Stone (The Forbidden Love Series Book 1) (5 page)

“Lacky, can you take me to the apartment?” I glanced over at him.

“Not right now. Right now we have to go to your probation officer. You’re on probation for the next five years, even though your case was overturned.” He looked at me through the corner of his eyes. “You still had a weapon, remember?”

“This is bullshit!” I shouted. “It was self-defense! I already did six years. Time serve goddammit!” I shouted.

“Take it easy, Tiny.” He said lifting one hand off of the steering wheel trying to reach out to me.

“Don’t call me that anymore.
My name is Stone
.”

“Okay…Stone. You need to calm the fuck down. There’s no need to lose your head.” His voice changed. He seemed annoyed. I didn’t give a damn.
He better take me to see Maddie.

“Lacky, where is she?” The pain in my heart was deep.
She knew exactly what to do to hurt me, but why was she even doing it?

“They weren’t able to contact her. Look, as far as I know…she moved. She’s not in the apartment anymore. I have a private investigator on her trail. You know…to keep her and the kids safe.”

“Moved? Where? And…keep her safe from what?” My heart was pounding again. I knew damn well why she wasn’t safe. Please God, don’t let it be from Sly, please. This is all my fault.

“To the city.” My eyebrows furrowed at the same time my anger was building up in my gut.
Why didn’t she tell me? We never kept secrets from each other?

“The city? How can she afford to move to Syracuse?”

“I heard she got a job. She’s doing really well.”

“She left me behind, Lac. Why?” I tapped the window with my finger. I really wanted to punch and shatter it.
Goddamit, What the fuck is going on?

“She had to run, Stone.” I turned my head and glanced over at him. He was serious which told me…she was in trouble.

“Run? From
what
?” I asked, the anger boiling inside of me.

“From Sly.” I pictured her beaten before he even finished saying his name. Now my pulse was racing out of control.

“Sly?”

“Apparently, he came looking for his money. He…He…” He was hesitating to finish his sentence.
This was bad. This was really bad.

“Come on say it! What did he do?” I barked. I was ready to grab him by the throat.

“He slashed Daniel’s face with a knife.” He whispered.

“He what? Oh my God! I’m going to kill that motherfucker!” I shouted. I felt the heat rising in my face, the blood boiling in my veins and my heart thrashing against my chest all at once. I was going to implode.
I did this…ME…it’s my fault Daniel’s face was slashed
.
So help me God…I’m going to kill him.

“You’re too late, someone already did.” I glanced over at him. He was shaking his head.

“M…Maddie?” I muttered.

“We’re not sure. I’m on the case. There’s no evidence leading to her, but his gang doesn’t care and…they’re after her Stone. I’m afraid for her, but so far, nothing has happened.”

“What about Daniel?” My heart sunk into my stomach. I love that little boy with all of my heart and look what I did.
Jesus, that motherfucker is lucky he’s dead.

“He’s okay. She’s paid thousands of dollars for plastic surgery. She took a part-time job at some club downtown. She made a friend…Clarissa…and she babysits for her.” This can’t be happening I thought to myself.
A friend. She made a friend. I’m her only friend. Me only…me.

“For a person who doesn’t know much. You sure know everything. Are you sure you haven’t spoken to her?” I eyed him curiously. “I want to see her…please.” I pleaded.
God, I really needed to smoke right now.
Getting drugs in jail was like ordering a burger at McDonald’s…it was easy.
My nerves were shot.

“Later. We’re here. Straighten up and be polite. This P.O is a real dick. Just nod your head and answer, yes sir, to whatever he asks you.” I took a deep breath and nodded. I’m glad Lacky was with me.
I was about to lose it.

Chapter 3      Maddie

    
“Good morning.” Andrew whispered in my ear.

“Morning, what time is it?” I asked as I rubbed my eyes gently. I stopped and stared at the array of bodies lying sprawled across the couches and the floor. The bedroom’s double doors were open for all to see. A fuckfest with naked bodies filled the living room. Whips, cuffs and chains were near the bodies that lay in various compromising positions. The room began to stir, the chatting humming in my ears. The naked bodies arose and started to walk around, cleaning up the mess of the aftermath of the biggest orgy I’ve ever attended. Thank God I was only the servant, that I didn’t have to get mixed up in fucking strangers and giving my body to whom ever wanted it.

     Andrew made sure I was only…for him. He made sure that when I finished my job, I’d spent hours sucking him off for the extra money I needed to pay for Daniel’s surgery. The bar tending gig at the club wasn’t cutting it and since I wasn’t Andrew’s official girlfriend yet, I had to prove to him that I was worthy. Worthy of his money, worthy of his time, worthy of his dick.

“I have to head out. I have to be at the club for inventory this morning.” I stood up to get ready to leave but he yanked me down by my hair.

“I don’t remember giving you permission to speak.” He said through gritted teeth. I nodded with tears in my eyes. He eyed me up and down and leaned in close to my face. “I want you to know, I’m really crazy about you.”
Really? I couldn’t tell by all of the time spent on my knees swallowing him whole until I gagged.
“You may speak Madison.” His devilish grin burned a hole in my heart. Here I was, being told when to speak, when to suck, when to work and what time to be home. I’ve never had a father and I never had to answer to anyone. But this guy had a hold on me. A hold on my life and I had to keep my mouth shut. Sometimes, while he slept, I would take out the switchblade in my bag and slide it over his chest while I watched his chest go up and down as he breathed. It would have been easy. I knew exactly where to stab him, but then I knew, I would lose everything. The kids, my life, my whole world…
Tiny
.

“I have to go. May I?” I pleaded.

“Go…I’ll see you later.” He kissed me quickly on the lips and though I hated his ways, when he was nice, he was very nice, over the top nice; but, when he was bad, he was downright abusive and that scared me. I was in this toxic relationship for the sake of the kids and there was nothing I could do.

     I packed up my stuff and stepped over two women that were having sex. I looked back at Andrew, his manhood standing in attention as he walked towards me. I thought he was walking me out, but instead he kneeled down and placed his mouth on one of the women’s nipple and tugged at it gently, then winked and waved goodbye to me. My stomach hurt. I couldn’t believe what I was doing. I felt so disgusting knowing he was screwing these women then placing his dick in my mouth whenever he had the urge.
God, why can’t I just leave? Why?

                                          
***

      
I opened up the door to the apartment and Clarissa was sitting at the table eating a cookie.

“You’ll get a fat ass Clarissa.” I said as I closed the door behind me.

“It’s already fat.” She giggled. She walked towards the window.

“Hey, can you babysit today? I have to go in to work at the club early today for inventory.” I asked Clarissa who was sitting on my windowsill with her knees against her chest.

“Again? You were out all last night. Damn girl, you need to take it easy.”

“Daniel’s plastic surgeon called me again. I have to pay him by Friday.”

“Shit…Okay. Let me cancel with Stephan. He doesn’t need to come over.” She took out her cell phone from her purse.

“Thanks, Clarissa. I don’t know what I would do without you.” I hugged her around her shoulders. Her hair smelled like Suave shampoo and the perfume she was wearing was sweet like my mother’s.

“I got your back girl. Love ya…see ya in a few.” She strolled out of the apartment shaking her big ass in her jeggings. Clarissa was beautiful. She could have been a model but her parent’s didn’t have the money for a portfolio or anything else. The little money I gave her to watch Alyssa and the boys was barely enough for food, but she did it anyway.

     I went to check on the boys as they slept. Daniel and Bryan looked so peaceful. Bryan still had a little cough. He’s been sick for a couple of months now his asthma has been flaring up more than usual. He’s always been sickly and back then I didn’t have insurance. I always made home remedies and he got better, but now, my remedies and doctors’ visits aren’t really working. I haven’t been able to take him to a specialist. There’s a waiting list backed up three months. His family doctor says he’s okay, but he doesn’t sound right. Sometimes, I wish she was here,
my mother.
I wonder if they miss Ana or even remember her at all. But the person I miss the most is Tiny. I’ve missed him so much I’ve cried every night this past year, wondering if he is dead or alive. Andrew has been good to me, but he’s kept me away from Tiny. I don’t know how much longer I can take of this. I’m ready to crack. I need to see him, hear his voice, touch his hand, see his beautiful blue eyes and know that he’s okay.

                                                
***

   Alyssa slept like an angel. She really was the most beautiful baby I’ve ever seen. We all had different colored eyes, but hers were exceptionally beautiful, crystal clear blue. I sat on the edge of the bed thinking about when that fucking animal slashed Daniel. The tears quickly filled my eyes. I was so happy I witnessed seeing his brains splatter across the kitchen floor.
Bleach really does work wonders
. I got up and covered the boys with their ninja turtle blanket and kissed them both as my tears fell on Daniel’s face. He opened his eyes.

“Mommy crying.” He whispered sleepily.

“No…back to beddy bye.” I kissed his cheek and wiped the tears away. He would never see me cry again…
never
.

     My phone vibrated on the kitchen counter. The name Lacky appeared. I suddenly felt nauseous. I haven’t heard from him in years, but I never deleted his number when I transferred all of my numbers from my cell phone. I picked it up curiously to find out why he was calling.

“Hello?” I answered.

“Are you home?” his voice sounded the same.

“Lacky is that you?” I asked.  “Is Tiny okay?”

“Yeah, it’s me; text me your address. I need to see you,
immediately.
” His voiced trembled with urgency. I guess something did happen
. I was hesitant to see him. Oh God, why did I listen to Andrew? I should’ve visited him like I wanted to. The kids missed him so much. I missed him…the most.

“Sure…see you in a few.” I texted him my address and placed the phone back on the counter and walked over and locked the kids inside. The monitor was by the kitchen sink. If this was a
‘bad news’
visit,
I didn’t want the kids to see me cry…or hear me scream.

     I sat on the couch waiting nervously, wondering what was going on. Lacky wasn’t this impulsive unless it was something bad. I remembered him rushing over to our house every Saturday night to arrest one of the men that always beat my mother up after they had sex. They never wanted to pay her and she would start yelling and screaming at them. Bryan was just a baby; he was born a month before Tiny turned sixteen. Tiny and I always sang to him when the screaming in the house got really loud.
Hush little baby
was Bryan’s favorite song. He would smile and coo. Tiny and I would lay on the bed and hold hands while Bryan lay in between us. The three of us would forget about the commotion on the other side of the bedroom door and fall asleep to the sound of police sirens, cursing, yelling, screaming and sometimes…gun fire.

     Maybe this visit had to do with Sly and not with Tiny. I began to pace back and forth anxiously until I heard a knock at the door.

“Who is it?”

“It’s me, Lacky.”

     I opened the door slowly, peeking my head, scanning the hallway, as I saw Lacky standing there with a bag filled with groceries.

“Come on in.” He followed and before I shut the door someone lodged their foot in between it.