Samara
The amount of embarrassment I felt was so intense that I couldn’t even look at my family. I was grateful that Dio came in to save me, but in my mind, he should have just let me die because after what they had done to me, that was all I wanted.
His hand stroked my face. “Mars, I’m so sorry, baby,” he whispered in my ear.
The more he apologized for something that wasn’t his fault, the more I cried. He gently untied my wrists, and all I could do was pull the sheets closer to me. My eyes slowly landed on Chevy, whose rage seeped through his pores.
“Did they—” He paused.
I pulled my eyes away, and the roar that came from him sent a sensation through me.
“Samara!” I heard Zaria’s voice.
“Mom?” I called out as I got out of bed and ran into Zaria’s arms.
Her gentle stroke was that of a mother who loved me.
Her tight squeeze around me was of someone who had been worried and missed me.
I held her so tight I didn’t want to let go until she said my name.
Shantel, the woman whom I sought out. The woman who did nothing but ruin me.
The woman who had left me all those years ago should never have returned.
The prime example of a parent who was of kin, but no kin at all.
“What happened? They were supposed to keep you safe until I returned.”
My eyes widened. “Safe? Look around you! Does this look safe? That man you prayed to raped me!” I screamed.
Her eyes watered, and her lips trembled. “He wouldn’t dare. He said he—”
I shook my head. “The day you left me was the day you died, and so did that little girl in me. I blame myself for trying to find something in you that was never there.”
I glanced at Zaria, then at Dio and Chevy. “I want to go home.”
“Is that it? Do I get to apologize? Do I, as your mother, get a chance to fix—”
“Dio, get her out of here now!” Zaria shouted.
Chevy came over to me. “Samara, remember what I told you about who I am?”
I nodded.
“Well, so is Z. Trust her, and when this is all over, you and I have some things to talk about.”
I didn’t even bother to look back. Dio picked me up and carried me out of the room, leaving Zaria and Chevy with a lady I once knew as my mother.
We hadn’t even gotten to the stairs before Shantel screamed, and the sounds of gunshots rang out.
If I didn’t know before, I knew now that she was never coming, and my life now would have to start anew.