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“Stop him! He’s crazy!” Grayson yelled to the officer as Cyrus punched him again.

Cyrus held up his hands. “I want him arrested for breaking and entering.”

The officer looked at Cyrus then back to Grayson. “This is his house now, Cyrus. We already went over this with Tammy weeks ago.”

The second officer gave a little attitude, directed at Cyrus. “An Evans’ brother. Figures that they would be involved in this. The Evans family is back at it again, starting trouble. Let’s haul him in and just save us some time.”

“No. You got it all wrong. It’s my ex-wife’s house. She took it in our divorce. I’m here getting her things ready. She’s moving in with me so I can care for her. She’s sick.”

The calmer officer pulled Cyrus to the side. The man he had known since his high school years gave him a sympathetic look. “Ignore him. He’s just grouchy because he’s hungry. I know about Tammy. Everyone knows what Grayson did to her. We’ve been here hundreds of times. You know how it is. He gets taken into custody and is out the next day. She kept taking him back until after she found out she was pregnant, and he abandoned her. Everyone on the force is sick of him. He is either drunk or causing some sort of problem for people around town. He owns half of that damn county.”

“Then why does Barney Fife over here, want to arrest me? I haven’t been in trouble since I was a kid. He broke into the house and tried to assault my girlfriend and was going to take Elias from Tammy. We are just here to help her move her belongings.”

“Cy, he took the house in exchange for Elias. It’s a multimillion-dollar home. He took it when he divorced Tammy. If anything; you're trespassing.”

“What?”

The officer looked over his shoulder at Grayson, who was laughing and wiping the blood from his face.

“Sorry, Cy. Tammy didn’t tell you? It was the only way Grayson would allow her the divorce and to sign over the baby.” The officer turned to Grayson. “Mr. Tomas. You know the boy is no longer yours and you have no parental rights.”

“I want Cyrus arrested for assault. Mother fucker busted my nose.”

“I should have killed you, old man! You have no right touching Mia.”

“See! He’s threatening me. Arrest him!”

Mia stepped forward in front of Cyrus. “No. He’s drunk and tried to push himself on me. Cyrus was just defending me after Grayson grabbed me and tried to force a kiss on me.”

The officer turned to Grayson. “Is that true? Did you put your hands on this woman?”

Grayson rolled his eyes and waved it off.

“Officer, we didn’t know about the house,” Mia said apologetically.

The grouchy officer looked back and forth between the couple and Grayson. “Fine. The old drunk is probably lying, anyway. Arrest them both. I don’t have time for this.”

Mia cried, “Why? Cy did nothing wrong.”

Cyrus turned to Mia, taking her face in his hands, as tears rolled down her cheeks. “Flower, I’ll be okay. Call Wraith so he can come to bail me out. I’ll be home in no time.”

Mia nodded. “What about, Tammy and Elias?”

“They’ll be fine. Isis, Gage, and the kids are with them. Take the truck and find Wraith.”

The officer cuffed Cyrus when Grayson started again.

“It’s okay, blondie. You can stay here and wait on my bed. I can show you what a real man is. I’ll be back in no time. Keep the sheets warm for me.”

Mia walked over and kneed Grayson in the nuts. “That’s for Holly. And this…” She head-butted him in the nose. “That’s for me!” Once he fell back to the ground, she kicked him again. “And that’s for that poor woman and her baby! You’re an evil, disgusting man. Go to hell!”

The grouchy officer grabbed her arm and pulled her back before she hit Grayson again. “Lady, I get your anger, but did you have to do that? Now we have to arrest you too.”

“Good. It was worth it. I’ll be in the car.”

Cyrus tried not to laugh as his short little firecracker. Mia yanked away from the officer and stomped over to the police car, letting herself in the back. The cops tried not to laugh as the short woman puffed up and slammed the door of the back of the police cruiser.

Grayson was grabbing his crotch, writhing in pain. “Aren’t you going to do something? Call me an ambulance.”

The officer leaned over to scold him. “You’ll live. Holly has been my friend since we were kids. I know what you did to her. You deserve worse for what you tried to do to her in the club. You’re lucky I stopped that lady over there before she bashed your brains in.”

Cyrus nodded in agreement. “One day, Grayson, your luck will run out. It’s only a matter of time before you must atone for all your sins. I just hope I’m there to see it.”

Grayson sat up, scowling at Cyrus. “They can’t do anything to me. You would think you would realize that by now. I own this town.”

The cop yanked him off the ground and cuffed the older man. “Keep pushing your luck, old man. Cyrus is right. Money doesn’t buy everyone. This town is sick of you. The clock is ticking on your tyranny and it’s about time you get what’s coming to you.”

***

Holly skipped into the police station in front of Wraith, like a happy little school girl, humming as she went.

Wraith just rolled his eyes at her. “Don’t do it, Holly.”

“Do what? I’ve been waiting for this moment for years. Sweet, innocent Cyrus is in the clink. I’m loving this shit. For once, I’m not the one being bailed out. This is like Christmas, Fourth of July, and every birthday rolled up into one.” Holly skipped to the window of the reception desk, chomping her gum. “Hey, Marco. How are the kids?”

The man looked up with a half-smirk and shook his head in amusement. “Well, I’ll be damned. Miss Holly Evans, the big IWX star. The kids are great. We haven’t seen you here in a while. Coming for a visit or turning yourself in again? Who did you beat up this time?”

“Nope. I’m innocent today. I’m turning over a new leaf. I’m working on my anger issues… sort of. We are picking up my deviant brother.”

“Wraith? We haven’t had problems out of him in years. Not since he got out of the military.”

“Nope. The other one. Cyrus.” Holly moved to show her brother behind her. “Wraith has the cash. We’re here to bust out his girl too.”

The older jailor laughed. “Are you talking about the chick that kicked the shit out of Grayson Tomas? She’s been in the cell ranting for an hour and has every woman in the cell block ready to beat the shit out of the old man.”

Wraith leaned on the desk. “Serves the bastard right. You should throw him in with them and let the ladies take care of his old ass.”

The officer chuckled. “Don’t I wish I could. Everyone around here hates him. He gets arrested, and the next day is out. I’ll call up to the guards and get your family. Give me a few minutes…. Wait. Did you say, Cyrus? He never gets in trouble. Well, not since he was a little kid driving around on Wraith’s dirt bike.”

Holly started laughing. “I know. Isn’t it great? I’m never going to let him live this down. Now he can’t say shit about me getting into fights. He beat up an old man.”

Wraith nudged her. “You know Grayson probably had it coming. Cyrus doesn’t fight unless provoked.”

“Eh. He should have stomped his ass. I hope he rots in hell for all he’s done to people in this town, including killing our parents.”

The officer stood from the desk and picked up the phone. He looked at Holly with an agreeing sigh. “Don’t we all.”