“I’m no cop.”
“Ya look like one to me, even smell like one. Whoever you are, fuck off.”
“Make me.”
“What’d you say?”
“Are you deaf as well as ugly? I said, make me.”
Angie’s moan broke the dead silence. Charli spoke as an offside, “Go pack, kiddo. You’re coming home with me.”
“What the fuck?”
“That’s what I was tryin’ to tell you, Hank. This cop… ahh, lady wants to take away our little Angel.”
Hank snickered, spewing a sound like a giggle, his voice too high for a body so big. “You can call her angel. I call her bitch, and she’s not going nowhere.” He pointed at Angie and reiterated, “You listen to me, runt. You’re not leaving, and that’s it.”
Charli cut in, “You’re wrong, Hank. And, if you try to stop us, you’ll be sorry.”
“Okay, I’ve had enough of this nonsense.” He grabbed Charli’s arm to force her to the door… his first mistake. His second was not staying down when she flipped him over her hip and jabbed him hard in the stomach, once and then again.
Roaring with rage, knocking over a chair and lamp in his hurry to get to his feet… to get to her… he reached to punch, missed when she ducked and swung again.
Whipping her agile body out of his way, Charli’s elbow caught him on his collar bone and then she used her feet. Kicking him hard between the legs, she stopped his forward momentum. Then to seal the deal, she kicked him in the chin when he bent over to clutch the painful area.
His screams didn’t faze her one little bit, nor did his wife’s. Smiling, she walked over to the man, stuck her heel into his groin and scrunched down hard… really hard. This time his squeals outranked those of the now crazed woman who’d run to hide on her couch.
Bending down, Charli added another dose of pressure and spoke, “You ever come near Angie again, you nasty prick, and I’ll shoot you dead. That’s after I aim for these naughty little boys, you understand me, Numb-nuts? You’re a creepy sicko who should be in jail. And since my fiancé happens to be Major Blake Sebastian of the FLPD, I’ll make sure and tell him about this little visit and why. Him and his boys, well they’d take great pleasure in making life a living hell for you from now on. So, listen to my warning and take me seriously. Leave – Angie – alone.”
His pitiful moans still didn’t faze her. In fact, she relished his cries. “And… one more thing. If I can talk Angie into filing charges against you, you’ll be tried for rape. I’ll make sure you get thrown into regular housing in maximum security where the boys hate men like you. They like to give them a taste of their own medicine, if you know what I mean.”
Her words broke through the pain. He growled obscenities and pleas for help at the same time. “Fucking bitch, she’s lying. I never touched her. God help me, I need an ambulance. I’m dying. Look what you done to me. I’m bleeding.”
“Good.”
“Fucking bitches. Go. See if I care. Get out.” He pointed a shaking, dirty finger at Angie, who’d stayed frozen on the stairs. “Don’t come back crying for forgiveness. Help me, Lora. Goddamn.” Crying now, the pitiful animal blathered through his slobbering spit and runny nose.
Charli turned to see the girl frozen in place; a shocked look replacing the hard countenance she’d saved for Charli. Slowly, after Charli nodded yes, it’s truly happening, shining through her tears, hope appeared – hope and joy.
Charli winked and grinned. “Unless, there’s something here you particularly want, Angie, fuck the shit. I’ll buy you whatever you need.”
“There’s just one item I can’t leave. Will you wait? I’ll be right back.” Angie began racing up the rickety stairs but skidded to a stop. She fell backwards. Agile, driven by ramped up adrenalin; she righted herself in a split second. “Don’t leave.”
“I’ll wait. Get whatever you want.” Charli stood guard at the stairs and ignored the others.
Hurrying again, Angie reappeared a few seconds later clutching a visibly well-used teddy bear. “I couldn’t leave him.”
“No problem.”
“He’s my best friend.”