Page 2 of Brick

Crash!

The wood door banged open.

She finally got her phone unlocked.

Keetan charged across the room, a baseball cap low on his eyes and a gun trained on her.“Drop the phone,” he snarled, as he stomped forward.

Her thumb hit 9 then 1 then—

He slammed the gun against her hand and the phone flew to the couch.Before she could dive for it, his knuckles smacked her cheekbone.She gasped as she fell to the carpet.Pain exploded across her face.

Bray’s frantic screams split the air, and she watched as a man carried him out of the bedroom.A second guy trailed him.

“No!”The guttural cry tore from her chest.

Wham!

Keetan’s foot connected with her stomach, and the force was enough to make her almost vomit.She coughed and choked as her insides swam.Pain blurred her vision, but she could just make out Bray’s tear-streaked face, his mouth wide midscream.

“What do you want me to do with the kid?He’s losing it.”The man holding her son also wore a baseball cap, and in the low lighting, the odd angle of it shielded his face.

She pushed up to her knees then staggered to her feet.The world tilted on its axis.She clutched the arm of the couch for support.“Keetan, please stop.You’re s-scaring—”

Crack!

Keetan’s fist smacked the same cheek.Blood filled her mouth.Her knees buckled and she fell to the ground, holding her throbbing face.She swallowed any sounds of pain, knowing Bray was watching and already afraid.“It’s okay, honey,” she forced out.

He wouldn’t be able to hear her over the commotion, but she prayed to god he felt her love.

“Momma!Momma!”Bray’s gut-wrenching sobs and nearly purple face ripped her heart from her chest.

“Bray,” she called, needing him in her arms more than she needed her next breath.

“Take him to my car,” Keetan commanded.

The man left the apartment, and the other man followed.

Self-control fleeing from her body, she threw herself at Keetan and grabbed his knees.“No, you can’t.You can’t take him!Please,” she begged.

He kicked her off him and then reached down to snatch her jaw in his meaty palm.Light reflected off his bald head, and his green eyes flared with menace.“I fucking warned you.”

He tossed her backward.Her side connected with the coffee table, and before she could get to her feet, he was gone.

“No, no, no!”she sobbed.

He left the door wide open like the gaping hole in her heart.

***

Brick rubbed hiseyes and pulled his attention from his office computer.He should’ve gone home an hour ago, but he’d needed to put together an invoice for the last week of bodyguard duties he’d finished for Backcountry.

Buzz,buzz,buzz

He glanced at his phone.Ghost’s name lit the screen.It was after 7:00p.m.What the hell did he want?

“’Lo?”Brick answered.

“Sup.”