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“It’s fine, Rocco. You do what you need to do,” I croaked and cleared my throat.
“Thank you, Adelina. You should rest. I’ll make it as quick as possible. I miss you.”
“Uhm…I miss you too.” I closed my eyes.
“Talk to you soon.”
We ended the call, and my stomach churned. I tensed.A month or so?There had been a lot of planning for the first one, and he probably wanted it as big as he planned, so I felt frustrated sitting in this space of limbo. At least he sounded genuine. This whole thing was confusing. One moment I was preparing to pledge my whole life to this man, and now, once again, I’m just an incentive.I miss you too, Rocco, and I wish I could be standing by your side right now.But there’s nothing I can do about missing him at the moment.
I left the bedroom and refilled the tub with warmer water and then took a bath. After putting on a nightgown, Patricia came with a bowl of soup that I could eat at the small table in the room, which I preferred instead of listening to more schemes dreamed up by my grandparents. I thanked her, and even though it was aromatic and flavorful, my mind shut off, blocking the taste. It was something I hadn’t done in years. Something Iused to do when I lived with my parents. I trained myself to not enjoy food because I never knew if we’d afford that meal again. I’d been happy when I landed that job at the fast food place. We all upgraded to extra-large sizes and paid for small. I had enough food to bring back to Mama.And Judge Colby when he was being extra nice to us.
Stealing wasn’t something I was proud of, and the memories didn’t make me feel better. So, I picked up the funniest romance comedy book to read and settled into bed. It lightened my mood, and I got through a few chapters before I finally drifted to sleep.
The T-shirt slips over my head, falling past my knees when the bathroom door swings open. Judge Colby stands in the gap in his underwear with a shit-eating grin. His dilated pupils scan me slowly.
I wrinkle my nose and quickly turn my head, but can still smell the skunky pot and his sweat.
“You were in there a while. What were you doing?” he asks in a suggestive tone.
“None of your damn business,” I snap, clutching my shirt and leggings I wore to bed in my hand.
“Watch your tone. You’re twelve, not twenty. I won’t be disrespected in my house,” he yells for the hundredth time since we showed up to stay with him.
For three months, life had been better. Mama had been more at peace, and yet, because she “loves him” she invited him back into our lives. Why?
Now we’re in yet another house he didn’t own.
“It’s not yours either,” I chide.
He’s leasing it, and the bill collection letters clog the mailbox just like last time Mama brought us to move in with him.
He snorts. “It’s more than what you and your Mama have. If you don’t like my rules, you can get the hell out.”
I roll my eyes. “Whatever. Now, move out of the way.”
But he stands stiff, blocking the way out. I’ll have to squeeze past him.
I brace myself, moving as fast as I can, but he grabs my waist and buries his head in my hair. “You don’t like boys?”
Nausea rises in my throat, and I gag. “Is your brain farting again, ass wipe?”
My fingers claw him, but he’s not letting go.
I stomp my feet on his as hard as I can.
He yelps. “You stupid little bitch.”
He moves an arm under my chin and I sink my teeth in it with all my strength.
Slam.
His hands ram my head against the door, and my vision goes dizzy….
“No. No. No. Stay conscious. You can’t pass out,” I mumbled.
I stumble to my feet and run down the stairs all the way out the front door.
“Adelina, come back.”