Page 4 of Rough Diamonds

15 years ago

I wait until it’s quiet. The house is so dark, I can barely see my ragged bed. Setting both feet on the floor, I stand up from the bed, with my long shirt and boy shorts hugging my body. The less sound I make the better. I made sure I was ready to go. I start tip toeing, my bare feet moving against the worn out wooden floor.

Creak.

I stop, and look around, making sure no one has heard me. I can feel my temple throbbing from the fight earlier. I know the guys are going to be pissed. They told me to tell them right away if my ‘step’ father ever touched me again. But what they don’t realize is, he does it almost everyday. But I don't want to worry the guys about any of it. I’ll take care of it myself.

I can deal with the aches and pains. It’s all the other stuff, the ones that go bone deep, that I have a problem with. You can only hold so much inside, until one day you blow up. I don’t want to word vomit all of my trauma to the guys, because some things are best left alone; if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. Our relationship doesn’t need anymore of my fucking problems, I’ve already brought enough of them.

I shimmy my way to the window, and swing the makeshift rope made of my covers over the ledge and tie them. Tugging to make sure it’s secure, I carefully drop myself onto the rope, slowly inching my way down. My breath comes out hard as my feet hit the gravel below.

There's a light breeze, but other than that, it's a beautiful night out. This is my favorite time of the day. It’s silent, with no one telling me what to do. I tug hard enough on the bed sheets that they fall at my feet. Bending over to pick them up, I suddenly feel a sharp grasp on my hair pulling me backwards. He spins me around to face him, and the sudden movement has me flailing my arms, and I almost fall over.

“Evie, what the fuck do you think you’re doing?” My stepdad grits out.

Shit, shit, shit. I take my leg and kick as hard as I can, but that just makes him more angry, then I’m lifted in the air by my throat and shoved up against the side of the house.

“I thought you knew better, Evie.” He sneers, licking up the side of my face. He holds me as I thrash around trying to get out of his grip, but no matter what I do, it’s useless. It’s as if I’m a little rag doll being thrown around. “You know you're going to pay for that,” he whispers into my ear. Evil. He is what evil looks like. “You’ll never get away from me.” His lips tickle my ear, and I shudder out of disgust.

Taking my hands, I wrap mine around his and dig my nails in as hard as I can. He drops me, but not before spitting on me. My face is red from the loss of oxygen. I’m trying to focus but all I can think about is escaping. I know what will happen if I stick around. Without another thought, I take off. He shouts into the night, his voice becoming harder and harder to hear the further away I get. I run till I burst through the doors. Five sets of eyes find mine. Tears cover my face as the bruises finally start to bloom on my skin. Dropping to my knees, I can’t hold this in any longer. I break down as warm arms wrap around me.

Evie

Present day

I am who I am, carved from my own shitty life. Did I ask for this? No. Did Lizzy? Absolutely fucking not! She’s the innocent one in all of this. I will do all I can to give her everything she’s ever wanted. Did I run years ago? Yes, because at the time I didn’t know what else to do. I was young and dumb, and then Lizzy came and my life changed forever. I will protect this sweet innocent angel with my last breath.

My hair is pulled into a high pony with curled pieces framing my face. I need my hair pulled back so my sight is in no way compromised. I carefully pull on a crop top that has my tits on full display. Pairing it with a black micro skirt and a pair of black thigh high boots. I always make sure that I can run in whatever shoes I wear, or at least can carry some type of weapon in. No way am I going anywhere unprotected. Do I look like some kind of damsel in distress? No. I’ll take care of me and mine.

My thoughts have been amped up since I came across Emmit. I might have changed, but my heart still knows who it belongs to. I just wanted to keep them safe. My stepfather is my villain and my problem, a big problem I really need to take down. I have a few stops to make before I can head into my other job tonight. Being a sitting duck doesn’t pay the bills. I get lost in thought for a moment. Sometimes I wonder what it's like to live a normal life. One where you have a beautiful house with your dog and a loving husband. One with no fighting, no drug use, no prostitution. Where couches on the side of the road with people smoking off foilies isn't normal. One where speaking your mind doesn't get you a hand around your throat. Where bruises aren’t the norm for women. No, instead I was brought into hell. And the thing in between my legs was always going to make me less of a person. Because in this life, women aren’t anything but an object, a pawn to the big man’s game. I refuse to be that. I will slit their throat and bathe in their blood before I’m anyone’s game. For years, I watched my mom making breakfast, well, when we had food. She would clean and basically crawl to my stepdad. He made it known that he mentally, emotionally, and physically owned her. It makes me sick to even think about it, I refuse to end up like her. You can’t own someone, unless they want to be owned.

I bring myself out of my spiraling thoughts and finish getting ready. I slide my Beretta into my boot and finish securing my knives. When you live in my world, in my shoes, you take no chances. Everyone is your enemy until they prove themselves otherwise. Gang bangers don’t give a fuck about your feelings. If you have a pussy they just chew it up and spit it out as if you’re nothing but a dollar sign. So if you want to keep your dignity, you better be able to fight your way out.

Damion

Present Day

I crack my knuckles before squaring up. “You think you're something, do you?” I ask the man in front of me. Jabbing him in the ribs then hitting him with an upper cut to the jaw. “Fight back, big man!” But he says nothing. I take a step back and crack my neck. “So you come on to our turf, thinking you're some big shot. But you're a little tied up, so you're not so hot now are you?” I’m practically foaming at the mouth. It’s taken us years to get to where we are. There’s no way I’m letting some puny prick think he can get by on us. My fists collide with his skull, and I hear a crack as his head snaps back. “Start talking or you will wish you died.” “Man I was just fucking around a little.” His voice comes out all scratchy. “What do you mean by fucking around?” I bring my face to his, the words flying out with spit. Scum, I can’t stand it. That’s what he is, bottom of the barrel, lowest of the low. He’s a small man in a big man’s world trying to play games. I turn around and grab my blow torch and lighter. I smile, ever so slowly showing him what I have. I’m done asking questions. He better start singing. I grip the man’s pants and pull them down, along with his boxers. This usually gets them going. His eyes are wide as I turn on the torch and light it. I look at the man’s poor excuse for a dick and laugh. Fried pubes anyone? I light them up, and the smell of charred hair has my nostrils flaring. “What the fuck!” he yells, almost morphing into a sob. “Start talking or your dick is next. Then, you're really not fucking around.” I laugh, using his own words against him, then light the torch again. Using a pair of tongs, I lift up the man’s ball sack and fire it up. “Fuck you! I had one job to do, find the fucking woman, ok?” He’s panicking now. Probably singing like a canary out of fear. I smile like the Cheshire cat. “Oh don’t stop talking on my account.” I start to whistle. “Evie,” the word is barely a whisper. But I know what he said. I swear that one word, the one name, wakes up something inside of me. My chest tightens. Why would anyone be looking for Evie here? She wouldn’t be caught dead here. She ran from us. My head spins so hard, I look over at the guy. “Why the fuck would you be looking for her?” I’m seething, grinding my teeth. I take the torch and pull his dick with the tongs. I barely even touch the guy and he’s whining like a little baby. “He…. He.” He looks like he’s about to piss himself. I snicker. “He wants her back.” That’s all I get out of him before he really does piss himself and passes out. Fucking useless. Pressing the button on the intercom, “Get the clean up crew in here,” I tell whichever one of my guys is on the other side right now. I’m done here for now. “Let them know to put him in holding 10. I'll be back later.” I walk out of the room just as Tallon appears. “You need to get everyone together, we have a little problem.” Without a second thought, Tallon whips out his phone, sending a message in our group chat. We all know who he is. We need to find her before he does. Because as mad as I am at Evie, there’s no way we can let that sick fuck get his hands on her again. That’s not saying I forgive her, far from it.

Damion

15 years ago

I dig my hand into the bag of chips, pull out a handful and stuff them into my mouth. I carefully wipe off all the crumbs on my basketball shorts. “Damion, that girl of yours is wandering around town again, go get her before she gets snatched,” one of dad’s enforcers calls out. Everyone knows who she belongs to. We put it out the first day we met her. No one on our turf fucks with what’s ours. I grab my leather jacket and my keys to head out. Evie is always getting into something. We know she hates her home. Really, we don’t blame her. The problem is her dad hates mine and always will. She’s from the wrong side of the tracks. Usually we take care of that, but Evie, she’s something special. Emmit found her one day, broken, and he brought her home like a stray dog. I took one look into those eyes and I could feel the pain. I knew she needed me, needed us.

I buckle up in my truck and take off into town. It’s not hard to find her. She’s milling around, pushing her feet like she’s trying to escape the inevitable. “Evie, get in.” She turns around fast and looks into my eyes. I sigh, her lip is busted and her eye is swollen shut. “Get the fuck in or I’m making you, Evie. You can not be out here like this.” I grind my teeth, trying to keep everything together. Taking in a deep breath, then exhaling. That fucker is going to die. I slam my hand into the steering wheel before putting my truck into park. I try to be careful, this truck is my baby. I get out and walk towards her. Evie lowers her head. She’s not walking anymore but she’s not getting in either. I pull my arms around her and squeeze, not hard, but in a way to show her I’m here, I care, and I’m never letting go. Evie means so much to me. She brightens up my day. I have lived in the dark for so long. Having even the tiniest amount of light, makes a world of difference. But her stepdad has to go. He’s going to ruin her. I pull her into my chest, pressing my nose into her hair. I breathe in, reminding myself she’s here. She’s safe, as long as she’s with me. “Do you want to go order some pizza and watch a movie or play some games with the guys?” She nods her head yes. I carefully tuck her hair behind her ears, making sure I don't hurt her. “You can stay the night ok, you can have my bed.” I lift her up and lower her into the seat, then take the seatbelt and lock it in. Bending down, I give her a gentle kiss on the forehead. “I got you, sweet thing. I always will. Just please trust me, and whatever you do, don't leave me,” I whisper into her ear. “I promise Dam,” she croaks out. My fingers squeeze the door handle before shutting it. That motherfucker hurt her. I quickly send a text to the group chat.

Damion: That fuckin piece of shit hurt our girl.

Emmit: How bad is she?

Damion: We need to do something. She can barely talk!!!

Marcus: That bitch deserves to get his head stomped in.

Treven: I’m getting the pizza and movie together. I'll get her favorite blankets and some fresh clothes.

Sylus: I think we should kill him.