I didn’t answer. I just looked at her as the tears rolled down my cheeks. Her eyebrows were knitted in anger, but then they suddenly softened as she continued to look at me. Then I saw it—the realization of the truth hit her.
River didn’t have to say it; I could see it in her eyes too. She was unsure. River’s lip trembled and kept moving like she was forming words to say, but she said nothing. Her eyes saying more than any words could. River’s eyes took in my appearance, focusing on my face and then down my body before she quickly looked at herself. I sucked in a breath, her reaction doing something to my emotions.
She then looked to her left and right, a questionable look displaying on her face.
“Here, sis, I got some acid in my bag. Throw it on this bitch for trying to fuck with your family,” Ocean spat. “Let’s see if she’s still pretty after.”
Since the moment Ocean and I crossed paths, years ago, she’d hated me, and I never understood why because I didn’t know that damn girl. My father somehow got involved with The Society when I was still in high school, and that was when I first met Ocean and River. River ignored me like I never existed, but Ocean always had something to say. Always talking about how I thought I was so pretty when I had never said or acted like that.
River continued to stare in my face before she stepped back.
“Nah, she’s not worth it,” River responded to Ocean and then walked away.
Ocean sucked her teeth and followed behind.
“I wanted to see that pretty face scarred up,” Ocean lowly said. I trembled at her words.
“Make this be the last time we need to have this conversation. Keep your fucking daughter in check, Kennedy, or I’ll do it for you,” Viper whispered his threat.
He gave me one final look before stomping out of the room with his goons behind him.
Sony slowly followed with his eyes on me. He then grabbed his dick, winked at me, and stepped out of the room, leaving me feeling broken.
I woke up to the sound of someone moving around the kitchen, and I jumped out of bed.
“Daddy?” I called him when I saw him trying to make something to eat. “Let me do that for you.”
“I’m fine, Kairi.”
His face was swollen, and his eyes were bloodshot red.
“I’m so sorry,” I whimpered, and he looked at me.
“You have nothing to feel sorry for. It’s my fault, not yours. I never should have gotten involved with them.”
When I found out that my father was involved in The Society, I often wondered how, but I was always too afraid to ask. However, I knew it was out of desperation for money. After my mama died when I was eleven, my daddy struggled to look after me and my brother, until he joined them.
Because of Viper, Sony walked around thinking he owned the world and could do what he liked—including trying to assault me.
For so long, I hid it from my dad, but he figured it out when I had a panic attack after seeing Sony again at a gathering thatI helped out with on the catering team. I just wanted to forget about it, as if it didn’t happen, but my best friend convinced me to go to the cops.
The biggest mistake of my life!
“I shouldn’t have said anything and just let it go,” I said lowly. My dad thumped his hand on the kitchen island.
“You shouldn’t have to!”
I half smiled, approached my dad, and gave him a hug.
“It’s fine,” I lied, hoping to soothe him. The most important thing now was that they didn’t kill my dad. That was worth letting it all go for, as long as Sony stayed away from me.
My dad’s phone vibrated on the kitchen island. After hugging me back for a few seconds, he let me go to pick it up.
“Mothafucker!” Daddy yelled, making me jump.
“What’s wrong?”
He stood there looking at the text he received before sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose.
