Royal Havoc

Prologue

2007

W hy didn’t Daddy let me say goodbye to Mommy? He was so mad, yelling at me to pack an overnight bag because he was taking me to see Gramps.

“Daddy, this isn’t Gramps house. Where are we?” I asked timidly, staring out the window at the rundown white castle.

“Be quiet,” he ordered angrily, getting out of the driver’s seat and slamming the door so hard the car shook.

An awful feeling filled my belly as I watched him walk to the sidewalk. I knew he was mad at me. I told Mommy it was an accident, but I don’t think Daddy believed her. They were yelling at each other so loud before he forced me to leave the house with him.

Daddy stopped in front of a red-haired lady and an ugly, fat man on the sidewalk. The lady scared me, staring at me over Daddy’s shoulder with mean eyes while she listened to him talk. The man never said a word. He just stood there listening.

Daddy nodded and motioned for the people to follow him as he walked back to the car, wearing his mad face. Fear twisted my belly into knots the closer they got to the car.

He yanked open my door. “Get your bag,” he ordered, making me jump from the way he stared at me with his nostrils flared.

I hurried to reach across the seat to grab my pink princess bag. My shaky hands squeezed the strap, and I looked up when he stepped back and motioned for me to get out. Crocodile tears filled my eyes as soon as I was on my feet. He slammed the door behind me, and the sound made me flinch with fear.

The lady shot forward, grabbed my hand, and pulled me behind her. “Stop! Daddy!” I shouted from the top of my lungs, trying to yank my hand away.

“Shut up,” she gritted, squeezing my hand so tight my fingers started to turn purple.

“Daddy! I want to go home!” I screamed, twisting around so I could try to see past the ugly, fat man behind us.

She jerked my hand so hard I almost fell. “Stop acting like a baby. Or I’ll make Tobias carry you like one,” she growled maliciously without a care in the world, pulling me along behind her.

When we stopped at the bottom of a set of steps, I looked up and saw a skinny man wearing a long-white coat standing on the porch, studying me. Fear had me ugly-crying from the way he stared down at me.

Choking on my tears, I fought the lady, trying my hardest to push her away. She squeezed harder, forcing her nails into my skin and making me scream in pain.

“Daddy, please! I’m sorry! It was an accident! I’ll be a good girl!” I screamed until my voice broke, choking on my sobs.

The ugly, fat man stepped around me, grabbing my other hand, and helped the lady pull me up the steps. I shook from fear until my knees gave out, but neither of them cared as they dragged me behind them.

We reached the top of the steps, and from the porch, I finally saw Daddy. He and Gramps were at the end of the sidewalk talking.

“Daddy! Help me! I want to go home!” I screamed, my throat burned from the force.

The skinny man stepped in front of me. His creepy presence forced me to look at him. “No one’s going to save you. Your parents don’t want you anymore.”

Tears poured down my cheeks as I shook my head. “No. No. No. They do want me. I’m sorry. I swear I’ll be a good girl,” I sobbed, trying not to throw up on his shoes.

He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, tsking at me. “They gave you away. You belong to me now. Welcome to The Row, where good girls can be as bad as they want.” He smiled evilly, showing me his crooked yellow teeth. “Take her to twenty-five,” he ordered the lady.

She pulled me towards the door, and I started to fight until I noticed Daddy and Gramps were gone.

I was ten the day I found my new home…

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