Chapter 19

Emmie:

I look at the clock on the wall. It was almost 5 PM. Ky and I should be closing up soon to go over to that bastard's house for our movie night with Julia. I did not like him at all; his behavior toward others was appalling. It surprised me that he seemed so concerned about Julia the day I brought her to his home.

He had a distraught look on his face, and it seemed as if he were ready to kill someone. Ky was still unaware of what was going on, and even though it took a lot for Julia to tell me what was going on in the first place, I thought it was only right for Ky to know as well.

Ky was busy attending to a customer when the man I despised the most entered the store. Julia's confession and the images of her shaking her head no to me when I attempted to help her two days ago filled my mind.

I wanted nothing more than to bang his other knee in.

"Hey there, princess," he said to Kylashay.

"What do you want?" I asked, trying to divert the attention from Ky. She was already busy with a customer, yet he chose to bother her.

"Just a minute, pretty girl. I'm trying to talk to your friend here. I'll talk to you when I'm done. Why don't you write down your number on a piece of paper until then," said the disgusting creature standing before me.

I balled my hands in a fist while glaring at him.

"It's alright, Em. I'll handle this," Ky said as she gave Mrs. Smith her change.

She was just like Julia—too damn amiable.

"Can I get your number, gorgeous, so that we can get a drink sometime?"

"I have a boyfriend, sir," Ky said, stressing the word sir. "Now tell me, what can I get you?"

"Ditch whoever that loser is and go out with me."

My anger grew as the words left his mouth. Jordan was far from a loser, and by the way Ky talked, he'd put any man to shame. He was the guy every woman dreamed about. I took out the phone and searched for the number I wanted, trying my best to be discreet.

I knew Julia would be upset with what I'm about to do, but Xavier had already hurt one friend, and I wasn't going to stand and watch for a second time as he did the same to another.

I typed a short text and sent it before looking back at Ky, who looked uncomfortable as that asshole played with her hair.

"Can you just leave her the fuck alone?"

His eyes met mine. I grabbed ahold of one of the liquor bottles I kept underneath the counter for safety reasons.

"Are you feeling lonely, hon?" He smirked. "Don't worry, baby doll. I'll be with you in a minute."

I wondered how different he was years ago that made Julia take an interest in him. He was nothing but a disgusting womanizer.

"Are you forgetting that you have only one good leg?" I held the bottle tight and started walking from around the counter.

"Emmie, what are you doing? I told you I can handle this," Ky said with a concerned look on her face.

I ignored her and continued to approach this asshole, who had a smirk on his face and his eyebrows raised.

"Are you trying to threaten me, baby girl? What are you going to do?" he asked, amused.

"I suggest that you leave if you don't want to find out."

His amused look went away, and he started to approach me. "Do you think I'm afraid of you? You're just a dumb little girl."

"Just leave," I heard Ky say.

"You see this," he said, raising his crutch, "it has many uses."

He came closer as if he were about to hit me, and the next thing I knew, I was standing over his body with a broken vodka bottle, and Kylashay was shaking me, asking if I was ok.

Rome:

I wished she had told me earlier, even though I already had my suspicion. Tossing back my phone in the cup holder, I took a U-turn and sped in the direction of the grocery store.

I didn't even park the car properly before storming in. As I reached the door, I heard a loud bang followed by a female scream. Storming in, I saw Emmie standing over the same clown whose leg I'd broken.

He was lying on the ground, blood running down his forehead as he yelled profanities at her. I was amazed, and I wished that Julia had that drive in her.

"Don't you know you shouldn't talk to a woman that way?" I said, ambling over to him.

He rolled over on his back with a wide grin on his face. "Did that whore give you my message? I made sure Gina wrote it on her face."

That was all it took for me to go over and finish what Emmie started. I punched and kicked him until I felt hands pulling on me.

"Stop it, Rome. You're going to kill him," Kylashay cried while Emmie stood and watched emotionlessly.

The idiot coughed and spat out blood before grinning once more. "She's good in bed, isn't she? Especially that mouth."

"Who is he talking—"

I didn't wait for Kylashay to finish what she was saying. All logical thinking went out of my mind, and the only thing I could do was beat him.

When I was done, he was lying in his own pool of blood. "Leave Greengrove. If I see your fucking face anywhere close to her or her friends again, I won't hesitate to put you six feet under."

Kylashay and Emmie followed behind me up the stairs. I made them close early and get someone to clean up the mess I left behind.

"So, are you going to tell me what's going on?" I heard Kylashay ask Emmie, who had been silent the entire ride over.

"It's not my story to tell."

I pulled my room door open and entered before closing the door behind me. I was sure they were capable of finding Julia's room since it wasn't their first time here.

I pulled my shirt over my head and tossed it in the trash. It had bloodstains, and I didn't want Julia to find out what I had done. I'd throw it out later.

Entering the bathroom, I pulled the shower curtain open only to see Julia sitting in there. Her knees were pulled up to her chest, and her head and arms were resting on them.

She was crying.

"Julia?"

Instead of answering, she continued to cry. It was strange seeing her like this. She was always so happy that I didn't even know she was capable of crying.

I felt guilt for scolding her earlier. I figured my words were what triggered this emotion. I wasn't sure what to say, so instead, I climbed in behind her and held her close as she started to cry even harder.