Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 76396 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76396 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
“I thought I could find the money before everything fell apart, I had a few big jobs lined up, and they just fuckin’ fell through. I don’t have the god damned cash and I don’t need you reminding me how badly I’ve fucked up!”
“You’ve fucked up alright, I’m out here fixin’ your last fuckin’ screw up and you just gave me another one. You’re the man of this house, at least that’s what you continue to remind me, and yet I’m the one keepin’ us together.”
“You want to keep goin’, Slater?” he says, voice defeated. “Or you goin’ to help me figure out what the fuck we’re goin’ to do about this.”
“How long have we got?” I say through gritted teeth.
“Thirty days.”
“Thirty fuckin’ days to pay this amount of cash?”
I rub my face again, shaking my head. “For a smart man, Lincoln, you’re really lettin’ us all down. You using?”
I study him, trying to scan his face, to see if there is a reason he’s letting everything slip so heavily. I never considered maybe he’s using. Maybe that’s the problem here, he got addicted when he was working for Walter. Would make sense. After all, it’s pretty freely accessible when you’re dealing with it daily.
“What the fuck did you just say to me?”
Lincoln stands, and when he’s upright, we’re basically nose to nose.
“I said, are you using? Can’t figure out what other fuckin’ reason you’d have for screwing up so badly.”
His fist flies out, unexpectedly, and smashes into my face. Rage and fire and frustration explode and my hand goes flying, my fist connecting with his jaw. Then his whole body weight is on mine, and we’re toppling backwards, fists flying, blood spraying, angry grunts filling the quiet night.
Lincoln rolls me to my back and pins me with his body weight, fists pummeling into my face over and over. With a furious roar, I flip him, slamming my hand into his throat. Panting, blood dripping, I look down at him and roar, “You’re a fuckin’ failure, Lincoln. Our family will drown because of you.”
“Stop it!”
Ellie’s frantic voice echoes through the yard, and I look up to see her standing beside Bob and Marlene, all of them looking at us with horror on their faces. I shove off Lincoln, and swipe my bloodied face with the back of my hand. My eyes go to the house, and I see Finn and Damon standing, watching us, horror and disappointment written all over their faces.
“What is wrong with you two?” Ellie cries when she reaches us. “What in the name of God would drive you to this?”
“None of your business,” I snap stepping back as Lincoln stands.
His face is pretty busted up, no doubt mine is, too.
“I’m outta here,” he growls, and disappears to his truck, jumping in and driving off before anyone can say anything else.
I look to Ellie, still panting, fists burning from hitting him so many times.
“What is wrong with you, Slater?” she says, her voice disappointed.
“Nothin’ is wrong. He started it.”
She exhales. “I’m going to take you inside, and clean you up, and we’re going to talk about this. I’ll go and get my first aid kit, yours sucks. I’ll be back.”
She turns without another word and disappears back to her house. I turn and walk up our front steps, stopping when I reach Damon and Finn.
“The house is getting taken from us?” Damon says, his voice monotone.
“No, I won’t let that happen.”
“Already know you’re doin’ somethin’ dangerous to get Lincoln out of the shit,” Finn growls. “Don’t lie to us.”
“Not your concern, Finn.”
“It is my fucking concern if we end up in a Foster home because you two fucked up. Our whole existence rides on you and Lincoln. We rely on you. And all we can fucking see right now, is both of you failing. How are we supposed to feel like we’re safe, when all you two do is fight? I’m out.”
He storms past me, and I turn, barking out his name.
He doesn’t stop.
He disappears down the road.
I look at Damon, who shakes his head sadly. “He’s right, Slater. This is out of hand now. It’s okay for you two, you can work, live on your own. We’re not old enough for that yet, which means we’re fucked if anything goes wrong. Think about that.”
He turns and walks back inside. I exhale, swiping at the dripping blood again, and walk in, too.
Ellie arrives ten minutes later with everything she needs to clean me up. We sit in the living area, and she starts wiping the blood from my face. I can see she’s pissed, and it’s even worse because she isn’t saying anything. She’s just focused on her job, and what she’s doing, and nothing else is going to get in the way.
So I speak.
“I’m sorry, Ellie,” I say, my voice raspy and tired.