{ LIVING THE POGUE LIFE }

{34}

Brie didnt know what to do after JJ left. She glanced back at his house as tears still streamed down her cheeks.

She was so fucking stupid. She broke her promise. A promise he had forced her to make several times, because it had meant that much to him.

She shouldn't have got involved, but she couldnt just stand there at work knowing what was happening to him. When Brie asked Kiara to cover her shift, she knew that she was worried, but thankfully she didnt ask questions.

It took nearly an hour for Brie to walk all the way from the Wreck to JJ's house, and she only knew where it was because John B had mentioned it as they passed it on one of their drives before. She had never been before, so didnt even know if she had the right house.

Of course, she knew she had the right place when she heard the fighting, seeing JJ's dad throwing punches as JJ cowered against the wall. She immediately sprinted for the back door, rushing through the house, which was a complete mess, probably from one of JJ's dad's other outbursts.

Kicking open the door to the porch and seeing JJ on the floor like that, his own father's hands wrapped around his throat, made Brie fill up with anger and heartbreak.

She winced as she remembered her pathetic attempt to pull his dad away from him. She knew in that moment how scared JJ felt every time he went home, because seeing JJ's dads face, contorted with rage, made her feel so small and vulnerable.

He barely hurt her. She might have a couple of light bruises from where he grabbed her shoulders, but she wasn't in any pain.

She wished she had told JJ that before he ran off. That it probably looked bad, but he didnt actually hurt her.

But she knew that wouldnt matter. To him, he had put her in danger and he felt like it was his fault that she got hurt.

It was his worst fear that his dad would ever get a hold of her, and it broke her heart to know that she was the reason it came true.

And then having to watch JJ hold that tool above his father's head, crying uncontrollably and shouting like that...She thought he was going to kill him right in front of her. The relief she felt when he dropped the wrench was so strong, but it had quickly disappeared when she realised how angry he was with her.

A sob rose in her throat, but she quickly swallowed it and composed herself. She still had something she wanted to take care of.

She walked round to the front of the house where JJ's dad was still picking himself up from the ground. She took a deep breath.

"Do you need to go to the hospital?" She asked, deliberately using a flat tone just in case he thought she actually cared.

He wiped blood from his nose with the back of his hand and glared at her.

"What do you want?" He half growled.

"Well," Brie folded her arms, "What I'd really like is for you to drop off the face of the earth, but seeing as that's not going to happen-"

"Get the fuck off my property," he snapped.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" She shouted, careful to keep her distance, "Why do you treat your only son like a piece of shit?"

"I dont have to talk to you," he said, bluntly.

"I should go to the police," Brie said.

That got his attention. He finally stood up, stepping closer to her.

"The fuck did you just say to me?" He asked.

Brie tried to hide her nervousness, keeping her arms crossed as she stared him down.