“Motherfucker!” I yell as I race toward them, leaving Sydney behind on the dance floor. At the sound of my voice, Jesus’s head spins in my direction as his eyes go wide. He steps back a few paces as I cross over the boundary of the dance floor, but Selena gets right in my way just as the slimy grin on his face reappears.
“Javi, don’t!” she pleads, her eyes brimming with tears.
The joints of my jaw grind together as I warn Jesus with my voice before my fists do the job. “Get the fuck away from her, you piece of shit!”
“Hey, look who’s out of prison?”
“You’d better step off now before I finish the job this time.”
“Javi!” Sydney screams from behind me while Selena’s hands push against my chest, desperately trying to pin me in place with her small stature.
“Javi! Don’t! You can’t go back, Javi. He’s not worth it.”
“I should have killed you, motherfucker,” I grind out as Sydney gasps beside me. But I don’t dare break my focus on the bastard in front of me that should have been behind bars—not me.
“Well, looks like you found a little piece of ass to replace your bitch behind bars, huh?” His eyes dance all over Sydney’s frame and the fire within me ignites.
“Excuse me, is there a problem?” A security guard intervenes just as Jesus and his friends start to back away. With both hands in the air, he throws an air of innocence around, even though we all know he’s anything but.
“Nope. Just saying hello to some old friends and a few new ones.” He winks in Sydney’s direction as I feel Andre grip my arm, keeping me in place.
“I think you’d better leave, all of you.” The guard directs Jesus and his friends to the nearest exit as my sister relaxes her hand from my chest and then gasps.
“I think I’m going to be sick,” she mumbles before darting to the closest restroom as the rest of our group remains frozen in place.
“Javi,” Sydney starts but I throw my hand up in the air, cutting her off.
“I need some fucking air.” Without giving her a glance, I spin around and head for the front door, sensing Andre trailing behind me.
Patrons in The Jameson are completely oblivious to drama that unfolded, although it could have been far worse if that guard hadn’t stepped in. As soon as Jesus’ eyes landed on my girl I was seconds away from snapping. Seems while I was counting down the days behind bars, Jesus was busy growing a pair of balls. Not sure where his newfound confidence came from since he was too chicken shit to appear in court the day I was sentenced, I’m left puzzled as to why he was even here tonight in the first place, let alone that he would have the audacity to approach my sister after what he did. The only logical explanation I can fathom is that he honestly thinks she doesn’t remember everything that happened that night.
When the metal doors are inches away, I shove them open with all the strength I felt building in my arms in preparation to pummel Jesus. The humid night air is not welcoming at all, but all I needed was space from the turmoil inside—too bad the rage in my bones is something I can’t escape from as well.
“Javi,” Andre calls to me once he joins me outside. “What the fuck man?”
“What the fuck? What do you mean? I damn well better know you’re not pissed at me right now!”
“No, no, man. I mean, what the fuck was he doing here?”
“Is Selena okay? Fuck, I should have stayed in there and made sure she was alright. And I left Sydney alone …”
Andre shakes his head, letting out a deep sigh. “Ally and Sydney followed her to the bathroom. Sydney just sent me a text letting me know she’s okay. I can’t go in there obviously, but I also wanted to make sure you didn’t come out here to chase Jesus down.”
Seething still, my hands continuing to clench open and closed, I shake my entire body to try to expel the nerves from my veins. “I almost fucking hit him again, Andre. I was seconds away from snapping when you grabbed my arm.”
“I know, man. And as much as I wanted to do the same, I couldn’t let you do that. That’s exactly what that fucker was counting on. If you assault him again Javi, especially while you’re on parole, you’re going back to prison and for a lot longer this time.”
“I can’t stop shaking, man. He fucking walked in here like his life was normal, like he wasn’t a fucking rapist. And then to have the nerve to say something to Selena and look at Sydney like that…”
“I know. I know, Javi. It’s not fucking right. But there’s not much we can do.”
“What about a restraining order?”
Andre shakes his head. “Without just cause, it won’t hold up. We looked into it after everything went down the first time. If anything, Jesus has more of a case getting one against you.”
“This is so fucked up.”
“I agree, but it’s part of the consequences of your sister never pressing charges.”
I fold my hands behind my head and look up at the sky, counting stars while I desperately try to get my heart rate under control.
“We still have one more problem, Javi,” Andre speaks as a slow warning, pulling my attention back to him.
“What’s that?”
“You know you have to tell Sydney now.” As my best friend, Andre knows that I haven’t divulged the circumstances that landed me in prison to her. But after tonight, he’s right. There’s no holding back the truth now. Time to let everything out.
Chapter 28
Sydney
“Selena, you’re shaking, girl. Are you sure you’re okay?”
Ally, Selena, and myself are huddled in the corner of the bathroom at The Jameson after a man I’ve never seen before obviously caused havoc with his presence.
“Yeah. I’ll be okay. I
