Hell And Back(71)

“You helped me.” I grab her hand and squeeze it. “You wouldn’t let me give up. You were my fairy godmother.”

She laughs at me. “Nope, just wanted to show you that life, it can be beautiful. It can be so wonderful, and it is worth fighting for.”

We are both looking at each other, and we don’t see Lilah has stopped skipping. Her giggles have stopped. We don’t notice her standing in the middle of the yard or that she has just wet herself.

Turning my head, I’m faced with the horror of my past.

Adam.

But not just Adam. Chuck, his dealer, is with him, and he’s got a gun aimed straight at my little girl.

I get up but can’t move. “Adam,” I whisper.

“Bitch, you do not talk to him.” Chuck turns the gun to me, then to Brenda.

“Just, please, put that away. We won’t fight. I’ll give you whatever you want,” I tell them while I try to shield Brenda behind me.

“DON’T FUCKING MOVE!” Chuck yells, halting us.

I look at Adam, hoping a tiny part of him would not actually be okay with this man killing his young daughter. I can see his dilated, black, soulless eyes, and I know he’s high. He probably doesn’t even realize what’s going on.

“Go get the girl.” Chuck gives him an order, but Lilah quickly runs to me, and I scoop her up in my arms.

Adam walks over to us, reaching out to rip her from me, but Brenda steps into his way. She isn’t there for long before he backhands her across the face, sending her down hard.

Lilah and I both yell out in horror.

Adam turns to look at us. “Shut the fuck up, you two. Pains in my ass, that is what you guys are.”

I hold her closer to my chest, whispering to her to be quiet. Her sobs gut me. Her tears fall onto my skin.

“Give her to me, Bella, NOW!” he yells in my face, his spit landing on us.

“Adam, don’t do this. Don’t take her. Take me.” I stand here, offering my life for my daughter’s, praying they’ll accept. Deep down, I always knew someday I would have to do this.

Adam turns around to look at Chuck, who is still holding the gun at us. “We should just take Bella. Sell her off.”

Chuck smiles at us. “Good call, Adam. Let’s take the other two inside.” He turns the gun sideways, aiming a sadistic smile at me. “Walk, bitch.”

I look down at Brenda who has a swollen eye, but she rolls onto her hands and knees and manages to get up. She reaches her hand out to us.

We walk into the house. I’m hoping I can slip away and press that button, do something that can help us.

We walk over to the couch, all three of us with tears running down our faces.

“Old bitch, get over here,” Chuck says once he closes the door behind him.

Brenda looks over at us, then at him while he waves the gun at her. When she doesn’t move he yells, “NOW, BITCH!”

I try to get her hidden behind me, but she walks over to him with her head held high, her shoulders straight.

The minute she’s in front of him, he takes the gun and points it right at her forehead. “I’m going to blow her brains out if you don’t drop that fucking brat and get your ass over here.”

I put Lilah on the couch, kissing her before I turn around and make my way to him.

When I’m close enough, he turns sideways and hits Brenda with the back of the gun right on the side of her head.

She falls down, blood seeping out from where the gun struck her.

I cry out in shock as I fall to my knees next to her.

“Get the fuck up, bitch! NOW!” His hands are now shaking.

I stand up and look over at Adam. There is no way for me to adequately capture the hatred I feel for him.

He walks over to the fridge where there is a picture of Jackson, Lilah, and me taken at an ice cream store two weeks ago. All smiling for the picture Jackson snapped.

“Look at this bullshit. You fucked my brother.” He throws his head back, laughing. “You give that pussy away for free.” He walks over to me with the picture in his hand. Getting into my face, his nose almost touching mine, he growls, “NO MORE, BITCH.” And he strikes me fast and hard.

Lilah is on the couch watching this, rocking back and forth, hands over her ears. We don’t notice that Chuck has turned around to kick Brenda while she lies unconscious on the floor.

“Enough, please.” I try to talk despite the taste of metal in my mouth. “Just take me. You came for me, take me.”

This is like walking into a lion’s den wearing a meat necklace. I am so scared, but I’ll be damned if I let them see it.

He points his gun down and fires a shot right at Brenda. The wails coming from my throat are hoarse and burn my throat as they leave my mouth.