Page 21 of Juke
“You alright?” he asked. “You need anything?”
“No, Daddy,” I confirmed. “I don’t need anything.”
He grunted. “You staying safe? Your cousins watching out for you?”
“Always.”
“You need anything, you call me. I don’t care what time it is.”
“I know, Daddy,” I mumbled. “I love you.”
“Love you too, baby girl. Let me give you back to your mama. She’s over here looking like she’s about to beat my ass.”
She snatched the phone back with a laugh. “Alright now. I’ll let you go. You call us tomorrow, you hear me?”
“I will.”
“And tell that Rashad boy I said he better keep his hands to himself.”
“Mama!”
“I’m just playing… kinda.” She laughed.
I hung up with a smile, but when the screen went dark, the room felt heavy again.
They didn’t know, and I wasn’t ready to tell them… not yet.
***
“You wearing that to the store?” Rio’s voice boomed from the doorway.
I was at the dresser grabbing my keys. I didn’t turn around because I was too scared to. “It’s just leggings and a hoodie.”
“Tight ass leggings,” he said as he crept up behind me. “You tryna get attention or something? You forget who you belong to?”
My throat tightened. “I don’t belong to anybody.”
I knew the second the words left my mouth that I’d fucked up. No sooner than the words left my mouth, his hand was connecting with the side of my face. The slap rang out loud, bouncing off the walls. My head jerked to the side, and I tasted metal. I gasped, reaching for the doorframe to steady myself, but he was already grabbing me, gripping me by the face.
“Say it again,” he snarled, breath reeking of liquor.
His fingers dug into my jaw, thumb pressing into my cheekbone so hard I thought it might crack. My eyes watered, but that only seemed to only fuel his rage.
“I said, say it again! I dare you!” he barked.
“I didn’t mean it,” I whispered, voice cracking. “I swear—”
His nostrils flared as he stared at me, breathing heavy through his nose like a charging bull. “You’re mine, Sophi. Mine. Ain’t nobody else looking at you. Ain’t no one else touching you. You understand that shit?”
I couldn’t answer. All I could do was nod.
He let go, shoving me back. I stumbled and caught myself on the nearby wall, chest heaving, eyes burning, but still not crying. Crying always made it worse.
“Go change,” he demanded. “’Fore I do that shit for you.” He turned away, pacing like he was calming himself down. “You wanna be a ho so bad, I can treat you like one.”
I stood frozen, hands shaking, heart pounding loud in my ears. This wasn’t the first time he said or done things like this, and deep down, I knew it wouldn’t be the last. I thought if I just didn’t push him, if I stayed quiet, if I played my role right… maybe he’d stop. Maybe love was supposed to hurt a little. I didn’t realize until later that pain was the only language he ever spoke.
I sat straight up, trying to catch my breath with my hands clawing at the sheets like they were restraints. Sweat drenched my skin while tears streamed down my face. My whole body trembled like it was still caught in that nightmare.
