Page 29 of Mine, Forever

Her voice was different—harder, darker. It seemed she had an indifference to everything, much like I was after my father beat me for the tenth time. The time I spent four weeks in the hospital with broken ribs, a punctured lung, and a broken arm. That had been about the time I had changed from the innocent kid who had listened to his mom being murdered by his father and into the hardened teen who would one day fuck over his mentor and take over the city.

“Yes, and showed me. I’m proud of you.”

“I didn’t do it for you.”

“I could see that. Tell me… why did you laugh after you killed them?”

She didn’t immediately respond, just simply watched as the scenery went past her.

“It felt good.”

She had said it so softly that I almost missed it. Slowly turning to me, I saw the brokenness I’d caused in her eyes. It filled me with pride that I’d been the one to do it to her.

“That’s my girl.”

EBONY

Being outside of Serenity’s doors was exhilarating and scary at the same time. My stomach was in knots, mainly because I didn’t want to go back to Giordy and the family. I wanted to stay with Jett even though he’d done this to me. He’d made me this fucking monster, and yet some part of me was happy I’d killed those two fuckheads who’d tried to get fresh with me while I’d been sedated.

They all thought I didn’t know, that I was so out of it I couldn’t possibly know, but I fucking knew. I knew when my body was violated and it had been so many times in that place. I was glad they were dead. When I’d killed that first dickhead, I had expected to feel something, some form of remorse, but it had just been empty. It had felt normal to do it. The dead body on the ground had not made me feel anything other than complete. Maybe I’d always been this monster inside. My father killed people for a career so maybe it was genetic, and I’d just been waiting for the chance to let out my inner murderess.

I wondered what Jett would say if I told him what they did to me in there. Would he care or am I nothing to him but a simple plaything? Would he burn that facility to the ground with everyone in it if he knew what they did to me?

There was one thing I learned from being locked up in Serenity, and it was time to embrace the darkness within my soul.

Right now, we were on the way back to Giordy’s restaurant, the scene of the crime.

Did I want to go back there?That answer was clear—hell, fucking no. But I’d play along until I couldn’t handle it anymore and then I’d snap, taking my frustrations out on the one person who had done this to me—Jett.

The only problem with vengeance was you couldn’t like the man who did these things to you, and yet all I kept thinking about was Jett.

Jett Black—Jett fucking-sadistic Black.

York pulled up outside Giordy’s restaurant, and I felt my stomach plummet. The place had changed. There was now an outside area with empty tables that looked like they were rarely used.

“He’s renovated?”

“Forced to, I guess.”

I got out of the car and waited for Jett to lead the way. Seeing Giordy again wasn’t high on my to-do list, but I guess it had to be done. Jett walked ahead of me, opening the door. I stepped inside to be confronted by my uncle coming toward me, his arms outstretched.

Oh my God, was he going to fucking hug me?

“Where have you been?”

Giordy continued coming toward me with his arms open wide. I tensed, unable to find a way to get away from it.

“What did he do to you?” Giordy’s face changed to worry. I knew he wasn’t concerned. This was all just one big fake-as-shit act which only made me angry. I looked anxiously to Jett, his expression blank. My eyes immediately fell to the gun in his holster. He hadn’t worn his jacket inside which made it a lot easier to grab hold of his weapon if I needed to.

“Jett…” Giordy looked to him, “… what did you do to her?”

“I’m right fucking here.”

Giordy looked back to me. “It’s not very ladylike to speak this way, Ebony.”

I looked around at the others in the restaurant. All fucking sleazebags who followed my uncle’s every move. None of them were friends of mine, not that I had friends. Everyone was looking at me, judging me like always. Adora’s ugly-fucking-duckling daughter is causing shit yet again.

I hated it.

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