“They were uptight assholes who deserved to be killed!”her uncle screams, losing his shit as I hear the front door open again and look over to see a man dressed in a suit approaching.“Your mom and dad always thought they were better than us and hardly gave us anything at all.They chose to keep the money to themselves because they were the selfish ones.”
“My parents were the best people in the world.They would have given you anything you wanted.All you had to do was ask.It’s not like you ever planned on giving me to any of the people you sold me to so they could have remained alive.Youchose to take them from me instead of getting off your lazy ass and getting a real job.What’s your grand plan now?How many people are after me?”she questions them while looking at her uncle David as he holds out a recorder to capture everything.
“There’s gonna be fifteen people after you,” her aunt admits when Annistyn’s uncle remains silent.“Anni, Sweetheart, you don’t have to do any of this.”
“Shut up.You don’t get to call me that horrible name,” Annistyn says calmly while leveling her gaze on the woman tied to a chair in front of her.“You’re just as awful as your husband.You might not have physically abused me as often as he did, but your words were worse.Every single day you destroyed a piece of my soul because you felt entitled to do so.Both of you cut me down to absolutely nothing and I became a shell of myself.I missed out on so many life experiences because you kept me on the farm so I wouldn’t spill your secrets to anyone in town.You lied and said I had no family left other than the two of you.Not only did you steal my inheritance, but you cheated the government out of money you didn’t deserve.That man right there is my uncle.He’s a lawyer and one of the best men I’ve ever met.He loves me simply because I’m his niece.Something the two of you are too selfish to understand.There is no hidden agenda when it comes to him and the rest of my family.Neither one of you love anyone other than yourselves.That’s if you love anyone at all.I willneverthink of you again after today and I hope you both rot in prison.”
“You don’t have any evidence to send us to prison,” her uncle says, a smug look on his face as if he’s gonna win this battle.
“I have more than enough evidence collected to send you both to prison on multiple charges.Neither one of you will ever see the light of day again as free individuals,” David says in the coldest voice I’ve ever heard as Annistyn steps closer to them.
“Can one of you give me a belt?”she asks, lowering the gun for the first time since we walked in the door.
I immediately take off my belt and hand it to her.Annistyn makes sure the safety is on before placing the gun back in the pocket of my hoodie.Taking the belt in her hands, I watch on as she swings it and the leather hits her uncle’s chest.He roars out in pain as she hits him five more times.The entire time her body is trembling and she’s got tears sliding down her face.This is not who my girl is.She’s not a violent person and I know this is hurting her.
“What the fuck are you doing?”he uncle questions her with violence showing in his eyes.
“I’m showing you what it feels like to be beaten with a belt.The only difference between the two of us is that I can’t tolerate how it makes me feel to purposely hurt another person.I don’t hate myself enough to sink to your level.Enjoy prison, Uncle,” she says before dropping my belt to the floor at her feet and turning to find me.“Do whatever you want with them.I don’t care anymore.”
I don’t say a word to her, I simply open my arms and watch as she walks straight to me and wraps her body around mine.Lifting her in my arms, I step out of the house and off the small porch that’s ready to fall apart with a strong wind.
“Is there anythin’ you want while we’re still here, Pixie?”I ask her gently and give her a minute to answer as she sobs violently in my arms.
“I want to see if there’s anything left in the barn that belonged to my mom,” she finally answers with a broken voice as I carry her in the direction of the large barn that’s also ready to fall down.
Walking inside, I get my first look at how my girl lived when she was here.Annistyn unwraps herself from me and I set her on the barn floor.She walks over to a ladder that’s missing more rungs than it has.Annistyn climbs up and I carefully follow her.When I get to the top, I find my girl rummaging through an old trunk.Looking around, I find a makeshift bed on the floor.It’s not even a real mattress.The bottom layer is made out of hay with a sheet full of holes draped carefully over it.Then there’s a thin blanket that’s barely held together by the threads used to make it.Finally, what was once a comforter lays on top.Again, it’s full of holes and looks like it wouldn’t keep anyone warm.There are no pillows for her head.Looking closer, I can see lingering traces of blood on the blankets.My blood boils with the knowledge that this is where she used to live.
“I have everything else I think would be important to my mom,” Annistyn finally says in the smallest voice I’ve heard since she got back from the ranch the first time.It’s almost like she’s reverting back to the scared woman who needs to heal all over again.
I head down the ladder first and pay attention to Annistyn as she follows behind me.Unlike me, she faces out while moving down the ladder.At one point, her foot misses a rung and I reach up to grab her.Annistyn doesn’t fight me as she holds everything she took close to her body.When I go to set her back on the floor, she wraps her legs around me again.Keeping her in my arms, I lead us from the barn to find everyone waiting out back for us.
“Her uncle called the cops on the way over here.They just left with her aunt and uncle.David is goin’ with them to ensure they don’t get bail.He’ll call to check on her later,” Caleb informs me as Annistyn continues to cry in my arms.
“Pixie, I only got my bike here.Can you ride with me or do you want me to call one of the Prospects to come get us?”I ask her, holding her tighter as she buries her face in my neck.
“I’ll ride,” she answers as the men surround us and we make our way out front to the bikes.
Viper takes everything from her hands and puts it in my saddle bags.Without moving my girl, I straddle my bike and keep her in front of my body.It’s not how I’d like to ride with her, but I won’t force her to ride behind me after everything she’s just been through.Caleb reaches over and hands me the helmet he keeps on his bike for Cali.I tap Annistyn’s leg and she lifts her head enough to slide the helmet on.Putting my own on, I start my bike and secure her tighter to my body before we all pull out.Instead of riding next to Caleb as normal, the guys surround Annistyn and me as we head back home.My only plan for the rest of the day is to remain at home with her.Annistyn is breaking and she needs the space to do so privately.If she needs me to, I’ll have Roger and her therapist come over to have a session with her.It all depends on how she feels and what she needs.Doc might need to be called in as well.We’ll see what happens.
