he just sat there, and so did I. None of the other kids bothered us.

Chapter 14

Emersyn

The crash of a table and low-pitched snarls jerked me out of the most peaceful sleep I’d managed in a long time. My eyes snapped open as a pair of bodies fell next to the sofa. When I would have tried to roll out of the way, Rome’s arms tightened around me, and we were suddenly over the back of the sofa and I was tucked behind him as the battle raged across the living room.

“What the hell?” All traces of sleepiness fled at the unrestrained violence. The pair on the floor staggered to their feet. Another pair of hits, flesh slamming into flesh followed by harsh breathing, ripped through the room. Rome made no move to intercede, and even though my heart slammed a mile a minute, I went for one of the lamps. There was a wall switch, and it turned up the lights in the room.

“Fuck.” Jasper flinched as one of the brighter lights shown in his face. Liam’s fist caught him next, and it was my turn to wince, ’cause the blow knocked Jasper back a couple of feet. Not that it slowed him down, he just snarled and raced right at Liam, slamming his shoulder into Liam’s midsection and driving him back toward the sofa Rome and I had been sleeping on.

Liam brought his fists together and drove them down at Jasper’s