Thinking of that and knowing the extent of what it felt like to be beat by your father had my blood boiling. Me, I could take a man’s ass beating, but not snowflake. She was delicate and seeing how petite she was and seeing how he towered over her just pissed me off more.

“Ah, our little friend Zeke. I should’ve known you’d have something to do with this.” He motioned to Patience’s clothes.

“Dad, he had nothing to do with me being at the club.” She came to my defense again, but I wanted to dig into him in any way I could as payback for touching her.

“Of course I had something to do with it. What can I say? I can’t stay away from her.” I lied.

I heard Patience gasp from beside him as I met his stare. I didn’t even think about the effects my little statement would make on her, but I enjoyed the expression that crossed his face. His jaw ticked and I knew I’d hit a nerve, and then an intimidating smile spread across his face.

“She’s definitely a special girl. However, I’d prefer it if you stayed away from my daughter.” He put a protective arm around her waist and pulled her closer to his side.

It pissed me off even more that he was now pretending to protect her from me. He was the one that was obviously a danger to her, while I had only tried to help her. I could feel the heat of my anger on the back of my neck. I flexed my fists and weighed the charges that would be slammed against me if I knocked this fucker on his ass.

“I’ll try, but I can’t make any promises. She’s pretty addictive and I have one hell of an addictive personality.” I hit him with another dig.

Patience stared at me, mouth gapped open in shock.

“Dad, he’s fooling around. We barely even know each other,” she said with wide eyes as she looked up at her father.

His face had now taken on a deep-red hue.

I put my hand over my chest like I was hurt. “After all we’ve been through, snowflake. That cuts deep. I’d like to think I know you pretty damn well,” I said as I purposely looked up and down her slim figure.

Her face turned as red as her dad’s and she threw her hands in the air.

“Stop it, Zeke! He’s going to think you’re serious!”

Finally, I’d had enough and I was starting to worry that maybe I’d made things worse for her.

“Whatever you say, princess,” I said as I fell back into my chair and spread my legs out in front of me.

Crossing my arms, I peered up at both of them through my hair. I bit on my lip ring and watched as she looked up at her Dad. Her eyes were wide with fear and I suddenly felt sick to my stomach thinking about her possibly getting hit when she got home.

“I’m just screwing around,” I spit out.

Her dad looked down at her, then grabbed her hand.

“Patience, we’re leaving.” He then turned back to me. “Son, I think you need to get yourself straight. You’re headed nowhere fast.”

“I’m not your son,” I snapped. “And where I’m headed is none of your business.”

He said nothing as he turned to leave the room. Patience looked over her shoulder at me and I didn’t miss the worry in her eyes. I didn’t like it. I wasn’t her concern. I turned away and heard the door click as it shut behind them.

Three days later, I left the jailhouse with a pretty hefty fine, sixty days worth of community service, and a phone full of text messages from Javier wanting to know where his product was.

Six

Patience

The ride home from the police station was awful. Being alone in the car with my dad was insufferable. Once we made it to our side of town, I could feel the anger radiating from him. The fact that he had been silent for most of the ride scared the shit out of me. I knew once I got home I was in for it. I didn’t even want to think about what he was going to do to me.

“I had no idea this was the kind of girl you were.” He filled the silent car with his sigh. “I never thought in a million years I’d have to go to the police station and pick up my daughter. Maybe I should treat you like the juvenile delinquent you are. Would you like that, Patience? Do you want me to treat you like you look right now? Huh? Do you want me to treat you like a little whore?” His voice went from calm to vicious as he continued to talk.

I didn’t respond. Instead, I stared out the window and watched the big houses go by. I silently prayed that Lynn, our maid, was up and about. I hoped my mom’s nurse, Patricia, would be up taking care of Mom. I wished for anyone that could save me from him, but I knew in the back of my mind that he made sure we’d be alone when we got home. That thought made my stomach turn and I suddenly remembered the time I got sick and threw up on him once he was done with me. I was only nine and he told my mom that I must’ve had a twenty-four-hour stomach bug.