you inside and off that leg.”
“Backup is almost here, ma’am. I should wait for their arrival. But it would be best if you waited inside.”
Like hell. Jess tightened her grip on her Glock. “I think I’ll take my chances with you, Sergeant.”
5
10:00 p.m.
“How long you think we’ll be safe here?”
DeShawn Simmons paced the worn carpet. This motel was too close to his neighborhood. He didn’t care that it was a dump, but wouldn’t the trouble they were trying to escape be turning this side of town upside down? And what about DeShawn’s grandparents? This was too close to them. He didn’t want them pulled into this whacked-out situation.
This was too close. Too close, and still he couldn’t let them know he was here. They would be worried. His grandfather didn’t need this kind of stress.
Nina ignored him as if he hadn’t said a word. She just kept staring out the dingy motel window. She’d acted funny ever since they made the decision to leave their lives and Birmingham behind.
The whole thing had been her idea. He hadn’t wanted to go. His grandparents needed him. She just kept saying they were doing okay and he had to grow up and be a man.
That was what he was trying to do now and she wasn’t listening. They hadn’t run anywhere. What was she waiting for?
How was he supposed to protect her from those low-life gangbangers if she wouldn’t listen?
“Didn’t you hear me?” DeShawn strode to the window and glared down at her. She made him so angry. He wanted to shake her. But she’d already suffered enough. The bruises from her last beating were only now fading.
She looked up at him and his chest ached. Man, he loved her so much. He wished he could take back the words. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he was scared to death and his grandparents would be freaking out by now.
“Nina, you—”
“Baby.” She took his hands in hers and smiled, her big brown eyes hopeful. “You have to trust me. This is the only way. If he finds us, we’re dead.” She pulled away from him, hugged her arms around herself. “I shouldn’t’ve dragged you into this. I’ll never be rid of him. I should’ve stayed and let him kill me. Then it would be over.”
DeShawn reached for her, pulled her against him. It was the only time he felt right, with her next to him. “Don’t say that, baby girl. We’ll figure this out.” He stroked her long silky hair. “I just wish I could let my grandparents know I’m okay. They worry about me.”
She hugged him hard, the sound of her voice vibrating against his chest as she spoke. “If you told them anything and he found out, he would do terrible things to them.” Her gaze moved up to DeShawn’s once more. “Believe me, I’ve seen what he can do when he wants to hurt someone.”
“We can’t hide like this forever.” He was supposed to start Jeff State next month. His grandparents were depending on him. As much as he loved Nina, he didn’t want to let them down. His grandmother would tell him that this was a fine time to think about that. He’d made his bed hard and now he would have to lie in it.
Nina grabbed his hands and pulled him down to the floor. “Let’s pray, Shawney. Our heavenly Father will help us make the right decisions.” She reached up and stroked his cheek. “He’s gotten us this far and we’re still alive.”
DeShawn closed his eyes and tried to focus on her words. As hard as he tried to pay attention, in his mind, where she wouldn’t hear, he said a prayer of his own.
Dear Father, please keep my grandparents safe. Watch after them if I don’t make it through this
.
He opened his eyes and watched as Nina fervently begged for God’s guidance and protection. She wanted so bad to be away from the gang life. DeShawn wanted just as bad to help her. To keep her safe for the rest of her life.
And, Father,
he prayed,
forgive me for loving this girl so much that I had to keep secrets from my grandparents. Help us, Father,
“Backup is almost here, ma’am. I should wait for their arrival. But it would be best if you waited inside.”
Like hell. Jess tightened her grip on her Glock. “I think I’ll take my chances with you, Sergeant.”
5
10:00 p.m.
“How long you think we’ll be safe here?”
DeShawn Simmons paced the worn carpet. This motel was too close to his neighborhood. He didn’t care that it was a dump, but wouldn’t the trouble they were trying to escape be turning this side of town upside down? And what about DeShawn’s grandparents? This was too close to them. He didn’t want them pulled into this whacked-out situation.
This was too close. Too close, and still he couldn’t let them know he was here. They would be worried. His grandfather didn’t need this kind of stress.
Nina ignored him as if he hadn’t said a word. She just kept staring out the dingy motel window. She’d acted funny ever since they made the decision to leave their lives and Birmingham behind.
The whole thing had been her idea. He hadn’t wanted to go. His grandparents needed him. She just kept saying they were doing okay and he had to grow up and be a man.
That was what he was trying to do now and she wasn’t listening. They hadn’t run anywhere. What was she waiting for?
How was he supposed to protect her from those low-life gangbangers if she wouldn’t listen?
“Didn’t you hear me?” DeShawn strode to the window and glared down at her. She made him so angry. He wanted to shake her. But she’d already suffered enough. The bruises from her last beating were only now fading.
She looked up at him and his chest ached. Man, he loved her so much. He wished he could take back the words. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he was scared to death and his grandparents would be freaking out by now.
“Nina, you—”
“Baby.” She took his hands in hers and smiled, her big brown eyes hopeful. “You have to trust me. This is the only way. If he finds us, we’re dead.” She pulled away from him, hugged her arms around herself. “I shouldn’t’ve dragged you into this. I’ll never be rid of him. I should’ve stayed and let him kill me. Then it would be over.”
DeShawn reached for her, pulled her against him. It was the only time he felt right, with her next to him. “Don’t say that, baby girl. We’ll figure this out.” He stroked her long silky hair. “I just wish I could let my grandparents know I’m okay. They worry about me.”
She hugged him hard, the sound of her voice vibrating against his chest as she spoke. “If you told them anything and he found out, he would do terrible things to them.” Her gaze moved up to DeShawn’s once more. “Believe me, I’ve seen what he can do when he wants to hurt someone.”
“We can’t hide like this forever.” He was supposed to start Jeff State next month. His grandparents were depending on him. As much as he loved Nina, he didn’t want to let them down. His grandmother would tell him that this was a fine time to think about that. He’d made his bed hard and now he would have to lie in it.
Nina grabbed his hands and pulled him down to the floor. “Let’s pray, Shawney. Our heavenly Father will help us make the right decisions.” She reached up and stroked his cheek. “He’s gotten us this far and we’re still alive.”
DeShawn closed his eyes and tried to focus on her words. As hard as he tried to pay attention, in his mind, where she wouldn’t hear, he said a prayer of his own.
Dear Father, please keep my grandparents safe. Watch after them if I don’t make it through this
.
He opened his eyes and watched as Nina fervently begged for God’s guidance and protection. She wanted so bad to be away from the gang life. DeShawn wanted just as bad to help her. To keep her safe for the rest of her life.
And, Father,
he prayed,
forgive me for loving this girl so much that I had to keep secrets from my grandparents. Help us, Father,
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