Cracks

Chapter 27 A shelter for the storm

When she walked through the door of the rundown apartment that morning, she was met with the annoyed expression on Vincent Burke's face. It didn't look like he had seen his bed last night and the remnants of whatever he had been using were still lingering in his eyes. He glared at her over the rim of his coffee cup. "Back again?" he said in a gruff tone, "you're like a freakin' boomerang. You just keep coming back."

The ten year old girl ignored his comment and waltzed down the kitchen towards her brother's room. Without knocking, she barged in, dropped her backpack on the floor and jumped on the bed where a large blob was hidden under the covers.

"Wakey wakey!" she yelled.

The covers moved as the blob flew up, and revealed a woman in her late teens or early twenties. She stared at the girl startled. "What the hell?!"

"Who are you?" the child growled. She narrowed her eyes. "Why are you in here? Where's Ray?!"

"In the shower," the woman answered, still confused, "who are you?"

"Ain't your business!" the girl yelled, "go away! You don' belong here!"

"Ally!" a voice rang from the door.

Both females turned to the door.

Ray was standing there in only his jeans, a towel in his hand to dry his hair.

"Ray!" Alyssa beamed.

The woman in the bed ran a hand through her hair. "Who's the kid, Ray? She just barged in here."

"I live here," Alyssa said pointedly. She crossed her arms and looked at her brother. "Why is there a woman in your room?"

Ray sighed and rolled his eyes. "I know you're young, Ally, but surely I don' have to explain the physics to you." He turned to the woman. "This is Alyssa, my sister. Ally, this is Kiki."

Alyssa pulled a face. "Kïkï?!"

Ray walked further into the room and grabbed a shirt. He pulled it over his head and sat down on the matrass. He leaned over to kiss Kiki. "You can use the shower now if you want. I'll fix us some breakfast."

Kiki pulled the sheet around her body and scowled at Alyssa before heading towards the bathroom.

Ray waited until she was gone before turning to Alyssa. "Did you run away again?" he asked.

Alyssa crossed her arms. "Why are you angry with me?"

He shook his head. "I ain't angry, Ally. Tell me what happened."

Alyssa narrowed her eyes. "I don' wanna live there no more."

Ray raised an eyebrow. "You know that after three days?" he studied her more carefully. There was something she wasn't telling him. "Ally?" His eyes fell on the mark on the side of her face and he took her chin to turn her head.

Alyssa winced slightly and hissed.

Anger filled Ray and he gritted his teeth. "Who did this?" he demanded. He held her gaze. "Did this happen at that foster family?"

Alyssa gave a stiff nod.

"Where do the live?" Ray growled, "I'll make 'em pay."

"I already did," Alyssa said with a satisfied smirk. She put her hand in her pocket and pulled out a wad of cash and a credit card.