Surviving Love Read Online Free Page B
Author: M.S. Brannon
loathe my brother. That I’m completely sure of. I despise Jeremy.
I. Hate. Him.
I need to get to him. I want to kill him, and I know I can. I push against the officers again, trying to take them off guard, however they stop me short. The next thing I know, I’m being drug backwards toward the chain link fence. The metal of the fence clanks loudly as I’m slammed in to it.
“You fucking killed her!” I shout. “You fucking killed her!” I scream then scream it again. “You fucking killed her!” I can’t stop. He killed Presley and now he’s killed this family. Jeremy has singlehandedly destroyed our family, and it will never be what it once was. I will never forgive him. I can assure that. I will only hate. Because the minute I saw the bundles of white powder fall from his backpack, every shred of love, trust and devotion dissolved only to be replaced by hate, doubt and apathy.
***
Several minutes go by, hell, maybe even hours go by. I don’t really know. All I know is that, from the moment my brother admitted he has been working as a drug dealer with Carter, betrayal and hate have become the only emotions remaining inside of me.
After the officers confirm I’m was calmed down enough, they take the handcuffs off my wrists as well as Reggie’s. The three of us—Reggie, Darcie and me—stand in the middle of the driveway completely dumbfounded and shocked. There are no words to say because no words can even come close to explaining how unreal the last hour has been.
I take Mia from Darcie’s arms and hold my sleeping baby against my chest. The anger reappears when I think of what Jeremy has done to my daughter. He knew what he was doing when he got involved with Carter, and now he’s taken a mother from her child. I am so mad that I can feel my skin heat and tense as the rage begins to boil under the surface. Turning my body toward the backyard, I take deep breaths in and out, expelling the rage slowly.
I can hear Reggie in the background; he’s on the phone with his lawyer, Tom Willington, explaining the situation. I try to get a grip on myself. I can’t let my baby see me lose it anymore. This poor child has been through so much in her short life that part of me is concerned she will grow up with issues. I know she’s small, but will she be mentally scarred from the trauma? The thought disgusts and worries me all at the same time. I don’t want her to be fucked up like the rest of us. All I want is for my baby to be happy and loved.
“Mr. Evans? Drake Evans?” I turn around to see two police officers are surrounding a short, older woman with ratty hair and wearing clothes from the 1980s.
Clasping Mia tighter in my arms, I’m immediately concerned. “Yes?”
“My name is Charlotte Raines. I’m with Child Protection Services.” She hands me her card. My gut clenches and my heart races. The boiling anger is surfacing again, but I do my best to keep it at bay. “I’ve been called by the local authorities to remove this child from her home. They alerted our department of the unsafe living conditions and possible neglect while she lives in your care.”
“You’re not taking my child.” My voice is low but laced with power. Over my dead body will they take my kid from me.
When the officers move to my arms, reaching forward to grab Mia from me, I step back quickly, evading their advances. “Sir, you will be arrested if you do not comply. Please, just give us the baby and you can visit with the office in the morning.”
“Like hell I will!” I shout, startling Mia awake. Reggie and Darcie move to my side, blocking the police’s ability to grab my daughter.
“What grounds do you have to take her?” Reggie asks, his voice as furious as mine.
“Unsafe living conditions and possible neglect,” the CPS worker answers again.
This is not happening. If I lose Mia, I will have nothing. She is the only link I have to Presley and I’m the
I. Hate. Him.
I need to get to him. I want to kill him, and I know I can. I push against the officers again, trying to take them off guard, however they stop me short. The next thing I know, I’m being drug backwards toward the chain link fence. The metal of the fence clanks loudly as I’m slammed in to it.
“You fucking killed her!” I shout. “You fucking killed her!” I scream then scream it again. “You fucking killed her!” I can’t stop. He killed Presley and now he’s killed this family. Jeremy has singlehandedly destroyed our family, and it will never be what it once was. I will never forgive him. I can assure that. I will only hate. Because the minute I saw the bundles of white powder fall from his backpack, every shred of love, trust and devotion dissolved only to be replaced by hate, doubt and apathy.
***
Several minutes go by, hell, maybe even hours go by. I don’t really know. All I know is that, from the moment my brother admitted he has been working as a drug dealer with Carter, betrayal and hate have become the only emotions remaining inside of me.
After the officers confirm I’m was calmed down enough, they take the handcuffs off my wrists as well as Reggie’s. The three of us—Reggie, Darcie and me—stand in the middle of the driveway completely dumbfounded and shocked. There are no words to say because no words can even come close to explaining how unreal the last hour has been.
I take Mia from Darcie’s arms and hold my sleeping baby against my chest. The anger reappears when I think of what Jeremy has done to my daughter. He knew what he was doing when he got involved with Carter, and now he’s taken a mother from her child. I am so mad that I can feel my skin heat and tense as the rage begins to boil under the surface. Turning my body toward the backyard, I take deep breaths in and out, expelling the rage slowly.
I can hear Reggie in the background; he’s on the phone with his lawyer, Tom Willington, explaining the situation. I try to get a grip on myself. I can’t let my baby see me lose it anymore. This poor child has been through so much in her short life that part of me is concerned she will grow up with issues. I know she’s small, but will she be mentally scarred from the trauma? The thought disgusts and worries me all at the same time. I don’t want her to be fucked up like the rest of us. All I want is for my baby to be happy and loved.
“Mr. Evans? Drake Evans?” I turn around to see two police officers are surrounding a short, older woman with ratty hair and wearing clothes from the 1980s.
Clasping Mia tighter in my arms, I’m immediately concerned. “Yes?”
“My name is Charlotte Raines. I’m with Child Protection Services.” She hands me her card. My gut clenches and my heart races. The boiling anger is surfacing again, but I do my best to keep it at bay. “I’ve been called by the local authorities to remove this child from her home. They alerted our department of the unsafe living conditions and possible neglect while she lives in your care.”
“You’re not taking my child.” My voice is low but laced with power. Over my dead body will they take my kid from me.
When the officers move to my arms, reaching forward to grab Mia from me, I step back quickly, evading their advances. “Sir, you will be arrested if you do not comply. Please, just give us the baby and you can visit with the office in the morning.”
“Like hell I will!” I shout, startling Mia awake. Reggie and Darcie move to my side, blocking the police’s ability to grab my daughter.
“What grounds do you have to take her?” Reggie asks, his voice as furious as mine.
“Unsafe living conditions and possible neglect,” the CPS worker answers again.
This is not happening. If I lose Mia, I will have nothing. She is the only link I have to Presley and I’m the
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