Page 11 of Unhinged
BRYDGETT
“Are you ready, J? If you wanna get to the trampoline park as soon as they open, we need to leave now! I still need to stop by work and get my phone, Judge.” I’m standing by the door to our apartment, waiting for Judge to come out of his room. He went to put shoes on and ten minutes later I’m still standing here. Why does this kid take years to put shoes on every time?
He comes sprinting down the hall, his small frame full of life as he slides to a stop next to me, nearly losing his balance. "Okay. Let’s go," he chirps.
"Finally," I tease, opening the door to let him out first. I watch as he bounces ahead, his energy contagious. I lock the door, my mind flitting back to the list of things I need to do today.
Downstairs, I unlock the car so Judge can climb in while I take care of Marcus. My heart tugs as I approach his usual spot, a makeshift bed in the shadows. "Marcus, are you awake?" I call softly, not wanting to startle him.
“Yeah,” he mumbles.
“I brought some leftovers from breakfast. We’re headed to the trampoline park for the day. It’s supposed to rain tonight. Are you sure you won’t come in and sleep on my couch?” I already know the answer, but I have to ask or I wouldn’t feel right.
“No,” he says instantly and matter-of-factly.
“Okay.” I sigh and hand him the bag of goodies I brought. “See you later.”
I walk to my second love, slide into the driver's seat, and fire it up. “Did Marcus agree to come inside tonight?” Judge asks from the backseat as he buckles his seatbelt.
“Nope. I asked though.” I buckle myself, put the car in drive, and pull away from the curb. The radio bursts to life, and the familiar beats ofWe Will Rock Youby In This Moment fill the car. Judge’s favorite. I glance in the rearview mirror just in time to see him light up, his little head already bobbing to the beat. I can’t help but laugh as he starts belting out the lyrics, overflowing with enthusiasm.
He loves Maria Brink, and I can’t blame him. The woman is hot as sin and has one hell of a set of pipes.
We sing and laugh the rest of the drive to Ruby’s. When we arrive, I park close to the door, turn the engine off, and angle my body to look at Judge. “I’ll be right back, J. Then we’ll be on our way.” He doesn’t answer, so I take that as my cue to move my ass.
Stepping into the diner, I’m greeted by Ruby.
“What are you doing here, Brydge? It’s your day off,” Ruby calls, not looking up from the cash register.
“I left my phone here yesterday. Judge and I are headed to the trampoline park, so I wanted to grab it on the way.”
I walk behind the counter, scanning the familiar shelves where I usually leave my phone. A small sigh of relief escapes me when I spot it exactly where I left it. We’re not allowed to have iton our person, but since Ruby knows Judge only has me, she lets me leave it there.
I shove the phone into my back pocket, giving Ruby a quick wave as I head toward the door. "See you tomorrow, Ruby."
“See ya tomorrow, Brydge. Oh! Can you work a twelve tomorrow? Seven to seven. Lisa called out,” Ruby asks, her words following me as I push open the door.
But before I can respond, an ear-piercing scream shatters the air—Judge’s scream. The sound of my baby in distress rips through me like a blade. My heart lurches, my blood turns to ice, and for a moment, the world stops. It feels like hours that everything around me freezes before my instincts take over propelling me forward.
Listen, I know I’m not your typical omega but one stereotype I do fit? Harm my baby and I won’t just go feral. I’ll burn the world to the ground.
The sight that greets me outside roots me to the spot, my breath catching in my throat as terror tempers my instincts. There are three men—alphas I recognize all too well. Gears, Arrow, and the one whose name I never caught.
Gears has Judge in his arms, my baby thrashing, kicking, and screaming with everything he has. “Knock it off, pipsqueak,” Gears growls, his glare sharp enough to cut, and something inside me snaps.
A feral scream tears from my throat, and I charge at them, my vision tunneling with rage and fear. I slam into Gears with everything I’ve got; the impact forcing him back a step. He loses his balance, and for a brief second, I know I have a chance. But then he catches himself, his grip on Judge loosening just long enough for my son to break free and start running.
“Not so fast, little man,” Arrow murmurs as he grabs Judge by the arm, pulling him back.
"Let him fucking go!" I scream, raw with desperation. I twist and fight against Gears as he grabs me, locking me in a brutal hold.
I stomp down hard on Gears’ foot, feeling the crunch of bone beneath my boot, then slam my head back into his nose with all the strength I can muster. Pain explodes in my skull, but it’s nothing compared to the terror clawing at my insides.
"Fuck!" Gears roars. He lets me go and I make a break for it. I lunge for Arrow, every fiber of my being focused on getting my baby back. But before I can reach him, something hard connects with the side of my head. A sharp, searing pain radiates through my skull, and I feel myself crumpling to the ground.
“Mom!” Judge’s scream is the last thing I hear, the word echoing in my mind as darkness pulls me under.
ACID (LAST NIGHT)
