Damaged Read Online Free Page A

now.
    Pulling the hood up over her hat, she pocketed her phone. “Make sure you lock the door behind me and latch all of the bolts.”
    Jack didn’t even look up from his spot on the couch. He was used to the safety speech. “Got it, Sis.”
    “I’ll have my phone on vibrate. If anyone knocks, you ignore it. Do not answer the door for anyone, understood?”
    Jack rolled his eyes , tossing his head to move the hair from his face. “Well, there goes my evening then. I have three hookers coming at eleven. They’re gonna be super disappointed when I refuse to let them in.” His tone was dry, bored.
    Monica narrowed her eyes at him. “ Not funny, smartass. I mean it.”
    “Yeah, yeah, I know,” he retorted. In the last few months, Jack had entered some strange phase. He was defensive, angry all the time, and it was starting to scrape at Monica’s nerves. Shit, she was doing the best she could. Yes, she felt terrible that Sarah and Jack couldn’t do the things normal teenagers did, but they had to stay off the radar. If anyone found out where they were, she’d be going to jail, and the kids would be returned home.
    Monica pushed that thought awa y as she stepped into the hallway, waiting momentarily until she heard Jack move across the apartment to click the locks into place. When he had secured the last mechanism, she shoved her hands into her pockets and hit the stairs. The scent of stale smoke, piss and some other smell that she didn’t even want to begin to analyze, assailed her nose. The carpet lining the hallway to the main door was ripped and worn, the yellowed wallpaper peeling from every surface. It was disgusting, it was nearly inhumane, but it was home for now.
    She moved quickly, terrified of running into the guy from apartment twenty-six. She didn’t even know his name, nor did she want to. Last time she’d come face to face with him, he’d pinned her to the wall, offering her two hundred dollars to suck his dick. Not even she was that desperate. Monica shuddered as she remembered his toothless grin and sour breath, inches from her face while his dirty hands groped her ass. A well-placed knee to his balls had allowed her to escape, but his promised retaliation rang out loud and clear as she ran away, desperate to put as much distance between them as humanly possible. You’ll regret that you little bitch…you’re gonna get raped, and you’re gonna love it. You wait and see! There was little doubt that he’d follow through on those threats if given half a chance, and just the thought of it had bile stinging the back of her throat.
    After passing the apartment in question without a sound, Monica pushed through the filmy glass doors and stepped onto the sidewalk. Clouds had moved in since she’d last looked outside, and light haze of drizzle was filling the air. It wasn’t a good sign. There were less people out when the weather turned, which meant less cover to do her thing. Without the crowd, it was more difficult to blend in—increasing the odds of being spotted. Dammit .
    Regardless of the setback, Monica pushed on, turning into the alley behind her building. Her boots splashed in the puddles as she moved with a purpose, focused on what she needed to do. It was unusually chilly for a summer night. The damp air seemed to seep right through her sweatshirt and jeans, stealing the warmth from her flesh. Suppressing the chill that snaked up her spine, she stopped at the mouth of the next alley, taking a moment to check the street before stepping out. She’d been right. The crowd was dramatically smaller than usual, so she’d need to be on top of her game tonight. She couldn’t afford to be distracted in any way, but after the night before…she couldn’t help but ride that jagged edge of anxiety. She’d been sloppy and reckless. There was no other excuse for what had happened. If she had been paying attention, he never would have gotten close enough.
    Her eyes darted haphazardly around the