“No, it’s just…personal stuff.”

“Give me that.”

They both went silent, and Vince held his breath glancing up at his brother who was now standing on their fire escape. Vince lifted his finger to his lips then pointed to the window, willing him with a death stare to get his ass back in their room.

“I knew you were up to something.” To Vincent’s surprise her father didn’t sound too angry. “Where there’s drugs there’s money. Where’s the money?”

“I don’t have any.”

“Don’t lie to me, you greedy little bitch!” Anita cried out, and Vince’s jaw locked knowing he’d struck her. “If you’re gonna sell drugs out of my place, I’m at least gonna get a cut of it. Where’s the money?”

After hearing her cry out again, Vince couldn’t stand it anymore. He jumped in the window. Her father, who held Anita’s wrist sideways in one hand and the cigar box in the other, flinched at the sight of him. The man was big next to Anita, but next to Vince he wasn’t the least bit threatening especially the way Vince was feeling right now.

“Those are mine, so get your hands off her.”

With a smirk the bastard turned and squeezed Anita’s wrist even harder, making her scream. Her brothers were at the door now, their frightened eyes going from their father to Anita and then to Vince.

All those years of hearing this ass**le mercilessly beat the crap out of Anita—all the times he’d tended to her wounds afterwards and watched her suck it up to protect her those little guys—the anger that had built up all day from the moment Rose told him about Ben to the moment he found the box of weed in his room, all roared out at once and he unleashed it on the animal.

His first blow landed solidly on her father’s nose, knocking him off balance for a second, giving Vince a chance to land several more to his mouth and nose. With a knee to the groin, the man fell down dropping the box, its contents spilling out onto the floor. Feeling completely out of control, Vince continued to punch him even while he was on the floor. “How does it feel? You like getting wailed on, you f**king coward?” Her dad tried blocking Vince’s blows as Anita pulled at his arm begging him to stop, but Vincent didn’t even slow down; instead he pummeled away even harder. “Fight back you bastard!” Vince yelled, as her father continued to try and block his punches but didn’t deliver any of his own. “It’s not that easy, is it? Not as easy as hitting a little girl is it, you piece of shit!”

Visions of the ass**le beating Anita incensed Vince even further, and he landed his blows with even more force, ignoring his own aching knuckles now.

Someone stronger than Anita pulled Vince back. Then there were suddenly more arms pulling him back. “Vincent! Stop this right now!”

Feeling dazed with the adrenaline still propelling through him, Vince stopped long enough to realize both Lorenzo and his father were in the room now.

“What is going on here?” His dad demanded, glancing at Anita’s father then back at Vince.

“I’ll tell you what’s going on,” Anita’s dazed dad said as he struggled to get up.

Vince’s father tried helping him, but he pushed his hands away. “Your son came into my daughter’s room and brought her drugs. Then he beat me like a crazy drugged-out freak, and I want his ass arrested!”

“You’re the one that should be arrested!” Vincent yelled.

“No. No, please!” Anita begged reaching out to touch her father’s arm. “Nobody’s getting arrested.”

“Shut up and bring me my phone.” He pointed at Vince then wiped the blood from his mouth and nose. “Your ass is getting locked up for a long time.” Her dad turned to Vincent’s dad. “My daughter is a minor. Your son’s gonna fry for coming in her bedroom and bringing her drugs. I’ll make sure of that.”

“No, Dad. Please!” Anita continued to beg, crying now. Both her brothers clung to her side.

“Go ahead, Anita.” Vince urged, the adrenaline and anger still scorching through him too hard for reality to sink in. “Call them. His ass will get locked up, too.”

Anita turned her pleading face to Vince now and shook her head. Vince knew she was only months away from her eighteenth birthday when she’d finally be free of this monster. She had all her ducks in a row already. She’d told Vince the last time he’d come after one of her beatings that the most important thing she had to do was stay on her dad’s good side. The one time she’d mentioned leaving and taking the boys with her, the ass**le’s only response had been “good riddance.”

The only thing that would ruin it for her now was if he changed his mind or denied her guardianship out of spite.

“Please no cops, Dad,” her expression softened. “Daddy, the drugs—”

“Are mine,” Vince said before Lorenzo would implicate himself or even let Anita take the blame. He knew even this could ruin her chances of getting guardianship of those boys and out of this hell once in for all.

Lorenzo started to speak, but Vince placed his hand on his arm and turned to his father. “I wasn’t dealing, Dad, just delivering. I was hoping I could get the car sooner.”

The disappointment on his dad’s face was like none Vince ever seen before. His dad had been so relieved lately. Everything was working out, and Vince had finally proven himself to not only his dad but to his mother who was much more skeptical than his father that Vince was actually going to straighten his shit out for good. He’d seen the change in his father’s demeanor in the last few months. The burden of having two sons heading in the wrong direction had finally lifted.