Black Rose

Thirty Four

Omniscient

"So you're telling me that pale piece of shit forced himself in the house and tried to rape you?" Raine asked again for the third time. He arrived fifteen minutes ago and knew instantly something was wrong just from the aura in the room. Melrose told him what Johnathon tried to do to Venus and he's been hyper ever since.

"Yes, Raine. Calm down, the police are out looking for him right now." Melrose reached for his arm to sit down, but he snatched away from her.

"The police!" He stopped pacing and his head snapped in Melrose direction. He had the ugliest, scariest scowl plastered on his face. The right corner of his top lip curved upward, his right eye squinted. "He's white, Mel. They aren't looking for him and if they do catch him, he's still a free man. Let me get my hands on him and I bet he wouldn't want to touch another woman."

"I appreciate your concern for me but you have entirely too much to lose." Venus spoke up. "I can't let you get involved with this."

She and Raine had grown close over the months. They've had conversations Melrose has no knowledge of and because of their similar past when it came down to her, they were able to bond and form a mother-son relationship. Raine sees Venus as his second mother and he surely will protect her as such.

"What kind of man would I be to let him get away with this?" He queried, shaking his head viciously.

"A man who doesn't want to risk all that he has worked for. A man who doesn't want to leave his growing family." She motioned at Melrose's small round belly. "to suffer the consequences of his actions. A man who doesn't need to put his focus on anything Johnathon related because he will get what's coming for him eventually."

"You're right about that because when I get my hands on him.." His voices trailed off yet he kept pacing my floor leaving his shoe prints as evidence on my floor.

"Sit down, Raine." Venus demanded, but he didn't listen. Wrong move. "I said sit down!"

Her voice came out loud, strong and steady, bringing his movements to a standstill. Melrose even grew slightly fearful of her mother and that hasn't happened in years. Slowly claiming a seat next to Melrose, Raine timidly watched the sweet but deadly middle aged woman carefully. She put a small amount of fear in him. "Listen to me and listen good. You will not do anything to Johnathon. That includes hiring one of your little criminal friends to accidentally throw him off a skyscraper or run his car off a cliff. Now, I know that you're thinking you're doing what's right for me and I'm wholeheartedly grateful for your need to protect me but, I highly believe in karma Raine. That bastard will receive his punishment in the worse, cruelest way known to mankind, trust me."

It took Raine a minute to calm down but eventually he did and they were saying their goodbyes to Venus.

"Are you okay being alone?" Melrose asked, unsure if leaving her mother by herself was the best choice to make. "I can stay here for a few nights if that will help."

"I'll manage." Venus waved her off. "Besides, Johnathon isn't stupid enough to come here, knowing wherever you are, Raine isn't far."

"I'll call you before I go to bed tonight and you better answer too." Melrose pointed her index finger at her like how her Nana used to do when she was being scolded.

"I could've sworn you came out of my womb but alright mom my phone will be on standby." Venus held the door opened for them and motioned them out. Once they were out, she shut and locked the door and went back to watching her show without a care in the world.

In the parking lot, Melrose complained about how rude Venus had been. "Can you believe her? Just threw me out of my own place. The nerve of that woman." She huffed, buckling her seatbelt.