Chapter 29
Texas
“Hey? Are you okay?” Layla, asks.
I was spacing. The memories came to me, and I was drowning. This was my punishment. They were coming for me, and I could feel the cold as if they were breathing down my neck.
All the souls that I extinguished were here for me.
“Let me tell you more about me, okay?” she asks.
She was giving me time to collect myself. Time to fight the demons nipping at my heels. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes.
“Yeah, I’m good,” I tell her.
“Oh good. I….” she started.
“I kill people.”
The words blurted from my mouth, and I just continued with no filter.
“I was unworthy of love. My parents threw me away, literally. I was tossed into a dumpster like uneaten food. They left me to rot.”
Tears were streaming down my face. I was crying, something I haven’t done in a long time.
“They found me and took me in. Then, one day I was told about all the money they wasted on me. They kept a detailed list. Each piece of candy, every scrap of food, even the toothpaste I used,” I tell her.
She was silent, and I feared she was closing me out. I needed her. I needed her to tell him I was real and that I loved him.
“When you leave here Layla, I need you to find someone. Tell him the truth. Tell him I loved him.” I tell her.
She sobbed, and I smiled through the tears.
“I won’t let them kill you. He will keep you safe,” I say
“Stay with me Texas, we can get out of here together,” she begs
“My hands are stained with so much blood. I’ve killed a lot of people. I can feel them waiting for me, I know where I’m going,” I respond.
Her hand latched onto my arm. I could see her shadow as she scooted closer.
“Find Kell,” I say.
“We can find him together.” She tells me.
“I’m not leaving here, Layla.” I inform her.
I’ve accepted it, and she needs to as well.
“I’ve done so many horrible things but meeting him wasn’t one of them.” I say.
She sighed and laid her head on my shoulder.
“Tell me about him.” She asks.
“Kell? He’s perfect. My other half.” I say quietly.
I wanted to tell her everything. I wanted to tell her how much I loved looking into his eyes, or how much I loved his big strong slightly calloused hands.
I wanted to tell her all the things that I wished were different. I wished I could stay with him and love him. Have babies with him. Then, the door opened, and the light pierced my eyes.
I cried out as it stung, and I was momentarily blinded.
“Bring her to me,” The woman who raised me. Her voice echoed around us. Now that I was weak, she was going to take me out to play.
“Bring her to the room and put her in the chair,” Mother said.
My body couldn’t hold my weight. I was so tired, and I couldn’t remember the last time I slept. I was used to the lack of food, and my body learned to adapt.
The room was slightly darker than the one I was just dragged through. My eyes watered, and I could only make out faint shapes.
They were going to torture me. Men I didn’t recognize stood along the left wall watching.
“If she doesn’t come around in the next three hours, she’s ours.”
His voice was full of desire, and dread filled me. I would do anything they asked if it meant being spared that fate.
My hands and feet were secured to the chair, and my head hung down. I didn’t want to look around and see all the things this room had to offer.
“You ready to come home?” Mother, asked.
“Yes, ma’am,” I tell her.
“I don’t believe you Texas. I know you’ll run again,” Mother, says seeing through my lies.
I nodded my head. No matter what I say, she’ll know I was lying. Her hand connected with my cheek.
It stung, and blood filled my mouth as my teeth scraped along my cheek.
“I will thank you for finishing the job. But you need to be punished,” Mother, informs me.
“Yes, ma’am.” I reply.
Another slap had tears springing to my eyes. I was weak, and I hated myself for it. Another slap followed by another. Soon, she grabbed a leather riding crop.
It hit my leg, tearing into my jeans and ripping into my flesh. Biting my lip, more blood spilled into my mouth and went down my chin. I fought the screams as it rose in my throat.
I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of my screams. Fingers wrapped in my hair and she smiled.
“He wants some time with you, should I give it?” She asks.
“Please don’t, ma’am, I’ll be good. I promise,” I beg.
I could feel his fingers run down the side of my neck and I cried out. Fear took me, and I shook.
“He’s killed so many. Taken too many of our men. Someone needs to pay for it. He destroyed years of business. You should be his punishment,” the man, shouted
“Leave her,” Mother, demanded angrily.
Relief washed over me.
“Put her in the room,” she continued.
My shoulders slumped as pain throbbed in various places on my body.
“She needs more time to reflect,” Mother, said and I was relieved.
She was right, I did. I needed time to think about how I was going to kill her.