Samurai/Phantom Duet (Print)

Samurai/Phantom
Harley Wylde
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Copyright ©2022 Harley Wylde
Excerpt from Phantom

Phantom

It had been a few months since I’d learned a hard truth. Something I should have suspected, if I’d paid closer attention. Instead, I’d been too caught up with my own life to dig deep into why my cousin seemed to be wired a little different from the rest of the family. Listening to him talk about the abuse he’d suffered, and right under our family’s nose, pissed me off to no end. How the hell had the babysitter gotten away with that shit without any of us knowing? Had my aunt and uncle really been that damn clueless?

It explained why Samurai had wanted to come stay here and prospect for my club. He’d been running, and no one had realized it until a tiny woman had noticed he was hurting. She’d seen something in him, a wounded creature she’d recognized every time she looked in the mirror and had been able to do something no one else had. She’d saved him.

I’d given myself a little time, let the news settle. Or more like roll around inside my brain and make my stomach burn every time I pictured that young woman hurting my cousin. Just because he’d gotten off didn’t make it right. She’d given him no choice in the matter. No wonder he’d always wanted to hold women down to fuck them. It had been the only control he’d ever had when it came to females.

Samurai had settled into his new life as a dad and husband. While he’d managed to put the past behind him, Heather still needed to pay for her crimes. I’d sleep better at night knowing she wasn’t out there somewhere, possibly still hurting boys. And I had a feeling it would lift a weight from Samurai’s shoulders as well.

I eyed the paper in my hand before looking up at Shade. “This everything?”

“More or less.”

“What’s the less?” I asked.

“Heather Grant, on paper, looks like a model citizen. She’s a foster parent, thanks mostly to her late husband’s money, but she has some questionable cashflow. I haven’t been able to trace it yet. Wire and Lavender offered to help if I can’t break through soon.”

“What else?”

He ran a hand over his freshly shaved jaw. “She only takes in boys, as a general rule. Until a decade ago. She took in a seventeen-year-old girl. After the girl aged out, she remained in Heather’s home. But there’s more. She was pregnant when she got there. Twins. One baby, a boy, was stillborn. Cord wrapped around his neck according to hospital records. I looked into the mom. Charisma Marsh. All her medical records indicate it was a healthy pregnancy, despite how she got that way. Girl claimed she was raped by the quarterback at her school. No one listened, and they brushed her aside.”

“You look into it?” I asked.

“I did. From what I can tell, the school and the boy’s parents did their best to make the problem go away. Official word in the files claims Charisma agreed to sex and felt guilty after so decided to yell rape. I call bullshit. The guy looks like a fucking douchebag. He went on to college, played ball there, and now he owns a car lot in town.”

“Seems like my trip may need to be extended a bit. The girl’s other baby was all right?”

Shade nodded. “Healthy little girl. Named her Nova Marsh. Kid is nine and seems healthy. I’m keeping tabs to make sure they make it away from Heather Grant in one piece. I’ve got a friend out that way. He owes me a favor. One call and he’ll get the two of them the hell out of there. I have a feeling the woman has some sort of hold over them.”

“Heather have any other kids in her home?” I dreaded his answer, especially when I saw the flash of pain in his eyes. It told me plenty.

“Two boys. One is twelve and the other is his fifteen-year-old big brother. Phantom, we need to get those kids out. Now. I’m not sure how much longer they can hold on, or if the oldest will make it out at all.”

“Explain.” I tossed the papers aside.