Page 17 of Justyce
Dereke places his hands in front of him, acting innocent. “I did nothing. This isn’t about me.”
“Cut the bullshit, Dereke!” I screech. “You tell her what you told me to get me on that fucking plane before I do.”
The cunt has the audacity to smirk at me, and it’s in that exact moment that I put him on the secret list that no one knows about.
He turns away without a word. Mom screams at him but he doesn’t acknowledge her cries. She turns back and those eyes so similar to mine except for the color will forever haunt me. My eyes don’t waver from hers, and I know she’s apologizing, even if she has no idea what for.
“Tell me, baby.”
My lids flutter closed as I take in a couple of deep breaths before opening them. “Dereke told me you were dying. He made it out like you didn’t have much time so I booked a flight and here I am.”
Mom’s face hardens. She pins Acheron with that death stare that used to scare the shit out of me when I was a kid. “There has to be another way. This is not her fight.”
“That may be the case, ma’am. However, the contract has been signed.” Acheron pauses then leans closer toward the back seat and states, “It’s either her or I have to put a bullet in both of your heads tonight.”
I gasp, my eyes snapping from my mom’s to Acheron’s. “Tell me what the fuck he did!”
He rolls his eyes and yawns. “Take it up with the boss. Alley, step away from the car before I take your arms with it. I’m sure neither you nor your daughter want that kind of lingering last moment.”
My mind swirls. Dereke has set me up for a fucking life sentence. “Wait a minute, let me say goodbye, please,” I push out.
Acheron shrugs his shoulders and looks back to the windscreen.
“I’ll be alright, mom. Look after yourself, ok?”
“No! There has to be another way,” she weeps.
I shake my head sadly, knowing there isn’t. Dereke must owe them a lot of money or he’s done something incredibly stupid to sign my life away like it means nothing. “I love you, mom. I’ll see you later.”
Tears race down her face and tears pool in the corner of my own eyes. We both know I’m lying, and mom realizes this is me being the adult, being the parent once again in a relationship that should see me anything but.
She wraps her arms around my neck once more, squeezes me, and places a kiss on the crown of my head. My hands entwine behind her neck as nostalgia flows through me at the small sentiment. I send a silent prayer that this won’t be the last time I hold my mother.
“Enough,” Acheron barks.
Gingerly I pull away from my mother.
“I love you, Kenz. Always have.”
“I know, ma. Ditto.”
The Audi pulls away from the curb and the last image I see of my soaked mother is her heart shattering. I look out the window until I can no longer see her. Swiping a hand angrily over my face, I glare at Acheron through the rear vison mirror.
He pops an eyebrow. “Best you direct that anger where it’s warranted and learn your place.”
“Learn my place!” I seethe. “My place is not in this fucked up town!”
Acheron chortles. “I can see Justyce is going to have fun with that mouth.”
My eyes bug unnaturally wide and I’m sure I look comical to someone like Acheron. Hot and cold flushes break over my body upon hearing his name. My mind and body are warring with itself over how I should feel, knowing I’m about to see the very person I ran from eleven years ago.
“Wh-What?”
My irises are trained on Acheron as I await his reply. That’s how I see his cheek kick up at the side through the dim lights in the car. He doesn’t turn or even seek my eyes out in the mirror. Instead, he vows, “You’ll see.”
Exhaustion seeps into my every pore. I should be screaming, shouting, and demanding answers, but all I do is sink back into the leather seats, wishing they would swallow me.
Hatred pulses through my veins. Yet shots of electricity thrum recklessly throughout my body and overshadow it. My core heats, making me loathe myself more than I did five minutes ago.
