Page 50 of Ravaged By the Dark (The Righteous 2)
Renee was washing the few dishes from the dinner she’d made for her and J.J. as she stared out the back window, contemplating her next move. She’d already put a stop payment on the mortgage. If her mother wanted to sell the house, then she could damn well figure out how to pay the bill. Renee had been paying for everything for the last few years, and it was time to put J.J. and her own needs first.
Mortgage, utilities, and groceries, plus her school, were adding up to more than she brought home. She was into her overdraft protection with the bank, her real credit card was maxed out, and the large sum she’d accumulated over the last three years, for a rainy day, was gone because her mother thought it would be a good idea to steal from her children.
Now she was terrified to go to work at all, let alone ask for extra shifts. She stifled the hysterical sob in the back of her throat as the memory of Tyson in her bed flashed through her mind. Her hands systematically washed the dishes but did not see them.
She should pack her and J.J.’s things and buy a pair of bus tickets out of town. She could work wherever and however she could. She had skills. Her schooling would have to wait. There was no real rush now.
Tyson said that he’d know if she left town, and she did not doubt if he found her, he’d kill her. She wanted to stay alive, but it was J.J. who concerned her more than whatever the sick fuck had planned for her. There was no doubt in her mind that if J.J. lived at all, Tyson would turn him into another ruthless follower. She couldn’t allow that—no matter what it cost her, she had to protect her baby brother.
“Nae Nae, Arek is fighting someone outside.”
Renee paused, processing the words. She dried her hands on the dish towel before she walked toward the bay window. She looked out and gasped as the guy Arek was fighting landed on his back. Arek looked crazed as his arms reached back and landed hard on the man beneath him. The guy on his back partially rolled toward the house, and she froze as she stared into her brother’s eyes. What the hell was Cody doing here, and why was Arek beating the shit out of him?
Renee ran for the door and threw it open.
“Arek, stop!” She jumped down the two steps and ran for Arek. She gripped his arm as he brought it up once more to land a blow to her brother’s already badly bleeding face. He didn’t even seem to notice her as he effortlessly pulled his arm away like she was nothing more than a fly. The look on his face was focused. It was like the look he had when he’d played the shooting game, but a whole lot scarier. She took a step back and lunged at Arek. Renee smashed into his muscled side and slammed her face off his shoulder.
“Shit,” she mumbled as her teeth bit into her lip.
But Arek still didn’t notice or acknowledge her, so she threw herself on her brother’s still body and gripped his face to her chest. Waiting to feel a blow to her back or her head, she closed her eyes tight, tensing for the strike, but the blow never came. Slowly, she peeled her eyes open and turned to look at Arek. His fist was still raised and shook mid-strike. His eyes were wild with a strange confusion. It was like he hadn’t been there but was now starting to focus on her.
“Please stop hurting him,” she said.
Arek backed away, his hands shaking as he stood. His face and hands were covered in blood. His large body seemed to tremble, and his chest rose and fell fast with his harsh breaths.
“Why are you protecting this piece of shit?” Arek finally said.
Renee glared at Arek.
“He may be a piece of shit, but he’s my brother.” Arek’s eyes went wide, and he swore under his breath, his hand raking through his hair, smearing blood and giving it a reddish hue.
“That complicates things,” Arek mumbled.
“Thanks, sis, but I can take care of myself.” Cody gave her a gentle push, and she lifted herself off his chest.
“Oh yes, I can see that. You’re doing a smash-up job of getting your head beaten into a pulp on my pathway.” Renee crossed her arms over her chest, fixing her hard stare on her brother. Now that the threat was past, she remembered why she hated him. Maybe she should let Arek continue with what he was doing.
“It wasn’t that bad. The guy hits like a pussy.”
“Fuck you. I had you dead to rights.” Arek grumbled.
Renee looked between the two men, decided she didn’t need this cockfight on top of everything else, and jumped up, throwing her hands in the air.
“You two want to kill each other… fine, but I’m not watching. J.J., get back inside,” she ordered as she marched for the door. J.J. knowing her ‘I’m not fooling around tone,’ jumped for the door and darted into the living room. She left the door open as she fumed and stomped into the kitchen. She needed a drink. For the first time in her life, she wished she had alcohol in the house. She gripped the counter and counted to ten in her head.
“You mad, Nae Nae?” Renee opened her eyes to look down at her little brother, who seemed to materialize out of nowhere.
His eyes were filled with unshed tears that broke her heart. After her childhood, the last thing she ever wanted was for J.J. to see something like this. For him to fear her anger or think that he was the cause of any of this crap—it made her sick. This shitfest that churned around them like a never-ending storm…
She would do whatever she needed to protect J.J. from this hell.
“Not at you. I could never be mad at you.” She took his sweet chubby cheeks in her hands as she knelt in front of him. He reached out and touched her bloody lip with his little quivering hand.
“You sure?”
Renee pulled him into a hug, her arms wrapping around his small body. “Yes, of course, I’m sure. You are the best little brother anyone could ask for. But, I need you to do me a favor and go upstairs to the bedroom and stay there.”
J.J. sighed and rolled his eyes. “More adult talk?”
