“You’re such an ungrateful brat. The prophet wants to marry you and you try to run from us!” She screeches the last part.
They were so sure I’d easily go with them. That I’d be agreeable to whatever future they had planned out for me. They’d been waiting until I wasn't near my grandparents’. They saw their opportunity and took it. Me fighting them had shocked them both. My mom more when I landed a smack to her face. She returned the favor. My cheek still stings from where she hit me. That is nothing compared to the other things she’s done to me in the past.
“You were with that boy?” Jerima asks. He meets my eyes in the rearview mirror. “Did you succumb to temptation?”
I shake my head no, lying through the duct tape. He narrows his eyes on me. I don't think he’s buying it.
“She’s a liar. That’s okay, Jerima. You only need to marry her. You don’t have to be with her in all ways.”
My mom pets his arm. She has a pouty look on her face, her bottom lip puffed out. The urge to vomit rises up again at the thought of Jerima touching me in any way. I’ll fight him with everything I have. Or die trying. I don’t care. I will not be a victim ever again. I will not allow these people to bend me to their will.
“Shut up.” He knocks her hand off his arm. “The marriage must be consummated.”
“But-”
“Are you questioning me?” Mom shuts her mouth before shaking her head no. “Remove her duct tape,'' he orders her.
I stay still as she gets up from her seat to lean back. She gives me a hateful glare before she rips it from my face. I clench my teeth together, not willing to make a sound in pain for her. I refuse to give her the satisfaction. I’ve already shed too many tears because of her.
How could this woman be my mother? What happened to her to make her this way? How can I both hate her and feel bad for her at the same time? These people really did mess with my head.
Growing up the way I did was all I ever knew. Still, I always thought something wasn't right. For my mom it was different. She lived in the real world. Got to experience life and how much better it was out there than with Jerima. I’ll never understand, and I think I should stop trying.
“Tell us everything that happened when the devil's men tried to take everything from us.” I’m guessing he’s referring to the FBI.
“They took us to some shelter. A few days later Grams and Grandpa came and picked me up,” I say, not giving them anything else.
Jerima strums his fingers on the top of the steering wheel. Every few seconds he glances in the rearview mirror to look at me. I have to get away from him. There is no other option. I need to buy some time too. They have to get us married. I’d think that would involve us meeting with other people or something.
“It saddens me you’ve succumbed to the dark way, but I’ll save you, precious child of mine.”
“Fuck you.” The word pops right out of my mouth, surprising me as much as it does them. I’ve been hanging out with Tucker too much if I’m dropping the F bomb randomly.
My mom gets up and tries to come back toward me. Jerima pushes her back down into her seat.
“I will handle her. You have no self-control.” Mom nods at him. His words of disapproval really mess with her. I notice he takes every opportunity he gets to hurt her with his words.
I swallow, seeing the cruelty in his eyes when they meet mine once again in the mirror. Fear rises in my chest at what he’s going to do. He jerks the van off the road suddenly into a giant truck stop area. He pulls in abruptly. I don’t see anyone else around the dimly lit lot. He throws the van into park before turning to face me.
“It’s time I taught you some manners, wife.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Colt
The van swerves into a parking lot and comes to a halt toward the back where there’s no light. Booker pulls up to the front, and we all climb out. There’s no need to talk. We’ve been playing together for over a decade. We know what the other is thinking. Booker, Ethan, and Tommy head inside to chat up the clerk and distract any observers while Mick, Logan, Dean, and I move toward the van.
We hear a door open and then a thin cry followed by a door slamming shut. I sprint around the corner to see some middle-aged dude with slicked-back hair pulling GG around the side of the van.