“How about you put the gun down and I can tell you all about my sister,” Trinity offered.
“Don’t tell me what to do,” he shouted, waving the gun around. She felt like she was holding her breath, waiting for the gun to go off and all she could think about was that she hadn’t told Ace that she loved him. He had given her the words, but she didn’t return them. If she died, he’d never know how much she loved him.
“Okay,” she whispered. “I’m sorry, Rooster. I won’t do that again. Please, you’re scaring me,” she sobbed.
“This can all be over,” he promised, “I just need to know where my woman is.”
“She’s in rehab,” Trinity said.
“Rehab?” Rooster asked. “Why would she be in a place like that?”
“Because she was arrested while under the influence of cocaine. Charity either had to go to prison or rehab. She chose rehab for her daughter,” Trinity said.
“She always was a stupid bitch,” he breathed. “I told her that she needed to lay off of that stuff and do some lighter shit, but she refused. She was being careless and now, she’s paying the price.”
“I can tell her that you stopped by asking for her,” Trinity offered. “She’s been in a court-ordered facility for a month now and I try to see her every Friday. I can tell her that you were here.” She hoped that her offer to tell her sister that Rooster was asking for her, would be enough for him to leave her alone.
“I don’t need you to tell her that I was here asking for her. I need to find Charity and tell her that she needs to come home. She’s been gone for so long now and I’m done playing with her. She promised she’d be back but she never came home,” he said.
“Charity said that you kicked her out. She said that you broke up with her,” Trinity said. She hated that she sounded as if she was accusing him of something, but she needed to figure out why Rooster seemed to believe that Charity left him, and maybe then he’d leave.
“She left me,” Rooster shouted. “She ran away from me just like she runs from everyone in her life and I’m sick of waiting for her to come home. I need her home—with me.”
“I’d love to help you, Rooster, but I can’t. The best that I can do is talk to Charity this Friday, when I get to visit her,” Trinity said again.
“Baby,” Ace shouted, walking through the open front door. “Trinity,” he called when she didn’t answer him. She could hear him walking from room to room, looking for her, and when he got to the kitchen, Ace stopped dead in his tracks, taking in the scene between her and Rooster.
“Ace,” she breathed.
“What the fuck is going on here?” he asked. “Rooster, why are you in my home?”
Rooster pointed his gun at Ace and Trinity felt as though the floor had fallen out from under her feet.
“I’ve come here to get Charity, but I’m getting some story about her being in rehab. You’re with her sister?” Rooster asked as if finally putting all of the puzzle pieces together.
“Who I’m with isn’t your business,” Ace spat. “Put the fucking gun down—I’ll help you get to Charity, but not like this. I won’t let you put my family in danger to get what you want.”
“How do I know that you’ll keep your word and help me find Charity?” Rooster asked.
“We were friends before all of this shit went down between Charity, you, and I. Have I ever broken my word to you, Rooster?” Ace asked. Trinity watched as the guy tried to decide his next move, and she hoped like hell that he decided to let them go. The authorities had to be there by now and the last thing any of them needed was a showdown between Rooster and the cops. She and Ace would be caught in the crossfire.
“No,” Rooster breathed. “You’ve never lied to me, Ace.”
“Then put the gun down and let me help you now,” Ace demanded. Rooster stooped and put the gun on the floor. “Kick it over to me, Rooster,” Ace ordered. He did and when Ace picked up the gun, Trinity felt as though she could breathe again.
“You good, Honey?” Ace asked.
“Yes,” she stuttered.
“Good,” he breathed. “It’s all clear,” he called. In seconds, their home was filled with swarms of police officers and medical personal, asking to check her out.
“I’m fine,” she insisted. “I need to check in on Bella.” She turned back to find Rooster being put in cuffs, shouting and cursing at Ace for lying. “He didn’t lie to you, Rooster. I’m going to help you, just like I did my sister. I’m going to represent you and I’ll do my best to get you into rehab, just like I did for Charity. You need help, Rooster.”
“You don’t know me,” he spat at her. “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”
Ace stepped between her and Rooster, blocking his view of her. “You don’t get to talk to her like that, Rooster. You need to take her help and be thankful that she’s offering it to you. Trinity should let them throw you in a jail cell and toss away the key for what you did to her tonight. You’re damn lucky that she’s such a good person. Hell, she’s the best person that I know and I won’t let you be an asshole to her.”
Rooster was led out of their home, staring Ace down. “This isn’t over,” Rooster insisted.