Broken English (Broken Lives Book 1) by Marita A. Hansen Read Free Book Online Page B

into Jasper’s driveway, my mate
living across the road from me. He and his auntie emerged from her banged up
blue Ford. Beyond relieved to see them, I yelled at Jasper and cut across the
road. His eyes widened as Happy Meal punched the back of my head. I went flying
onto the front lawn of Jasper’s property, hollering in pain as I hit the ground
hard.
    Yelling started up in surround sound, Happy
Meal’s voice the loudest. He was shouting at Jasper, “No, man, don’t do it. Don’t!”
    I looked up, shocked to see Jasper pointing
a gun at Happy Meal. His eyes were blazing hellfire, while Happy Meal was holding
his hands out in front of him, fear twisting his hard features. His mate was
standing a few feet behind him, looking like he was considering turning and
running.
    Jasper advanced on Happy Meal. “I should kill
you!”
    Happy Meal stumbled back. “This ain’t my
fault, man,” he pushed out, his breathing ragged from a combination of fear and
exhaustion. “He slept with my woman! He deserves everything he gets.”
    “No, you deserve to get shot in the
fuckin’ head!” Jasper yelled back, his hand shaking with anger.
    His auntie moved to his side, her face
filled with worry. She looked like Jasper, just a skinnier, female version in
her late thirties. “Lower the gun, Jasper,” she said, her eyes flittering around
with worry. Across the road, one of our neighbours was peering through their
window, the flutter of their curtains not caused by the breeze.
    I pushed into a sitting position, wincing
at the pain. “Back up, Jasper,” I panted, my lungs still burning from the
chase. “We don’t want the cops showing up here.”
    “I don’t fuckin’ care,” he spat, not
taking his eyes off Happy Meal. “He’ll keep comin’ after you.”
    “His dad will put a hit on you if you
shoot the bastard.”
    “Our gang can take his dad out before he
finds out.”
    “Which will result in a full-out gang war,”
I replied. “If that happens, there’ll be deaths on both sides. Are you willing
to risk our dads’ lives over this?”
    Jasper swallowed, his expression now
worried. He lowered the gun a fraction, though he didn’t take his eyes off
Happy Meal. “Stay away from my mate and no one will get killed,” he said,
lowering the gun further.
    “Deal.” Happy Meal spun around and took
off with his mate.
    I watched them disappear down the road,
the bastards fast. I was shocked that I had managed to make it this far, but
then again, when you were running for your life adrenalin gave you an extra
burst.
    The sound of a siren in the distance
jolted me.
    “Get rid of the gun, Jasper,” his auntie barked.
    As he disappeared around the side of his
house, I slipped my bag off and slumped onto the ground, lying flat on my back,
so exhausted I didn’t even want to twitch.
    Jasper’s auntie bobbed down next to me.
“You all right, gorgeous?” she asked, brushing my hair off my forehead.
    I swatted her hand away, the woman giving
me the creeps. “Don’t touch me.”
    “I wuz just asking how you were.”
    “You can do that without touching me.”
    “How ’bout you come inside. I’ll get you
some food and drink.”
    “That’s what the wicked witch said to
Hansel and Gretel.”
    She scowled at me. “Stop bein’ horrible,
Dante.”
    “I will once you stop eye-raping me.”
    Her face dropped. “Dante! How could you
say that?”
    “Easy. So fuck off.”
    Jasper reappeared from around the side of
his house, causing his auntie to push up. I wondered whether he’d heard me
insult her, and even if he had, I was too exhausted to care. He stopped next to
her, giving me a look that said he had.
    “Go inside, auntie,” he said, not taking
his eyes off me.
    She headed for the house. As soon as she
was inside, Jasper kicked my leg. “Get up, you prick.”
    I winced. “I’m already in pain, you don’t
needa add to it.”
    “Then don’t insult my auntie!”
    “Not my fault she always eye-fucks me. She
creeps