Epilogue
DAMAR SCOTT
AS SOON AS I opened my eyes, I felt the dread. The cold metal bunk pressed against my spine, sending sharp pains through my bruised bones. Staring up at the cracked concrete ceiling, my heart began to pound with terror because I’d woken up another morning in this living hell.
“You awake yet, princess?” Bear’s taunting chilled me to the bone.
I struggled upright, ribs aching from yesterday’s beating. Bear leaned against the wall with his large arms crossed. His eyes were dark with sadistic amusement.
“Yeah,” I croaked. “Can I get up now, sir?”
Bear smirked. “Look at you, askin’ permission like a well-trained dog. Yeah. You can get up. We got work to do today.”
I lowered my head, swallowing the lump in my throat. “What do you want me to do?”
Bear stepped closer. He was so tall that, though I was on the top bunk, we were damn near eye to eye. He reached for a tiny, filthy rag on the shelf, tore a corner of it off, and tossed it to me. “Get on your hands and knees. I want that floor spotless.”
I stared at the pathetic scrap of cloth, then around at the grimy cell. The concrete was filthy, stained with my blood, old and new; urine; and God knows what else.
When I hesitated, Bear’s eyes narrowed dangerously. He grabbed me by my throat, squeezing so hard I gasped and clawed weakly at his iron grip.
“Did I stutter, motherfucker?” he growled into my ear. “You want another lesson? Maybe I should break a few more ribs, huh?”
“Nah—” I choked out desperately. “I’ll do it!”
He pulled me out of the bunk and threw me to the floor, slamming my head painfully against the concrete wall.
Dizzy, I rested on my knees, grabbed the rag, and started scrubbing.
My knuckles scraped against gritty concrete.
Because the rag was so flimsy, my nails broke and my skin tore.
Blood slowly seeped into the cloth as I scrubbed harder.
Bear watched with sick satisfaction.
It only took a few weeks for Bear to find out what I was in jail for.
Ever since, he had been torturing me both physically and mentally.
If it wasn’t the endless beatings, it was waking up to his piss dripping on my face or being forced to eat from the floor like a dog while he kicked me in the ribs.
Bear turned the cell into a cage, making me his personal punching bag whenever he got bored.
Sometimes he starved me, letting me watch while he ate my meals slowly in front of me.
Sometimes, at night, he’d keep me awake, whispering threats of what he’d do to me the next day, describing in sickening detail how he planned to break every bone in my body.
He’d made me his slave, forcing me to wash his filthy underwear by hand, scrubbing until my fingers bled.
If I missed even one stain, he’d shove my face into the sink until I nearly drowned.
Bear had stripped me of every ounce of dignity I had left.
The worst nights were when he forced me to stand naked in the corner for hours, shivering and humiliated, while he laughed at my bruised body.
Every second I lived was another second closer to wishing I was dead.
I couldn’t tell anyone. No one would listen because Bear had most of the correctional officers on his payroll. I had tried to kill myself a few times, but I just couldn’t go through with it.
“Matter of fact…” Bear stopped abruptly, grabbing my chin and forcing my head up. “Maybe you’d do better lickin’ it clean.”
I froze. “Bear, please—”
He smirked darkly. “Get to lickin’, pretty boy. Floor better shine when you’re done.”
With trembling hands, I lowered myself onto the cold, filthy concrete. My tongue touched the surface, and I instantly recoiled from the vile taste. I gagged, nearly vomiting.
“Don’t you dare throw up,” Bear warned viciously. “’Cause you gon’ lick that shit up too.”
My throat burned as I fought to keep down the bile. Slowly, miserably, I dragged my tongue across the grimy floor, tasting blood, dirt, and filth as Bear laughed.
This was my life now. I had been reduced from a man who thought he had everything to a helpless animal forced to lick floors clean, praying for death to finally come and take mercy on me.
AVIANA GREY
I stood there giggling as Mythic’s hands covered my eyes. “Come on, Mythic. Hurry up!”
“Can you see?” he asked playfully.
“No. I can’t see a thing, just hurry up.
My feet are killing me!” I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, trying to ignore how huge and swollen I felt.
I was now seven months pregnant, and I was starting to feel like a balloon.
My feet ached from being on them all day.
My ankles were swollen and uncomfortable.
Mythic’s hands slowly pulled away from my eyes. “All right. you can look now.”
When I opened my eyes, I was immediately struck by the beauty of the room. The nursery he’d set up for our son, Sire, was breathtaking. My breath caught in my throat as I took in every detail.
Mythic had made me promise to stay out of this room all week because he wanted me to be surprised by what the interior decorator had done.
The walls were painted in soft, warm tones of yellow and green, with a gorgeous giraffe theme that was perfect for our little boy.
The furniture was all wood with a cozy crib in the center, adorned with soft linens in a giraffe print.
There were matching shelves with stuffed animals, books, and little giraffe figurines. A changing table stood nearby.
But what took my breath away the most were the 3D letters on the wall.
Sire’s name was written in a playful yet elegant font.
The giraffe theme continued on the wall behind the crib, where a mural of giraffes was painted.
Their long necks reached up to the ceiling.
It was soft, whimsical, and perfect for our little one.
Tears welled in my eyes, but I blinked them away. “Mythic… this is beautiful.”
He stepped behind me, wrapping his arms around my swollen belly, pulling me close. “Not as beautiful as you.”
I turned my head slightly to look up at him, and I could see the love and pride in his eyes.
Even in my state—swollen with a dark neck and spreading nose—he made me feel like I was still sexy.
His affection for me had never wavered, and in that moment, surrounded by the beauty he had created for our son, I knew I was loved.
“I love it,” I said, turning in his arms. “It’s perfect.”
He kissed my forehead softly. “I’m glad. Now, take a seat, mama. You’ve been on your feet too long.”
I smiled, feeling my heart swell again as I looked around the room that Mythic had so carefully put together. It was real now. This was happening. Our family, our baby boy, was coming, and nothing in this world could make me feel more blessed.
I settled down on the loveseat in the nursery.
The soft fabric molded to my body as I let out a sigh of relief.
Mythic sat next to me and immediately lifted my swollen leg onto his lap.
His hands were warm and gentle as he began to rub my feet.
I closed my eyes for a moment, letting myself relax into his touch.
Then I opened them, looking around the room to take it all in again.
As I rubbed my belly, I noticed the glint of my wedding ring on my finger.
It had been almost a year since we’d rushed to the courthouse to get married.
Neither of us wanted to wait any longer, especially with everything that had happened between us.
We planned to have a big wedding ceremony soon after, but with the pregnancy, we decided to put it off.
We planned to have the ceremony once I had the baby, after my body snatched back, as I liked to say.
Mythic looked at me as he continued to massage my feet. “So, how is giving birth gonna affect school?”
“Hopefully, it won’t since I’m giving birth in the summer. I just won’t take any summer classes so that I can bond with Sire before school starts again in the fall.”
“That sounds like a plan.”
I was a year into my bachelor of science in nursing, and after I graduated, I had to work for a couple of years before applying to a certified registered nurse anesthetist program.
Then I’d have to complete a master’s program, and after that, pass a national certification exam.
It was a seven-to-ten-year process, but I was so happy that I was finally following my dreams.
“I’m proud of you, baby.”
I reached out, taking his hand in mine. “I appreciate you supporting me. I need your support to make this happen. You’re not just helping me financially; you’re helping me believe in myself, and that means more than anything.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way, baby.”
As Mythic gently rubbed my feet, the tension of the day melted away under his touch. The heat from his hands was soothing, and I was starting to relax. But then, my phone rang, pulling me out of the moment.
I groaned, struggling to fish the phone out of my pocket, cursing under my breath as it seemed to slip deeper inside. Finally, I managed to grab it and saw that it was my mom with a video call.
I tapped the screen to answer. “Hey, Mom.”
When the screen came to life, both my parents were there, beaming at me. “We finally get to see the room!” my mom said excitedly.
I blinked, a little confused. “How did you know the room was done?”
“Mythic told me,” my father replied. “He said he was going to show it to you as soon as you got home from class. We couldn’t wait to see it.”
I smiled at their excitement.
My parents and I had been estranged for a few months when I found out I was pregnant.
I’d called them, and despite our differences, they were thrilled to hear the news.
We reconciled quickly after that, and now, they were as excited as ever about becoming grandparents.
They put aside everything and welcomed Mythic with open arms. My parents were hurt that they weren’t able to witness my marriage, but they felt much better when they learned that there would be an official ceremony that they could be a part of.
“C’mon. Let us see the room,” my mother urged.
Chuckling, Mythic took the phone from me and stood.
“Hey there, Mythic,” my father greeted him.
“How you doin’, Pops. Hey, Ma.”
“Hi, baby.” My mother beamed.
Once we reconciled, my parents took the time to get to know Mythic. They took him in, not only as my husband, but as their son-in-love. They still had some reservations about his line of work and often preached to him, but I was happy that they had accepted him.
As Mythic showed my parents the room, I just stared at him, grateful for this man. Despite everything that had happened, despite the heartache and turmoil, this was my life now. And with Mythic, with the support of my family, I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
All the heartbreak, betrayal, and tears I’d endured had led me back into the arms of this man who loved me with a depth and purity I never knew was possible.
Life had taken me through storms that seemed never-ending, through nights that felt darker than any night should.
But now I knew every moment of pain had been worth it.
This was the love I’d always dreamed of, the kind of love that healed wounds instead of creating them. And even though the path had been rough, the end of this rainbow was brighter than anything I could’ve imagined.
THE END