Kryptonite

FORTY FIVE

I bite the back of my nail, pacing the small front room of the police station and knowing I'm minutes from being lectured. "You're making me dizzy."

Barely acknowledging Oscar I finally stop biting before it bleeds and wedge my hands into my jacket pockets. He sighs, rubbing his face and causing his shirt to rid up slightly. My eyes widen when I catch the end of a gun and move to block the view of the office manning the front desk.

"You brought that to the police station?" I hiss out and he tugs his shirt down, not even appearing phased. "Do you not understand what's happening? If someone sees that you'll end up making the situation worse."

"Well if I see Trey, I won't be stopping to ask questions. His family has fucked with mine for the last time," I furrow my eyebrows at the wording and wonder what the first time was. Oscar senses my curiosity and purses his lips. "This might not sound like it but I loved my wife."

"Funny way of showing it."

"We were toxic," He states and shakes his head. "Best friends from birth, through to high school where she dated this tool with an affliction for guns and drugs . . . she bailed when she realized his family had a history of it and finally realized I was right there."

"That doesn't explain why you became what you did." I keep my words cryptic, even if Oscar doesn't show the same worry.

"A few laters the ex came back into the picture and harassed her, tried to threaten her parents to get her back . . . even when she was pregnant," He no longer speaks casually, darkness and anger whirling inside of his eyes. "So I tracked him down and we fought. To his surprise, I kicked his ass . . . you can say the Adams temper is a generational thing, especially when something we love is threatened."

I soften once I connect the dots. "James? He made you an offer."

"Actually his father did. I would work as an enforcer and he would make his son go back to Cheryl, who he had left alone with his one year old son. So I agreed to protect my wife and unborn son," Oscar leans forward, locking his jaw for a moment. "It turned me heartless and I became just like James . . . which is why I'm giving Rhys the chance to get out and have a better life, in the only way I can help him with that."

"You know that this doesn't automatically make it better."

"I don't expect him to suddenly forgive me for everything. I just don't want to watch him make any more of my mistakes."

The sound of shoes scuffing brings me back to the moment and remember why I was pacing in the first place. Rhys is being escorted by a detective who immediately looks at me with suspicion. I freeze under Detective Foster's eyes, expecting some snarky remark.

"Keep your phone's on. If any developments are made I don't want to come looking for either of you." He doesn't bother coming all the way with his warning and he's blocked by Rhys.

He engulfs me in a hug which I return with earnest and make sure to squeeze with just enough pressure. "You never listen to me."

"I'm not sorry," I mumble into his chest and pull back to peer up at him. "Things are really bad."

"Let's get going," Oscar cuts off and starts towards the exit. "Now."

I watch him go for a moment and glance behind Rhys where I notice Detective Foster talking to a pair of officers, nodding his head in our direction. Oh that can't be anything good. I take Rhys' hand and tug him along after Oscar, having to up my pace when he catches on and starts walking quicker.