Scum (Wrong Side of the Tracks 1)

“Yes. You’re the only one for me, and we’ll make it work,” Ros said and watched a new kind of vulnerability glint in Shane’s green eyes. He was well aware of Shane’s many flaws, no matter how much he tried to be a good friend and partner, but as long as they wanted to be together, there would be no obstacle they couldn’t conquer.

With a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth, Shane pushed the door open, and they stepped straight into a scene out of Harlene’s favorite crime dramas. Only this time, the man held against the side of the car and getting his hands cuffed at the back was none other than Ed Beck, Rosen’s father.

“Do you know who I am? I told you this is a misunderstanding! Those people here sold her the poison!” Dad roared, twitching against the policeman, who remained admirably calm while his partner looked at something in the back of Dad’s car.

Ros felt a giddy shiver go down his spine at the thought of justice finally catching up with the villain of this crazy story. Shane might be stronger, and have more street smarts, but Ros still felt protective of him and wanted to give back as much as his lover was willing to offer him.

Ros was still flushed from the fuck when they walked outside, and while it seemed to him that everyone could guess what he and Shane had been up to moments ago, he didn’t care anymore. In fact, he wanted his father to see that Shane—the man Dad had discarded years ago—had claimed his son.

Frank was talking to an officer, but his thick brows rolled up when he noticed them holding hands. The cop looked back, and after lifting his gaze from their entwined fingers real fast, he focused on the building instead. “Is there anyone else on the property?”

Jag was nowhere to be seen, but in the moment Ros took to consider whether he should lie to a lawman, Shane was quick to say. “Just us.”

“Rosen. I’m so glad to see you,” Dad tried when the cop pulled him off the hood of the car, already cuffed. “I know you’re embarrassed of your step-mother’s drug habit, but you need to tell them the truth.” His pale eyes communicated that he’d give Ros all the riches in the world if he only did as asked. His hair seemed lighter than usual against the dark flush on his skin, and if Ros didn’t know him, then the man in front of him would have been the perfect caricature of corruption. Dad even wriggled in the cuffs like a human-sized maggot.

But Ros was done playing a game with his dad. He’d made his choice back around Christmas, and he’d reaffirmed it by being the one to propose calling the police. He wanted nothing to do with Ed Beck and everything he represented.

Ros shook his head. “She told me you encouraged it. That you liked to snort together at times.” That was a lie, but when he thought of what Dad had done to Shane, all he wanted was to ensure this monster in a suit would spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Air filled Dad’s chest under the coat, making the garment tighten around him, but then shock was replaced with fury, and he roared. “You fucking liar! Who’d believe a pervert like you anyway?”

The cop holding him didn’t even spare Rosen a glance and tugged Dad toward the police car. A day like any other for him, Ros supposed, but the cop who’d just been taking Frank’s statement approached, his full lips pursing under a thin moustache. “And you are?”

“I’m his son, Rosen Beck,” he offered, not so confident anymore when put on the spot. “I live here now, so maybe he thought I’d help him get rid of Lisa. But I wouldn’t! She deserves better.”

“He’s trying to get back at me,” Dad hollered as the other cop pushed him into the back of the police vehicle. “All because his lifestyle doesn’t agree with my beliefs! He is not a reliable witness!”

The cop speaking to them didn’t react to the shouting and took Shane’s name. “I’ll need to take your statements separately.”

Ros nodded and let go after a moment of struggle against the need to hold on to his man. A sense of utter loss blew into his face when Shane accompanied the cop, but Frank appeared at his side out of nowhere and patted him on the shoulder.

“You did good.”

Ros took a deep breath, glancing up Frank’s firm chest. “Thank you for everything. Me and Shane… we’re back together.”

Frank snorted. “No shit. You’ve got that freshly fucked look all over your face.”

Ros covered his cheeks, for a second taking it literally. “We’ll probably need a place of our own.”