Page 79 of The Marriage Auction 2: Part 2

“But…”

“No buts. We have a wedding to plan, and I need to rest.” She waved, disappeared into her parlor and then through the door that led to her room.

“Sooo, should we pack up and head to Atlanta?” Memphis asked.

I stared out at the ocean. “Yeah baby, let’s go meet your parents. I can’t imagine it will be any worse than what we’ve already dealt with.”

“Except for the fact that you haven’t met my ball-busting granny.” He winked and I burst out laughing.

Episode 55

Nightmares Can Be Memories

MAIA

“Lies! Lies! Lies!” my stepfather screamed when I finally admitted to him and my mother what his deplorable son had been doing to me. “You’re nothing but a lying, conniving brat. You have hated me and my son since the day we moved in. And now you’re trying to ruin his life with your disgusting lies!” he roared.

“It’s true! He’s hurting me! Every night. Every chance he gets to put his hands on me, he does. When you’re not looking, he crawls into my bed at night!” I screeched, tears sliding down my face faster than I could wipe them away.

My mother tried to interfere, her arms opened and ready to embrace me. Before she could, my stepfather, Damon, grabbed her around the waist and shoved her against the nearest wall. He locked her in place with a hand around her throat, then pointed a finger an inch from her face. “Don’t you fucking dare console that lying little bitch. My son would never do the things she’s claiming he’s done.”

“But he does! For years!” I cried. “He comes into my room and holds me down, covers my mouth, and then he…”

Damon let Mom go, stomped over to me and backhanded me so hard I fell to the side from where I’d been kneeling on thehardwood floor. My face was on fire, stars flickering in and out of my vision as my cheek burned.

“Don’t touch my daughter!” Mom howled as she skidded across the floor, fell to her knees, then wrapped her arms around me.

“Mom, I’m not lying. I’m not.” I clung to her.

“I’m sorry, baby. I’m so sorry.” She held me so tight I could feel her warmth seep into my bones.

“Get out of my fucking house!” Damon growled, grabbing Mom by the arms and ripping her off me.

“No! She’s only a child!” She kicked and flailed.

“Mommy, what’s happening?” My little brother Zach appeared bare-footed and wide-eyed at the entrance to the living room. His bright blue Batman pajamas with the yellow and black emblem emblazoned on the front stood out like a beacon in the middle of a horrifying storm.

“Go back to bed, son!” my stepfather yelled.

“It’s okay, buddy. Sissy loves you. Go back to bed.”

“Take care of our son,” Damon hissed at Mom.

She trembled and nodded, walking over to my brother. “Come on, buddy. It’s okay. Let’s get you back to bed. School tomorrow,” she said in a fake sing-song voice, leading my brother back down the hallway to his room. She looked over her shoulder at me, her eyes filled with desperation. “I love you, Maia.”

“Go!” my stepfather snapped.

Then he turned back to me, his eyes pitch black, hands curled into fists. “You have ten minutes to get anything of importance to you and get the fuck out of my house and our lives,” he snarled.

Seeing the crazy look in his eyes, I did as he ordered and jumped up and dashed to my room. With my backpack in hand, I stuffed as much clothing as I could into it, then grabbed mymeager savings. I’d been doing babysitting jobs the last two summers, so I had a few hundred dollars, but that wouldn’t last long. I grabbed the picture on my desk of me, Mom and my two siblings, Zach and Maisie. We’d been at the park and had a great day. Mom had a stranger take the photo of the four of us together. It was probably the last time I’d see them for a while. I stuffed it into my bag, put on a hoodie over my pajama tank and shorts, and slipped my bare feet into my combat boots.

“Time’s up.”

Before I turned around, Damon had a hand around the back of my neck, his fingers pinching painfully as he forced me to walk in front of him. I stumbled through my bedroom door and down the hallway to the front door. When we got to it, he shoved me through it. I fell down the two steps that led up to our door and skinned one of my knees bad enough it was dripping blood.

“Get the fuck out of here, Maia, and don’t you ever come back. You are no longer welcome. I see you sniffing around, and you’ll be looking at the barrel of my gun. Try me, I dare you!” he snarled, spittle flying from his mouth.

I limped backwards down the walk.

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