29. Dream
T he room was cold, dark, and suffocating. I had lost all sense of time. My tears had dried hours ago, leaving my face raw and my throat sore. I didn’t know if it had been one day or two since they dragged me here, but it felt like an eternity.
My body ached from being bound and tossed around, my stomach growling as I thought of how long it had been since I’d eaten. Every second in this place chipped away at my strength, but the one thing that remained was my will to survive.
I sat naked, curled up on the bare mattress, shivering. The thin blanket they gave me offered little comfort, and the shame from earlier lingered like a weight I couldn’t shake. Lamari had stormed in hours ago, furious after discovering I’d urinated myself. He forced me to shower, his presence looming as I peeled my soiled clothes off and stepped into the freezing water. As soon as I stepped out, he took complete control of me. And ever since that moment, he had been taking advantage of me.
I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms as the memory replayed. His twisted attempts to assert power over me only fueled the fire of hatred burning inside me. I hated him. I hated what he’d done, and I wanted him dead.
I closed my eyes, letting the anger sit with me, focusing on the one thought that kept me going—he would pay for this.
I had no idea how long I’d been sitting there when I heard the door creak open. Lamari stepped in, his expression smug, the kind of look that made my skin crawl.
“Still acting scared, huh?” he said, leaning against the doorframe.
I didn’t respond. I couldn’t even bring myself to look at him. My body tensed as he approached, but I forced myself to stay still. Fighting him had only made things worse before.
“You already know what time it is. I’m going to have my way with you before I make this nigga come get you. Remember, you were mine first.”
Lamari dropped his jeans to the floor and put on a condom. He had been putting one on every time, thinking he was covering up evidence. I closed my eyes as he started hovering himself over me, retreating to the only safe place I had left—my mind. I pictured myself somewhere far from here, somewhere warm and full of light, somewhere with Damier.
As Lamari was taking advantage of me, the sound of muffled shouts and gunshots shattered the silence. My eyes flew open, and for a moment, Lamari froze.
“What the fuck?” he muttered, his head snapping toward the door. He jumped up quickly and put back on his pants.
The shouting grew louder and more distinct. My heart skipped when I heard his voice. Damier.
Lamari panicked, pacing the small room as he tried to figure out his next move. He ran to the window, but the iron bars outside sealed his fate.
“Shit,” he cursed under his breath, frantically looking around. “I don’t have my gun on me either. How did this nigga find me?”
I stayed silent, my eyes fixed on him as my heart pounded in my chest. Relief mixed with adrenaline, but I didn’t dare move or make a sound. I didn’t want to give him any reason to lash out before Damier got to me.
The door rattled violently, and I flinched as Lamari spun around, his face red with fear.
A moment later, the door burst open.