Page 18 of Taken With You

So I went to my wallet, pulled out the couple of twenties I had, and handed them over. “It’s all I have. I’m sorry.”

“This is it?” she asked, sneering. “Well, I guess you’re not as high and mighty as you think.” Still, she stuffed the money into her bra without saying, “thank you.”

“Call your pops. He misses you.”

He didn’t. He missed the idea of having the perfect princess to lord over the guys. He didn’t miss me.

“And visit Coby. He needs you.”

“No, he really doesn’t,” I whispered. I hadn’t meant to say anything. “You should leave now. You have your money. It’s all I have. You need to go.”

“You were always such an ungrateful brat. Even when I made sure that you were perfect for Coby. As I said, he’s going to need you. I’ll leave. Sure, honey, I’ll go. But remember this. Once you’re in, you’re never out.”

“I didn’t really have much choice, did I?”

“Well, you had a choice when you said yes to Coby. When you spread your legs for him and became his whore. There’s no getting out after that. There’s no saying no. But don’t worry. You’ll see when he gets out. His appeal is coming up soon. You’ll have to deal with him then.”

The threat slid over me. My hands went damp, and my blood turned cold.

“Go. Go away.”

My voice was firm, even though I wanted to scream.

“Okay. Thanks for the money. You’re going to do your mama proud.” She reached up and pinched my cheek before slapping it a couple of times, two quick, hard taps like she was patting me. It wasn’t only that.

Then she left, sauntering out in her tight jeans and frizzy hair.

I closed the door behind her, flipping all three locks afterwards, and then slid to the floor, my hands shaking.

I wasn’t part of that world anymore. I couldn’t be. This wasn’t some movie where a biker gang came in and took me away. This was real life. I had made choices, and I was going to continue making them. Even though my mother would likely always say things like she just did. I knew Coby wasn’t getting out anytime soon. And he certainly didn’t need me.

My mother might know where I lived, but no one else in the clubs did. No one cared.

I was only their forgotten whore. At least, that’s what they called me when they asked for money. And that was okay, that’s all I needed to be with them.

I needed to be Meadow. My own person.

As the tears slid down my cheeks, and bile rose in my throat, I wondered how I was going to be that person.

How could I be normal for Beckham and go out on a date and pretend that everything was fine? Nothing was fine.

And it wasn’t going to be.

I looked down at my hands and then wiped my face, trying to catch my breath. No, it had to be okay. I needed it to be all right. I would make sure of it.

I was going on that date, and I would be normal.

I needed that.

I wouldn’t let them win. If I backed away, if I hid again, if I cried myself into oblivion, they would win.

I didn’t think I had it in me to let that happen.

Chapter 5

Beckham

Sometimes, you had to break down and ask for the wisdom of those who knew more than you did. In my case, it was the knowledge of a nineteen-year-old.