Page 39 of Savage
Sayge was curled around Calvin. As the seconds ticked by, I gave up. Sitting up, I slipped from the bed.
“Where are you going?” Sayge asked.
I didn’t know but lying there was making me more restless. “Downstairs. Maybe watch some tv.”
Sayge laid his head back down, and I thought about returning to bed and curling up with my two best friends. I shook my head and left the room instead. I tip-toed downstairs, unsure where Elio went or if he’d get mad that I left the room.
I stopped in the middle of the staircase once I heard a door open. I peeked over the curved railing and spotted Elio going through it. The faint sound of crying came from wherever the door led.
My stomach flipped, and I knew going back upstairs was the smart thing to do. Still, curiosity had me taking the remainder of the steps down. I counted to a hundred before I opened the door slowly, trying not to make it squeak.
I held my breath as it opened and slipped through. The faint crying grew as I descended. The air was damp and stiff. A shiver ran down my spine, and everything in me was screaming for me to go up and never come back down there.
I gritted my teeth as I moved forward. The cries grew louder, and I could soon make out words.
“Please.”
Stopping dead in my tracks, I frowned.I knew that voice.
I closed my eyes, trying to focus.Where in the hell had I heard it before?The crying distorted it, but I was certain it was familiar.
“Please, whatever you need, I can get it for you. I came up on some money. I don’t have all that I owe, but I swear I can get more.”
I opened my eyes as the realization dawned on me. Still, that couldn’t be right. My heart was permanently lodged in my throat, and my stomach turned with unease.
“I have insurance money coming in close to half a million. That’s more than my debt. I’ll give you all of it. Please.”
Fuck. I stumbled down the steps as the sound of flesh clashing together echoed up the walls. I stopped dead in my tracks as Mr. Thomas, our landlord, came into view. Three other men stood near him as Elio punched him a few times.
“What are you doing down here?” Ken asked.
I recognized him as the one who had taken us back home, but I couldn’t answer him when I was staring at Mr. Thomas.
I moved closer to him. Two of the other men came toward me.
“Do not touch him,” Elio said.
They moved out of my way as I finally made it next to Mr. Thomas. His beady eyes flickered over to me, blood was pouring from his nose, and a tooth was already broken as he cried.
“Dar!”
“What do you mean you came up on some money?” I asked.
Mr. Thomas shook his head. “I-I was depositing checks. You know, rent money at the bank when the fi—”
Elio’s fists cut through the air and crashed into Mr. Thomas’s stomach. His words turned into a gasping breath. My hands shook. I wanted to shake him.
“Don’t lie to him again.”
I couldn’t even look at Elio. All of my focus was on this piece of shit as my brain put it all together myself.He’d taken our money and burned the apartment down too.
Mr. Thomas shook his head. Elio didn’t have to move as I brought my fist back and punched him. My torn knuckles screamed in pain, but it meant nothing as I punched him repeatedly. His blood splattered over my face as I continued to hit him in the face. It wasn’t enough. It didn’t touch the rage that boiled through my veins.
Rough hands pulled me back, and I went to fight back. Still, strong arms wrapped tightly around me.
“That is enough. Breathe,” Elio commanded.
My mind was too far gone, but my body instantly listened to him. My old landlord was crying even more, spitting out teeth and blood.
