Broken Crescent (Devil's Sons Motorcycle Club Book 2) by Kathryn Thomas Page A

slippered feet. It was time she told her mother what she knew of Rayan’s recent descent into debauchery.  The thought of him missing for several days sent fear through her. He could be hurt. There was no telling what had happened to him, roaming drunkenly around the city at nights.
     
    “Maman, I didn’t want to tell you this because I didn’t want you to get upset…Rayan has been drinking again, only it’s much worse than before. I’ve seen him around town, drunk and picking fights.” She held up her hands as Fatima sat forward, shocked by what she was hearing. “Now, don’t let your imagination get away with you. He’s probably just spent the last few days with his friends. I’ll call around and see if I can locate him for you, but I needed to tell you in confidence about his alcoholism. I don’t know what else to do. Perhaps with your help we can convince him to go to the rehab center I told him about.”
     
    “Afia,” Fatima said her name sharply. “What places have you been frequenting that you might stumble into your brother in such a state anyway? It’s true, isn’t it? You’ve been living like the loose women you go to school with.”
     
    “What?” Afia was taken aback. “No, Maman, I’m trying to tell you—“
     
    “You will not speak of this to your father, you understand me? You speak ill of your brother to take the scrutiny off of yourself. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you spend less and less time here at home with us. If I find out you have been living in ithm …” She tapered off the threat. Her heart couldn’t handle the strain. Fatima slumped back tiredly. “Leave me,” she said weakly. “Let me rest.”
     
    Afia rose to her feet, feeling like she had been pummeled by her mother’s words. She had come seeking to unburden her conscience and get help for Rayan, but her Maman had turned the admission against her.  She fled the bedroom, fighting sobs. Rashad was in the living room trying to read without his glasses. He looked up when she entered. “Afia? What’s wrong with you?”
     
    “Nothing. It’s nothing, Baba.”  She found a shaky smile and pasted it on her face, sniffling discreetly and ducking into the kitchen away from his close watch. Afia sat at the kitchen table. She took her cellphone from her pocket to call around and locate her brother. She didn’t know many of his friends, but she decided she should eliminate the jails and hospitals. It was a starting point. With a sigh, she waited patiently for the hospital receptionist to go through the patient list.
     
    “Sorry, ma’am, we don’t have anyone by that name here.”
     
    “Thank you,” Afia replied. Hanging up, she dialed another medical center and got the same response. Fingers shaking, she dialed the police department. Afia had to go through several channels to get to the person she needed to speak with about recent arrests. She struggled to explain that her brother was missing and had a drinking problem. “His name is Rayan Amini. Do you have…record of him coming in?”
     
    “You’re in luck. We got him down here.” The woman on the other end chuckled in a raspy voice. “I don’t even have to look him up. He’s made quite a name for himself, spoutin’ off about his wealthy daddy and the shit we’ve gotten ourselves into by arresting him.”
     
    Afia squeezed her eyes shut, embarrassed. “Can you tell me why he was arrested?”
     
    “You said you’re his sister? Public drunkenness and disorderly conduct. He would’ve been out by Monday if he hadn’t earned himself another charge, assaulting an officer. Now, he’s gotta post bail to get out.”
     
    Afia had no idea about anything dealing with the legal system. She had never gotten into that kind of trouble and didn’t know anyone who had. As she hung up the phone, she wracked her brain for solutions to the problem. She could tell her Baba, but it would only make him angry to know that Rayan had acted so immaturely, and