Free Basement Level 5: Never Scared by L. R. Wright

suggest you tell this person to get the hell out of my face.”
    Dro wrapped his arm around Alexa’s shoulders. “Melissa, I’m trying hard not to embarrass you in public, but you’re acting like an idiot right now. I’m not your man. I’ve never been your man. I don’t know why you insist on making our relationship more than it was.”
    “ What?” she screeched. “How can you say that after everything we’ve done?”
    Dro pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. “This conversation is getting old. I haven’t seen you since Thanksgiving. What makes you think you were more than a one night stand?”
    “ Ouch,” Alexa murmured.
    Dro cursed, his annoyance tripling instantly when he noticed the small crowd gathering around them.
    Alexa squeezed his arm. “You really don’t want a scene, do you, Melissa? If I were you, I’d just walk away.”
    Melissa shook her finger in Alexa’s face. “Bitch, you don’t know shit about me. You better watch your back.”
    Alexa sighed and dug her nails into Dro’s arm as Melissa ranted about her family and her town, shoving that damn finger in Alexa’s face.
    Finally, Alexa removed her nails from his skin, grabbed Melissa’s finger, and snapped it back.
    Damn. Dro winced as Melissa screamed in pain and dropped to her knees while Alexa held on to her finger
    “ I’m tired of you calling me names,” she said calmly. “My name is not little girl or bitch. My name is Alexa. And if you can’t remember that shit, I’ll tattoo it on your ass.”
     
    ***
     
    November 4, 2011, the safe house :
     
    Dro knew Tommy was barely clinging to consciousness at this point.
    “ Tommy,” Alexa said, her voice almost a whisper. “Do you know what you’re brother did to me?”
    He didn’t answer.
    “ He tried to rape me when I wouldn’t give him what he wanted. And when I fought him back, he cut me in my stomach, even though I was pregnant with my daughter. He threatened to kill me and my unborn child and shoot himself if I didn’t choose him over Dro. There was never any choice. So, I pretended to agree. He already thought I was unhappy, so I told him that I would leave Dro. And when he let go of me slightly, I pulled my gun out and I shot him right between the eyes.”
    Dro looked at Tommy when she finished her story. His eyes were closed, his breathing shallow. When Dro glanced at Alexa, her eyes looked dead.
    “ Since then,” she continued. “I told myself I would never put them in harm’s way again. I would never place my children at risk. I was never scared of anything until your brother threatened my child’s life.”
    “ Why are you telling me this?” Tommy asked.
    She picked up her gun again and aimed at his head. “Because you threatened my children’s lives by coming here—all in the name of your brother. I just thought you should know who your brother really was. He stole from us for over three years and he worked with a competitor who was trying to put us out of business. He was a coward in every way. And you want to be just like him. The way I see it, I’m giving you what you want—to be like Paul.”
    Although Alexa had rage on her face and her gun aimed at Tommy’s heart, Dro knew she couldn’t kill him in cold blood.
    She was a fierce defender of those she loved, yet the days of sweeping her own emotions under the rug for a job were long gone. But before he could tell her he understood and he’d handle it from here, Nicholas stormed in and put two bullets in Tommy’s head.
    “ What the hell was that?” Alexa growled. She whirled around and trained her gun on Nicholas, pressing the tip to his temple.
    Nicholas’ eyes widened. “I just wanted to help. I thought—”
    “ Why are you here?” she asked. “I told you to monitor the cameras. What makes you think we need your help? We had this situation under control and you jeopardized our safety by leaving your post and coming here.”
    Dro glared at Nicholas. “I’d really like