Here Comes Trouble (Nothing Special #3)(29)

“You’ve lost your mind. I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.” She shook her head at him, walking back over to the couch, plopping down and lighting another cigarette.

“That’s what I’m talking about.” He pointed at her. “You’re sitting over there, like always. But when I came in I had to kick the recliner closed… meaning someone had obviously been sitting in it. Someone just used the shower because the mirror is still foggy.” He tilted his head at her. “But your hair’s not wet. You also have no money, but you have enough takeout in your kitchen to feed two grown men.” Ruxs stood over her. “You forget I’m a detective don’t you? So I’ll ask one more time before I put a bullet in the fuckin’ door. Who’s the bastard in the motherfuckin’ closet?”

His mom jumped up her eyes bulging at the sight of his Glock in his hand. “I’m going to call the police. Put that thing away right now!”

“I am the police!” he yelled back.

She slapped him hard across his face. The sting only making him angrier. The beast inside him snarled and clawed. Green wasn’t here to chain it. Someone was fucking his mom and was too damn cowardly to show his face. His vision dimmed around the edges. The darkness opened its doors and Ruxs eagerly jumped in for the ride.

“You’ve got until the count of three to come out, or else I’m going to unload my goddamn clip, then I’m going to reload it and empty in there again!” he yelled, his deep voice flooding the duplex. “I won’t stop until you either come out or I hear your body drop!”

Ruxs cocked the hammer of his weapon, not seconds after he did, he heard a man’s voice pleading, “Wait, wait, I’m coming out.” The knob turned slowly on the closet and the door creaked open.

“Let me see your fuckin’ hands first,” Ruxs yelled, pointing his gun in that direction.

His mom had a hold of his other arm but he kept his aim steady. “Leave him alone! This is my house! You have no right!”

He saw the man’s hands before he stepped out of the closet wearing only a towel around his neck and a pair of low-slung denim jeans. Ruxs lowered his gun slowly, but his breath caught when he realized who it was. It was a low-life piece of shit that he’d busted more than once. The young twenty-seven year old hustler had served six months for possession before he was released just a year ago. Only he came out doing the same bullshit. Selling to kids and crack mothers, basically anyone that had the money.

“Jacob, what the fuck are you doing in my mother’s house?” Ruxs growled.

“I swear man; I didn’t know that she was your mom.” He begged.

“I doesn’t matter honey. You don’t have to explain anything to him because he’s leaving and never coming back,” his mom yelled.

Ruxs turned and faced her. Sputtering at the term of endearment. “H-honey. Are you fuckin’ serious! I’m older than him! What the hell are you doing with this kid?”

Jacob made a couple steps back towards the bedroom. “I’m just gonna get my things and go.”

Ruxs spun back around. Closing the distance between them in three long strides. “The fuck you are.” Ruxs spun Jacob hard and pushed him up against the wall.

“Hey!” he yelled.

“Keep your goddamn hands up.” Ruxs snarled, kicking his feet apart. “You selling to my fuckin’ mother, you piece of shit?”

Ruxs’ mom ran over to them, yelling at him to let him go. As soon as she said that Jacob was her boyfriend and they were in love, Ruxs thought his head was going to pop off. He kept his palm in the center of Jacob’s back, while he glared at his mom. “Do you know I’ve arrested this asshole twice? Did you know he sells crack cocaine to kids and pregnant women? Don’t you know he’s just using you?”

“That’s not true. He loves me! Loves me enough to give me what I need. Something you never did!”

Ruxs’ heart clenched at his mother’s words. She loved a drug dealer more than she loved him. Well he was going to fix that. As long as this shithead was walking around, his mom was never going to get clean. He’d keep her high. Keep her supplied with as much and as many drugs as she wanted. Ruxs ignored his mom and dug deep into Jacob’s right pocket, coming up empty. But, when he dug in the other he found two small bags of cocaine. “Mmm hmm. Just like I thought.”

“I’m not dealing, man. That’s for personal use.” Jacob tried to argue. “I swear, Ruxsberg. I’m not dealing. I-I’m being straight up. I love her. I do. I didn’t know this was your mom, man.”

Ruxs growled angrily and pulled one of Jacob’s arms down, twisting it behind the man’s back. As soon as he started to read Jacob his rights – not even getting past “You have the right to remain” – Jacob pushed back against him, yanking his hand free. He spun and swung his fist, connecting it with Ruxs’ left cheek.

Ruxs grunted but the punch wasn’t enough to hurt him. Jacob may have been in his twenties but he had street smarts and he could fight dirty. Ruxs pushed his mom out of the way but she threw her own swing at him, scratching his eye with one of her fake gold rings on her finger. Ruxs was actually stunned by her hitting him, even more so, that she was fighting against him. He looked at her, his eyes reflecting all the pain he felt from her doing that to him. Jacob ran into the bedroom, but there was no exit back there.