19. Pharaoh #3
One night I could hear them arguing. It was so loud back and forth.
I just knew the neighbors could hear them.
I rocked myself trying to go to sleep. We finally got cable and I couldn’t wait to brag about it at school the next day.
It took hours for the arguing to stop, and the doors to quit slamming.
Finally, I thought it was okay and I could go to sleep.
But I heard my door creep open. And a body plopping down on my bed.
I knew it was my stepdad because I could smell the alcohol and I heard the bottle hit the floor and start to spill all over my pink plush rug.
He told me to wake up and help him with something.
When I discovered what the something was my heart damn near leapt out my chest. He was sitting on my bed with his damn pants down.
I begged him to get out but it fell on death ears.
He was coming toward me but before he could touch me or hurt me my momma busted in the room.
She was holding a shot gun. He threw the bottle in her direction right before she could shoot, it shattered against the wall.
They fought over the gun, and it fell from her hands.
He attacked her and was getting the best of her.
My momma went for the falling gun and cut her wrist up.
I jumped on his back, and he threw me off making me slide across the wood floor scraping my side on the broken glass.
My momma heard me scream out in pain and got the gun.
He was on top of her and two shots rang out, dropping my stepdad.
I screamed and backed away to my bed covering my ears.
No time at all police were flooding our house.
My neighbor had called the police claiming my momma was abusing us.
They hauled her off to jail. They slapped the book at my momma thirty-two years.
Later we discovered that the judge on her case was Calvin’s father.
That’s why he showed no mercy. I was sent to live with my aunt.
My mom missed everything. Brother’s graduation.
My sweet sixteen.” She paused and I could tell she was crying.
“We don’t have to do this love.”
“No, it’s fine. I am almost done.” She patted her eyes and laid her head back on my chest.
“She missed it all. My brother went off to college with his new best friend. They were still in state just far enough away to not be close. When I turned sixteen, I begged my aunt to go stay the summer with Brayden. He was twenty and they had just got their own apartment. I was so excited to be near my brother. I missed my momma badly and wanted to be near my big brother. I was there three days before his best friend raped me. Broke me to my core. I was in so much shock I walked barefoot and damn near naked down the street. I didn’t know where I was going, I just knew I had to get away.
The police picked me up in my tattered clothes and bloody legs.
I couldn’t tell them what happened, but they took me to the hospital and did a rape kit.
They picked my brother’s best friend up a few days later after he did the same thing to another girl.
My brother came home to my aunt’s house a week later and confessed that he knew what his friend would do. He was paid for him to do it. The guilt must have been too much because he ended it right there in my aunts living room.
After that I was done with men. They were all users.
And only wanted one thing. I vowed to never get caught slipping again.
I started controlling them, give a little but take all.
From that Mistress Venin was born. I did so much research studying the world of dominatrix.
I created a world just for me to torture men.
Some I did it too because they were scum and I wanted payback for those they hurt.
the others I used to get ahead in life. Including the company.
Rich powerful men. Like Counselor Rosewood.
He is helping get my mom out. Linda seen us discussing things the night before she came to the office showing her ass.
” She sat up, turning toward me and sitting with her legs crossed.
“I visited my mom the next day because something Linda said stuck out. I ruined her life for the third time.”
“Yea, I caught that too.”
“I had never met that lady before, Pharaoh. Yes, I knew who she was because I researched all my subs but that was it. So how could I ruin her life three times. Well, my momma put some of the pieces together and we figured out that she is Calvin’s sister.
He wasn’t in any of their pictures because he was cut off from the family. ”
“Hold up. Your sub is married to the sister of the man that put yo momma in jail?”
“Yep. So, I can check off two ways I ruined her life. Her husband is into some kinky shit, and her brother is pushing daisies because my momma. But I can’t figure out the third.
What piece am I missing? The day I left your house in St. Louis was because Autumn called me.
My alarm alerted her that someone was in my house.
After looking at it closely it was Lloyd who Ironically was in a picture with the Rosewood’s and my brother’s best friend. Wylder.”
“Yo wait; Lloyd was in your crib.” This shit was getting deep.
“Yea. That’s why I left. Not because I didn’t want to be around you. You were the safest place I have ever been. I just needed to figure all this shit out.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I don’t trust easy. I have always fixed my own shit. I’m sorry. Really, it’s not personal. I’m just fucked up babe.”
“So did you find Lloyd, it’s crazy his weird ass ain’t been in the office.”
“No, I haven’t. I recruited Counselor Rosewood to help me, but I don’t know if I trust him anymore. I just hope my momma is really coming home next week.”
“Damn baby.” I pulled her to me and she straddled my lap. “I’m here now. Don’t worry. We gonna figure all this shit out.” She laid her head on my chest, and I stroked her snake tattoo.
Our thoughts drowning out the sound of the rain. Eventually we fell asleep. Finding peace within each other.