Here Comes Trouble (Nothing Special #3)(46)
A couple of guys sitting closest to Ruxs reached over and patted his back and shoulder. He had a hard time saying thanks, his throat tight with emotion and embarrassment. He knew the guys weren’t thinking he was a loser, but he sure felt like one.
He felt Green nudge his boot from beside him. He turned and looked at him. Green gave him a slight wink and blew him a kiss in front of everyone and it started the catcalls and whistling, making Ruxs blush again. Just like that Green had changed his mood.
“So is he any good, Green?” Day yelled over the whistling and teasing remarks.
Green made a face of ecstasy, before answering. “You have no idea.”
Green jumped up and ran to the other side of the office when Ruxs moved to punch him in his mouth. They laughed for a while, more good-natured ribbing being done at his and Green’s expense before God calmed all of them down so they could get some actual work done.
Getting It Together
Green stood with Ruxs while Syn gave them more instructions after the meeting. They had the next couple days out of the office. They were to watch the warehouse tomorrow night and scope out the neighborhoods like usual. They didn’t want Chainz to notice anything different from their normal policing habits. The bust was scheduled at the end of the week, and they were ready.
“Stay out of trouble you two. I mean it. I’m real glad you guys got something going with each other. But under no circumstances do I want to see it effecting your work,” Syn said firmly. “Like it did today.”
Ruxs gave a lazy salute and turned to walk with Green out of the office. “Hey. You want to go get Curtis and watch the game?”
Green threw his keys at him. “Go on and text him. He’s probably at the hospital visiting his mom. I’ll meet you guys at home.”
Ruxs stopped walking, looking at him curiously. Green saw the minute Ruxs understood what he was about to do. Ruxs grabbed his arm and pulled him into one of the empty conference rooms. He closed the door behind him, before he was pulled into a tight hug. Green hugged him back hard. When he pulled back, he saw that Ruxs’ eyes glistened with moisture.
“Can you tell her —”
“Shhh.” Green put his hand over Ruxs’ lips cutting off what he was going to ask. There was only one message he was going to give that woman. “Go home, baby. I won’t be long.” Green kissed his lips gently and left the room.
Green was satisfied with his meeting at the DA’s office. Now he was waiting in one of the lawyer/client rooms at the Georgia Correctional Facility.
The lock turned in the door and a female officer lead Ms. Ruxsberg into the room. When she saw him, her eyes quickly scanned the room for her son. The officer pushed down on Ms. Ruxsberg’s shoulder, sitting her firmly in the metal chair. Green gave the officer a nod and she turned and left them alone. Green sat down, staring at her. His heart beat wildly in his chest as he thought of her holding a blunt object over his partner’s head. He steepled his fingers together, counting backwards from twenty. She looked behind her.
“He’s not here, and he’s not coming here. So stop looking for him. If it were completely up to me, you’d never see him again.” Green smiled evilly. “I’m working on that.”
Ruxs’ mom tugged at the collar of her orange jumpsuit, scratching her neck roughly. The skin looked like it was rubbed raw. She was detoxing. Her mouth looked dry, and her eyes couldn’t settle on one thing for longer than two seconds. “Who do you think you are?”
“Shut the fuck up and listen,” Green barked at her, making her jump a foot in the air. Her mouth dropped open in surprise, her eyes as wide as saucers. “I’m here to make a deal with you. You’re going to take it and you’re going to like it.”
She gasped, tugged at her collar again as if she was grasping a set of pearls. “You can’t talk to me like that. Armin wouldn’t let you do this to me. Tell him I want to see —”
“Mark! His name is Mark! Say it!” Green stood over her, yelling in her face. The guard burst back through the door, looking angrily at him.
“Everything is fine,” Green said through clenched teeth, sitting back in his chair.
Once the guard left he took a deep breath and began again. “Ms. Ruxsberg. I’ve talked with the DA, he’s willing to drop the assault on an officer charge – which is a felony – and just charge you with one count of possession. But all that can go away at my word.” He watched her fidget in her seat, scratching at the marred skin again.
“What’s the catch?” She smirked. “There’s always a catch.”
“Of course there’s a goddamn catch. First thing is you pleading guilty to the possession charge. Instead of prison you go to a rehab facility in Albany for eighteen months. It’s not a voluntary rehab, you will do the entire year and a half. Second, you do not contact Mark until you’ve served your full eighteen months and you are completely sober. I will put a restraining order in place. If you contact him by phone, in person, by email, by text, by fuckin’ carrier pigeon, your ass goes back to jail to serve your remaining time, plus additional time for violating the order.”
She opened her mouth like she was going to speak but he cut her off fast. “Don’t you dare open your damn mouth, I’m not done. Not only will you do your rehab and drug counseling, but you must also do parenting education as well. If you refuse to cooperate or participate in either of these, you’ll come back to serve your sentence in jail. If it were up to me, I’d let you rot in this place for all the hurt you’ve put Mark through, and I wouldn’t lose a wink of sleep. So don’t fuckin’ test me. Last thing.” Green stood towering over her, his face a contorted, angry mask. “If you ever think of hurting Mark again, if you ever utter one word to him that hurts his feelings. I will come after you with everything I’ve got, and believe me lady; I’ve got one helluva goddamn army. I’ll make sure the DA charges you with any and everything we can think of. And I won’t stop until you’ve been severely fucked by the long dick of the law.”