Page 19 of Kian's Devotio
One that gave Lenora all the drugs she wanted because he sold them right out of their house. And one that creeped Karalee right out.
He was always staring at her, leering at her like she was a piece of meat.
Acting as if she was some prize, he wanted to win and keep as his own.
She hated him with a passion and would never be around them more than she needed to be.
She didn’t know why he did what he did, and she didn’t like it. Not one bit.
Carlos was not a good man. He was always bragging about the money he made selling drugs and being the local pimp.
He was one of the richest men she had met, always throwing money around and getting exactly what he wanted, when he wanted it.
She didn’t know why he would want to live in their disgusting little house, that was never clean and had started falling down around them with neglect.
He just did his business there and would often pimp Lenora out and she had gone willingly to get her next fix.
And then she would crawl right back to Carlos. He was so disgusting that he would make out with her mother, grabbing her in the lewdest ways and try to have Karalee watch them as they did drugs, or have sex.
And she did not let that fly. She would leave the house and not look back, no matter his threats.
She wouldn’t do what he wanted. No way. And she often found solace still at Emery’s and at the library.
That’s where she found out about Emery’s grandma, and she had sat down at one of the back cubicles and sobbed.
She had always loved Grandma Viv and knowing that she had been hurt was something that Karalee struggled with.
Karalee had wanted nothing more than to go to Grandma Viv and help her, hating that she was so alone.
Emery struggled with that as well and after a long and tear-filled talk, her best friend decided to go help her Grandma and that she would be left behind.
When Emery had told her about her stalker and how scared she was, Karalee knew that they had made the right decision to let her best friend and anchor of safety move away and had stayed silent. She didn’t know what to say, so she didn’t.
Just hugged her best friend and lifeline to a regular life and let her know that she understood that Grandma Viv needed her.
Emery had struggled with her decision but had done what was best. And then Karalee was alone. In the house of hell and pain.
Her mother still told her daily how much she hated her. How much she wished that she had died or was never born.
Karalee just nodded and then Carlos would step in, “Now, now Le. Don’t be that way. She has her uses. Surely.”
Karalee held in a gag and then left the room and locked herself in her bedroom, sliding down the door, and burying her face in her knees.
With each day that passed after Emery left, Carlos got more and more handsy and creepier.
To the point that Karalee started sleeping in her car to avoid him.
He kept hinting that Lenora owed him something and Karalee would never discuss it with him, because she didn’t care.
That was her mother's problem, not hers.
Until one night that Carlos grabbed her arm in a punishing grip.
“Your mother owes me an awful lot of money. And has decided to sell you to me as my next little whore. Isn’t that nice?”
Karalee had gagged and kneed Carlos right in the balls.
“I don’t care what my mother said. She doesn’t own me and neither do you. Find some other girl, because I will never belong to you for as long as I live.”
And she moved out that night. She slept in her car for a week, until she could talk to Emery about moving to be with her and her best friend knew that she was desperate.
And Emery wanted her there anyway to be honest. Karalee had sighed with relief and left that town.
Hoping and praying she would never see it again.
