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My phone rings from where it sits in the center console, I let out a groan of frustration at who it is.After work, I always turn my ringer back on, and now the one tone I have set to particular people is going off. Great. This is not what I need right now. In the past month, I’ve somewhat been avoiding them. Still, it doesn’t stop any of them from calling, texting, and sometimes showing up, though those times, I make sure to disappear before they know I’m around.
I’ve gotten to the point of ensuring I don’t park in the driveway of my rental and instead pull into the garage. The single window is covered by a black-out curtain so no one can see in. Honestly, if they did get a peek at what’s inside, they’d probably wonder about it since I don’t have my little truck anymore. Instead, I now drive a new Tahoe that I bought two weeks ago after trading in my truck.
I ignore the sounds of my phone as I pull out on the road, heading home. It’s not that I want to avoid them. They’re my best friends, but lately, I’ve needed space from them. Being around Ivy, Sutton, and Isabelle along with Stella can seem a little bit overwhelming. Seeing the happiness in their expressions as they talk about or hold the one thing I want but can’t have is more than I can handle right now.
I need time.
Time to get a handle on my emotions.
I envy them and I can’t help but feel torn on the inside. It’s as if my insides are knotted so tightly, I’ll be sick from the jealousy that wants to take over.
For years, all I’ve wanted was to find my son. To be the mother to him I wanted to be. I don’t know where he is. I’ve looked, but there’s no finding my child. I’ve even gone as far as snooping through my uncle and father’s files at one time to see if I could find something. I was caught by my mother the one time I did it and ended up in the basement for a week locked away in the dark without food or water.
My friends know where I come from, but they don’t know the extent of it. I never told them about the horrors I lived through on a daily basis.
I sigh, relieved, when my phone finally stops. I drive the rest of the way home to my little two-bedroom ranch-style house that I found about a year ago. It’s great, and I love it.
The house sits in the middle of two acres of land, and the owner, Mr. Dorsey, lets me ride my four-wheeler without any issues. Mr. Dorsey even allows me to use the zero-turn mower he has to cut the grass. I don’t mind. He’s an older man without anyone to look out for him. His wife died years ago, and his daughter moved out east. I’ve become fond of Mr. Dorsey and find myself spending time with him whenever I can. You can tell he’s lonely without his wife or daughter around. He says his daughter wants him to come live with him, but that’s not something he wants. “I might be old, child, but I’m not willing to leave this land yet. When I do, it’ll be to join my wife,” he once told me. I never could understand his words, but I sometimes get them, at least to an extent.
Parking in the drive next to my house, I turn the key, switching off the engine. After the past several days of being on shift, I’m exhausted and simply want to go inside and pass out in my bed. I release a heavy breath and open the door to step out into the cool air of the evening. The sun is setting just over the trees and it’s a beautiful sight. Without wasting time, I make my way up the cobblestone path to my house and unlock the door.
As I step into the foyer, I glance around and listen to the silence of my little home. Sometimes, I wish I had a companion like Isabelle did. Her cat is one of the best, but I don’t have time for an animal in my life.
I toe off my sneakers and line them up alongside the others before making my way through the house and into my room. I drop my purse onto the bed before heading to the en suite bathroom. Stripping out of my clothes, I let my hair down from the messy knot on the top of my head and start the shower. I barely give the water a chance to warm up as I step under the spray. The chill of it sends a shiver down my spine. As it heats against my skin, I tilt my head back and enjoy it for a few minutes and start washing my body from the day.
After I finish, I shut the water off and climb out of the stall. With my hair in a towel, I lotion and moisturize every part of my body. Living under my mother and father dictating my life growing up, I was denied the knowledge of this simple little thing. I refuse to go a day now with cracked skin. I hate it. Done with the task, I remove the towel from on top of my head and brush the long locks adding in the products I use to keep it shiny, thick, and lush. I leave the bathroom stepping back into my room. I find a pair of cheeky panties and a matching bra to put on as my phone starts ringing once again.
Groaning, I move to my bed and pull the cell phone from the depths of my boho bag. I turn the device upward and eye the screen a sense of dread fills me at the sight of my mother’s name on it. I’d like nothing more than to ignore the call, but if I do then I’m sure without a doubt her, my father, and uncle will descend upon me and that’s something I don’t want. I run my finger across the screen, swiping it along the phone icon to answer.
“Hello,” I murmur, putting it on speaker.
“It’s about time you answered the phone,” Dixie snaps through the line.
“I’m sorry, Mother, I only just got home from work and took a shower,” I apologize, though I want nothing more than to simply hang up on her but not before telling her and the rest of them to stay out of my life. “What can I do for you?”
“You can pack your things and be ready by the end of the next week. Your uncle has found someone willing to marry you within the community, evening knowing the disgrace you brought upon us all.”
Panic rips through me and I clench the phone in my hand harder.
“He did?” It’s all I can do to keep my voice from trembling.
“Yes, and you were given until the end of next week to gather your things and quit your job. You won’t be needing it anymore,” she retorts with what I can only assume is a sneer. Knowing the woman, I’m sure her lip is curled upward as she does when she’s talking down to others.
Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I push out the words that don’t want to come out. “Yes, Mother, I’ll be ready.” A tear falls down my cheek knowing I don’t want this to be happening.
“Good, now don’t try anything foolish and stay away from those hooligan friends of yours. You don’t need to tarnish your name more than it already is.” On that she hangs up on me, leaving me with the terror that seeps down to the bone.
I have less than two weeks to figure something out before my life is ripped out of my hands all over again. With trembling fingers, I drop the phone and finish dressing. I leave my hair wet and make my way out of my room and through the house to sit on the back porch swing that I’ve come to love. In the silence of the night, I can’t help but wish I could’ve had another life. And it’s then I decide what I’m going to do. But it’s going to take me a couple of days before I can pull it off.
CHAPTERTWO
DAEMON
“You sure you’re good?” I ask the question that’s been bugging me as I walk out of my room at the clubhouse while talking to Lana.
“Of course, I am,” she answers. I don’t have to see her face to know she’s smiling. I can hear it in her voice,though I don’t believe her for a minute. Something’s up with her and she’s not talking.
“Why don’t I believe you?” I don’t hold back wanting to get to the bottom of it. For weeks she’s not been acting herself and I don’t like it.
