Here Comes Trouble (Nothing Special #3)(30)

“You are taking his side over your own fuckin’ son! I’m the only one that’s been there for you! Took care of you!” Ruxs yelled, his eyes beginning to flood again. He was pissed. Tired of crying for this woman. His back stiffened. “I came here to beg you. Get clean, please. So it can be me and you just like it used to be.”

He wiped angrily at the tear that fell down his face. His voice and his movements were frantic. “I will take you to rehab right now. I’ll pay for the best place money can buy. I’ll sell everything I have, if you just say yes. Tonight, no waiting. You’ll be out by Thanksgiving. Then me and you, we can go out for a nice dinner. Maybe go out of town for a few days. You can live with me. We could be a family, momma. Please. I love you, can’t you see that?” Ruxs was so lost in his feelings that he didn’t hear Jacob’s footsteps moving towards him until it was too late. Since Ruxs’ large frame was blocking the entrance to the hallway, Jacob slammed his lithe body into him, knocking him off balance, making him stumble over the leg of the couch. He fell over the raggedy cushions, knocking his head into the corner of the end table. “Fuck!” He squeezed his eyes shut at the immediate throb that begin under his right temple.

“Hurry! Run!” He could hear his mom yelling, obviously at her boyfriend. But Ruxs would be damned if that motherfucker was getting away.

He ignored his own pain, jumped up, hurdled the table, and clasped his arm around Joseph’s neck, bringing him easily down to the floor. He got his cuffs out of his pocket and secured both Jacob’s arms behind his back. The man struggled with everything he had but he was no match for him. Ruxs brought all his weight down on Jacob, his knee resting directly at the base of his spine. The man yelled and screamed in agony, but Ruxs didn’t give a damn. As soon as he had him secured, he continued to disregard his mother’s insistent pleas and pulled out his cell phone requesting a squad car. With Jacob still under him he began to read him his rights again.

“You have a right to have a lawyer present during any ques —” Ruxs didn’t get to finish his reading this time because the glass shattering over the back of his head sent him crashing down to the floor. Water splashed over him, running down his neck along with the blood from a cut behind his ear. Ruxs held his hand over the cut, looking at all the broken glass and flowers he’d just bought littering the living room floor. He looked back at his mom. She looked like a deer caught in headlights. He was in shock. He couldn’t believe it, his mind still refusing to believe she’d done it. He checked and saw that Jacob was still on his stomach in handcuffs.

“Give me the key, Armin.” She held her shaking hand out to him. “Right now!”

Ruxs worked himself back up to one knee, his head rebelling against the movement. “What did I do? You have to tell me. What did I do for you to hate me?” He half-whispered, half-groaned with anguish.

She picked up her heavy glass ashtray off the coffee table and held it high over his head. “Shut up! Just give me the key. I won’t let you take the man I love!”

Ruxs just watched her in surprise. He couldn’t move at all. He wanted to be knocked out. He’d rather her slam that damn five pound ashtray over his head instead of witness another second of this. The countless criminals he’d encountered over his years as a cop hadn’t been this damn evil to him. His own mother would rather him be dead.

“Armin. Don’t make me do this. Give me the key. Just let him go.” Tears rained down her face. Ruxs wished those tears were for him, but he knew they weren’t.

“Fuck no,” he hissed.

“Hit him! Hit him. Gloria!” Jacob yelled from the floor. “I’ll go to jail if you don’t! Who will take care of you, baby, if I’m locked up? We won’t be together ever again if they take me.”

Ruxs saw the determination in his mother’s eyes. Knew she was going to do it. He closed his eyes and waited for it. When he heard the loud bang, his body jerked hard, believing that he’d been hit, but it was the front door.

“Freeze! Put your hands up! Drop that fuckin’ thing or I will tase you!” A uniformed officer was yelling at his mom. Ruxs reluctantly opened his eyes. She looked so scared, so frail, and clueless. He still wanted to help her, but he knew it was over. Anything he thought he could have with her was gone, there would be no going back from this. Ruxs hung his head. This was the last of his family… gone.

“Sir. Sir!” the officer yelled at him. Ruxs looked back up. “Sir, are you the detective that called us?”

His mom was already in handcuffs being taken out of the house. Another officer had joined them and pulled Jacob to his feet, ushering him right behind her. Whatever his mom was yelling didn’t register through the ringing in his ears.

“Sir. I’m getting you medical attention.” The officer clicked the mic on his shoulder but Ruxs shook his head no, groaning at the pain the action caused.

“That won’t be necessary. I’m fine.” Ruxs got to his feet, stumbling a little from the dizziness that washed over him. He thought he might have a slight concussion from impact of the vase. But the cheap, dollar store container was so thin, he doubted it. He went to the tiny linen closet and grabbed one of the few towels that was in there, pressing it to the cut right at the edge of his hairline behind his ear. “Shit.”

He followed the other officer outside, closing the front door behind him. Of course now there were four squad cars in front, lighting up the neighborhood. Ruxs quickly gave his full statement to the officers. Detailing the events from time he walked in to the time they arrived. He was used to reports; he knew what needed to be said. He’d almost left out the part about being struck and threatened by his own mother, but he changed his mind. He told them everything. She would no doubt be charged with assault and battery.