Chapter 26
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
LILITH
The sweet smell of the sugary goodness that is bubbling in the pot, ready for me to pour to make some new candies, fills the room and my heart is happy. A new batch of strawberry and lime candies was requested by Luna. That girl has a sweet tooth the size of Texas.
When the sugar is at a certain temperature it is able to be poured, then played with as it cools into a stiff consistency, then molded into whatever shape of candies we want. Luna wanted heart- shaped ones, so we are making heart-shaped strawberry-and-lime-flavored candies.
I love making different shaped candies, the children also love it. Just last week, when we finally reopened, I made little skull candies for the club. Risky wanted lemon skull candies made so she could hand them out at the family fun day that she helped with at Dominic’s school.
I was so honored that she asked me, that I went a little overboard on the amount I made, so I added them to my stock at the store and they sold out within hours. It made me so happy.
When I order molds for making them, I like to think about what would attract the children’s eyes but also the adults of the world, because without them, my store would not be here.
Over the years, I have collected so many different molds that I think I need more storage space.
With the absence of news of movement from Christopher, I was allowed to reopen Wicked Sugar, but I had to have a prospect with me. Today I have Leon Cam with me; he is a little rowdy for my liking, always flirting with my female customers, but also upsetting their partners by doing so.
I cannot complain much, because having these hot guys here watching over me is bringing in even more customers, but also the guys actually enjoy helping me clean and close up for the night. That might have something to do with the free treats that I give them.
When the candies are made and cooling, I join the two girls at the front and help serve the last few customers.
“Lilith, honey, will you be doing any Halloween candies and cupcakes this year?” one of my customers asks.
She is a regular, always buying some of my more traditional candies for her and her bedbound husband.
“Hey, Mrs. Bolter. I will be, yes. They are on the schedule for me to start early this year, so I have more time to make an even bigger batch since last years were a big hit.”
“Oh, good. My Henry does love the sour flavored ones that you do.” She smiles sweetly at me.
“Then I will have to make a special batch just for him.”
“Oh, you are a dear. Thank you, Lilith. Where is that handsome man of yours?” She looks around the store.
“He is at the club, with his family. He will be here soon to give me a ride home.”
“He is such a sweet boy. What happened to him becoming a dad so young was such a tragedy for a young man, but he stepped right up and took over. Some people made some rash comments about him, but I remember both Jack and Royal helping Henry out a time or two, so I knew that he would do well.”
My heart melts at her saying these kind things about my man. And of course, she is right. Jack is one of the kindest men I have ever met. He will do anything for the people he loves, but he is always the first to step up and help a stranger in need.
“He is a great father and Dominic is a great boy. I am honored to be in their lives,” I tell her truthfully.
“I see that. Well, I had better get home. Take care of yourself, Lilith.”
We say our goodbyes and I close up the shop. Between my two employees, Cam, and I, we get the cleaning done quickly enough.
He sees the girls out front and to their cars, before locking the door, then returning to the counter next to me.
“Lil, I will take these out back, while you cash out.”
“Sounds like a plan; thanks, Cam.”
He winks and walks into the kitchen.
Once I have the drawer from the register, I walk to my office to count up the cash. It is pleasing to see as much money as we took in today. I get lost in the counting, so much that I have no idea how much time has passed, as a chill makes its way down my spine.
“Cam,” I call out his name, but I am met with silence.
Picking up a ceramic candy apple, a gift from Tree and Kady, I exit my office, not liking the feeling that washes over my body. Stepping close to the back, I move into the kitchen, and I see feet on the floor and rush in and gasp. Tears fill my eyes seeing Cam on the floor unconscious, blood seeping from a wound on his head.
“Fucking got you, bitch,” I hear, as pain radiates through my skull, before everything goes black.
I blink, trying to push away the darkness that is at the forefront of my mind. My body is cold and on a hard surface. Shifting my body so I am sitting up, I lean against the wall behind me. Moaning as my head swims and my stomach roils, I fight back the vomit that is threatening to make an appearance.
“Where am I?” I whimper.
Bringing my hand to the back of my head, I wince at the pain. When I bring my hand to the front of my face, I see blood. I sob, tears flowing down my cheeks. What happened? Who did this? The questions flood my brain and only one person comes to mind.
Christopher.
‘ Fucking got you, bitch, ’ his voice echoes around my head, as I remember him saying it before he hit me.
“Lilith,” a pained voice startles me. “Thank God, you are awake.”
I squint against the dim light that is in the room that looks like a basement. One single window is high on the wall, but it seems to have been painted over.
Someone, a female body, is curled up in the corner. I see her blonde curly hair and another gasp slips from my lips.
“Vanessa?”
“Yeah. I am so sorry, Lilith.”
I push to my feet, wincing as the room spins, but I push through it to get to my cousin. When I stumble closer, I see why she sounded like she was in pain. Her face is black and blue. One eye is swollen shut, and blood coats one side of her face and head.
“Oh, cousin.” Everything she has done to me over the years fades away as I see how badly she has been beaten.
Her top has been torn in half from her body, and there are bruises and scratch marks on her skin.
“Christopher did this. God, I am so stupid to believe that he was different with me. I am so sorry, Lil. Please forgive me.”
“Why did he do this, Vanessa?”
She scoffs, but it ends in a cough.
“He didn’t like that you had moved on from him. So he would come home from work angry. It started with a slap here and there, his words also hurt just as much. He was always telling me that I was nothing like you, and when I brought up that he cheated on you— I mean, why would he, if you were so special —he hit me so hard, he knocked a tooth loose, and I woke up hours later.” She sobs.
“Oh, Vanessa. He is unhinged. I wish he would just leave me alone, but clearly his ego got in the way. But he has never been violent with me.”
Gently drying her face with the sleeve of my top, I gasp as the door swings open and my suspicion that it was my ex who did this to me is confirmed.
“Well, look who decided to wake up.” His voice sounds like what I am used to.
It is deeper, more devilish, and it makes my body scream with the need to escape. This can’t end well for me or my cousin.
“Why did you do this, Christopher? Why can’t you just let me live my life? And look at your wife. How could you do this to her?” I cry.
Both anger and fear fill my veins as he smiles at me, and the one look makes me see a different side to him, one that I have never seen before.
“She is not you, that is why. I did this because you decided to let that biker scum into your body. You belong to me, Lilith. You always have and always will.”
I take stock of his appearance and see that he has dark circles under his eyes, his hair is a mess instead of being in the groomed style that he usually wears. He is wearing a gray T-shirt and jeans, again not his usual suit and smart clothes, but then again, what does one wear when they beat women and kidnap them?
“I will never be yours, Christopher. I belong to Jack.” A laugh bursts out of me when I think of what Jack will do to him when he finds me.
Oh my God. Does Jack know that I am missing? Have they found an injured Cam? Is Cam alive?
In a flash, Christopher is in front of me, gripping the front of my top, and hauling me to my feet. Snarling in my face, I see his eyes are black and evil.
“You are mine. Never his.” He bares his teeth, and I’m shaking, a sob breaking free.
“LEAVE HER ALONE,” my cousin screams, fear coating her voice for both me and her.
Neither of us knows what Christopher has intended for us; he has lost his mind.
You think you know someone, then they show their hand and you see something completely different from what you are used to. I am seeing that now with my ex. Not once did he ever raise a hand to me, but his words hurt just as much.
Vanessa is crying out my name, telling Christopher to leave me alone. I am dropped to the floor, making me cry out in pain as my knees scratch across the cement. He storms across the room, making Vanessa shrink in on herself, as he gets closer. I hear the slap, jerking my head up I see that he has slapped her across the face. Tears flow down her dirty cheeks, and it makes me wonder how long she has been here.
“Christopher, look at me. Leave her alone. It is me you want. It is me who let another man fuck me so hard and good.” My bravado pushes forward to get him away from her, but it quickly slinks back as he turns to face me.
I wince as I push to my feet, needing to stand up to him. I may look brave on the outside, but on the inside, I am shaking like a leaf in a winter’s breeze.
“You have hurt her enough. It is me you hate,” I state.
He chuckles, moving away from my cousin whose body slides to the floor, no doubt from relief and exhaustion. I count the steps he takes to get to me.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five .
With each step my heart rate picks up speed. My body shakes uncontrollably as he reaches for my face. I shrink back, his eyes flaring with anger. He grips the back of head, his fist filled with my hair, my scalp screaming in pain.
“Tell me this, Lilith. Why would you want to protect the woman who fucked your man while we were still together? We used to make jokes about you after we fucked. She would take my cock so well, but she was never you. Vanessa would tell me about all the times she would bully you as a child; she loved that she had that power over you. Even your family turned on you and favored her when I left you. She hates you, sweetheart. Why would you want to keep her safe now, after all that she has done?”
I hate that he is right. Vanessa and my family tormented me for years, except my father, but looking back now, he is just as bad for not stepping up and protecting me. For not making my mom stop her bullshit reasons for mentally hurting me.
But seeing my cousin now, at the lowest part of her life, I feel pity for her, but I also feel concern. It is just who I am. I am shy and quiet, I hate confrontation, but I will not forgive, only move on with my life.
“She may have wronged me, but I still love her. She is still family.” My voice is firm, yet I can hear the tremble as his fist tightens, causing me more pain.
He laughs, stepping back, letting my hair go, and causing me to stumble back a few steps.
“Then you are a bigger fool than I ever took you for, Lilith.”
He spits down at the floor in Vanessa’s direction, as he leaves us alone in the basement.
My heart slows, but I know that in time he will come back, and we have to be prepared for what is to come. I just have to keep my hopes up that Jack and the club will find me.