“Shh, baby, we gotta be—”
“I knew you were going to show your ugly face here.”
The sharp voice is like a whip cracking against my back. My spine snaps straight, and I pivot on my heel quick enough to cause me to stumble.
My heart hammers painfully against my chest as I take in the source of all my pain. The man who was supposed to love me but could only ever hurt me. And one of the last faces I saw before that cloth covered my mouth, and I woke up in a nightmare worse than anything my brain could conjure up.
“Hey, Dad,” I greet nervously, the tremor in my voice betraying how terrified I am.
He takes a menacing step forward, prompting me to retreat immediately.
His gray, greasy hairs stand haphazardly on end, and though his eyes are full of hatred and disbelief, it's clear he's just woken up. He's wearing his dirty button-up work shirt, with Raymond stitched onto the left breast pocket.
He's a mechanic, and of course, it's time for him to go to work.
“W-where's Mom?” I choke out, my gaze ping-ponging between his menacing stare and the hallway behind him.
His lip curls. “Dead.”
I blink, more shocked by his declaration than I expected. Maybe because she’s survived so much abuse from my father and other men, it seemed like she was indestructible. Or because there were so many nights where I laid awake, praying for her death, and it never came.
I'm surprised.
But not fucking sad.
“How? ”
“Overdose.”
“Let me guess, from the drugs you bought with all the money you made from selling me?” I snap.
His grin is full of intentions as rotten and black as his teeth.
“Died a couple weeks ago. Dumb bitch got too excited and injected herself with some strong shit we ain't ever had before,” he clips. Then, he chuckles, the sound raspy and wet. “And now you're back. Rocco called yesterday lookin' for ya. Promised me 'nother fifty-K if I let him know when you showed up.”
My heart drops, another shot of panic torpedoing through my insides, landing in the pit of dread welling in my stomach.
I need to get the fuck out of here now.
“Whad'ya do? Give ’em bad sex or som'n'?” he asks nastily.
I narrow my eyes. I can't even be insulted. He talks as if it was my choice to be enslaved and groomed to be sold to a disgusting sick fuck. Like I did the family a fucking favor.
“Ya know, I may not call 'im. I might just have to find me some different people this time 'round. Police have been investigatin' me. Think I had somethin' to do with that whole shitshow with you in the gas station.” A loud laugh bursts out of him. “Did you know they can wipe people from security footage? Don't know what kind of genius they got on their hands, but they made you look fuckin’ crazy. Me and Louis weren't even in 'em! Every day I turn on the news, they're talkin' ’bout you running from ghosts.”
My mouth drops while he cackles loudly. They wiped my kidnappers from the footage? I had hoped to God those cameras were recording, only it feels like a punch to the gut to hear that they manipulated it.
“Only reason they're on my ass is 'cause of that fucking asshole clerk making a statement against me. I'd hoped they'd kill his ass, too, but they said it'd cost me since he ain't got nothin' on us. And, well, he looks just as crazy as you, so he ain't worth the cash. Police don’t have shit on me.” He ends that statement with a smart-ass grin.
“They will,” I spit through clenched teeth. “You fucking sold me!”
Layla huddles into my neck, upset by the obvious tension between Dad and me. I bounce her in my arms, hoping to keep her calm, yet knowing it’s likely useless.
“You was useless around here anyway! Tryna steal mine and your mom's baby. That's all you cared about. Layla, Layla, Layla. That's where all your money went instead of paying us rent. Just spendin' our money and living here for free!”
An argument forms on my tongue, building to a monument as tall as fucking Giza, but it's not worth it.
I need to get me and Layla out of here as soon as possible before my father makes good on his promise and calls Rocco here. Or someone worse.
“The only person you have to worry about is yourself,” I hiss. “Layla and I will be gone.”
Another step, and his face morphs from barely human to demonic.
“As far as I see it, she’s still in my custody. Which means she goes where I want her to go. You were a pretty penny in my pocket the first time, but you two together? I'll get a fuck of a lot more, no?”