CRYPTO: Infidelity (Book 1)

CHAPTER 67: CATASTROPHE

At about 4:30 in the morning, I was woken up by loud banging on my front door. Groggily, I got up off the couch.

Birdie stepped out of the bedroom. "I bet it's Rockie," she whispered. "Don't let him in."

"I'm just gonna step out and talk to him. Go wait in my closet," I told her.

"Be careful," she said as she went back into the bedroom.

I went to the door and as soon as I opened it, Rockie barged in, pushing me out of the way.

"Rockie, it's four in the morning," I told him. "What are you doing here?"

He scanned my apartment and then turned to face me. "Have you heard from Birdie?"

"No," I said, rubbing my eyes.

"Then why is her car parked outside?"

I didn't have an immediate answer to that. I hadn't thought about her car.

"Birdie!" Rockie called. "Come on out, baby! I just wanna talk!"

"Keep it down. You're gonna wake my neighbors," I told him.

"I don't give a **** about your neighbors," Rockie said. He started toward my bedroom. He walked like a drunk guy.

"You don't have my permission to search my apartment," I said as I followed him into my bedroom. "Please leave."

Rockie saw Birdie's purse on the side table. "I knew it!" He grabbed me by the throat. "Where is she?!" His claws dug into my neck.

"Let go," I growled.

He shoved me into the wall.

"Rockie, stop!" Birdie yelled.

He let go of me and went for her. She screamed as he grabbed her and threw her onto my bed. While he had his back turned, I went into my closet and grabbed my gun.

"I just want to talk," Rockie told Birdie. "I didn't mean to hurt you. It was an accident and I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

I pointed my gun at the back of his head.

Birdie saw me and shook her head.

"I don't want to lose you, Birdie," Rockie said.

Birdie's eyes watered. "I don't want to lose you either." She hugged him and I lowered my gun.

"Will you forgive me?" Rockie asked her.

"Yes," she said. "I know it's not your fault. You were drunk. You didn't mean it."

I shook my head and put the gun away. Could things get any worse? Was she really gonna go back to living with a sociopath after he hit her?

Rockie turned to face me. "You're a good kid, Crypto, but if you ever lie to me again, it'll be the last thing you do."

I wanted him dead. Birdie wasn't safe with him alive, but I couldn't kill him. Not with Birdie there. She would forever see me as a murderer and she might not ever forgive me if she still loved him.

"Come on, baby girl. Let's go home," Rockie said.

She followed him to the door.

"Birdie," I said.

"I'll talk to you later, Crypto," she said.

"No she won't," Rockie said.

Birdie put her foot down. "Excuse me? Who made you the boss of me? You don't own me!"

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Rockie apologized. "You're right. I shouldn't have said it that way. What I meant to say was, Crypto, if I catch you with my girl again, I'll kill you."

Birdie glared at him, but he ignored her and left.

With her back to me, Birdie looked down and sighed. "I'm sorry, Crypto." She left as well.

It was heartbreaking to watch her willingly go back into an abusive relationship, but there was nothing I could do to stop her.

I grabbed my kitchen chair and threw it against the wall in frustration.

"Hey!" said a muffled voice through the wall. "Keep it down!"

Now they say something.