“Sorry about that,” Nautica said standing up.
I clutched at my neck trying to comprehend exactly what had happened. When I brought my hands up in front of my eyes, a small smear of red was there.Blood, I thought.
Just a little.
Slowly, I turned my head.
Nautica was standing over me with a needle.
“What did you do?” I asked, falling back.
My breathing seemed to be inside of my ear drums. The room seemed to be going blurry.Rex,I thought. Where was he? I needed him.
“Ruuuh,” my words didn’t want to form right.
Nautica gave a fucking cackle waving the syringe around. “He’s not going to help you, Ivy. You were a bitch to everyone who fucking knew you your entire life. Finally, its coming back to bite you in the ass.”
“Whhh,” I tried to swallow, my tongue seemed to be the only muscle moving. “Whaatt did you do to me?”
I watched as she finally set the syringe down. My arms and legs felt so heavy. I had no idea what she’d given me, but I couldn’t fight it. Nautica got down on her hands and knees beside the couch, we were face to face by this point.
“Don’t fight it,” Nautica smoothed my hair out of my face.
Swallowing again, it seemed difficult as hell this time. “Gez-awf-heee!”
“What’s that?” She asked.
I repeated the words and in my head; I knew what I was saying but my mouth wasn’t cooperating. If this shit ever wore off, I was going to kill this bitch.
“Oh Ivy,” she gave me a gentle kiss on my forehead. “I have dreamed of this moment. Do you know what it’s like to come up from nothing. Literally, nothing. I fucked my way from a babysitter to a wife…”
She said it then.
I wanted to stab her.
I wanted my power back.
“I knew that if I wanted to have anything in this world I was going to have to take it,” Nautica was still stroking my hair.
What did you do, you crazy fucking bitch?I thought.
“Your mother. She was so fucking beautiful, Ivy. When she walked in a room, she owned that shit. You might think you’re theDiamond of Atlantabut baby she was the whole fucking crown. And then she was carrying his son. She was going to give your Daddy a real heir. So, when she went into labor and she’d been having all those complications…you were sitting in the corner of the room playing with your dolls. Real sweet and quiet…I’d driven her. Oh, she struggled, Ivy. She put up a real fight but she was tired and worn out….I wanted you to know Ivy. I killed your mother…”
She kissed my lips then and placed a finger on them and shushed me. “I also want you to know that I was behind all the tainted fentanyl….rest Ivy and when you wake up, things will be different. I promise.”
Rex had just come back into the room. I couldn’t focus any longer. My eyes rolled into the back of my head, and everything went black.
Tibs,I thought.
My baby…
Chapter 29
Diamond
The brassy colored doorknob felt cool in my four-year-old hand. I starred at it for a long time before deciding to peek through the keyhole into daddy’s office. At first, I saw nothing, only shadows until my eyes adjusted to the small amount of light filtering through.
His leather chair was turned around backwards looking out into the back yard. He was talking and I thought he might be on the phone. He always said when he was on the phone to be quiet when coming in and he would give me a piece of candy.
