“You aren’t lying.”
“No,” Krew said with a slow shake of his head.
“Why? Who would do that to us—to me? I’m a nobody,” I shakily insisted, not wanting to believe what Krew was telling me. All the wonderful feelings from moments ago—poof. Incinerated until only ashes remained, leaving behind fear and outrage in its place.
Krew stretched out a hand and took hold of mine. My eyes dropped to the tattoos running up his arm, to where his t-shirt sleeve hid the rest of the ink. “I don’t know,” he said quietly. “But Decker knows people. He said he’d take care of it, and I believe him.”
I pulled my hand out of his hold, attempting to separate myself from Krew. This all started when I saw him at the fight. I should have listened to my gut and declined Maya’s invite to go. I felt panic rising back up, so I clung to the tub wall, my eyes still glued to him. “Krew?—"
Before I could say anymore, the bathroom door flung open and Decker stood in the threshold, his eyes glowing with rage. “Whoever was shooting at us is gone. We need to get the hell out of here, fast, before they come back.”
“Alright,” Krew said as he tried to help me out of the tub.
“I can walk out by myself.” I resisted taking his hand, and avoid Krew and Decker’s stares. The more distance I put between these men and me, the better.
“Your foot is bleeding,” Decker growled, as he bent down.
“Don’t,” I barked. I walked around him and grabbed my bag, skirting the glass on the floor the best I could. I didn’t mean to snap at Decker, but I felt too vulnerable to apologize.
Maybe Krew was wrong, and they weren’t after me—that meathead had mentioned Maya—could it be that—damn it, I couldn’t think straight.
Once I’d slipped into my shoes, I was ready to get the hell out of there. Away from them.
Decker had other ideas. He gripped my arm and spun me around. “I don’t know what happened between where we were earlier to now, but I want your full attention, Regi.” Decker released his hold and got in my face. “Your, full, attention.”
I refused to look at him. Because if I did, I’d break down again. The way I felt safe in their arms was only an illusion. It was a mistake touching them. I had to run—it was the only way to be free. I had done it before, and I could run again.
“Damnit, get out of your head and give me your eyes, Regi.” The force in Decker’s demand caught me off guard, and I had no choice but to listen.
I raised my eyes to his and saw raw anger, mixed with hurt, in those azure pools.
“What?” I hissed back, knowing my anger was the only way to combat his fiery temper and the panic that was coursing through my veins.
Decker bent slightly, bringing his face close to mine. He raised his hand and I flinched, in case he was going to hit me. It was an involuntary reaction. Deep down, I knew he would never hurt me. Well… the Decker I once knew wouldn’t. Did I really know who Decker was now?
Decker paused a second before he dropped his hand. “If you think I’m going to let you go without us, you’re crazy. Until I get this shit sorted, you’re not going anywhere alone. Krew and I finally got you back, there’s no way we’re ever going to let you go. You are ours. You know it and we know it.” His voice wasn’t laced with anger, but it was no less harsh. Then Decker turned to Krew. “Gather our things, we’re out of here in three.”
I stood there frozen by Decker’s icy words. What he said about me belonging to them might have been true once upon a time. Not today, though. Not ever again. I didn’t belong to anybody, only to myself. And the sooner they knew the truth about Teke, the sooner I’d be free of them for the rest of my life.
Regina’s Diary
December 15th, 2014
Dear Diary,
Sorry I haven’t written in a long while. I had a lot going on before I got settled somewhere safe. It took me almost six months, but I’m living in Phoenix now. Met some wonderful people, who I lied to about my name and where I came from. I said I ran away from one of those polygamist cults, and they believed me. I know lying is bad, but I can’t be Regina Karen Morton anymore. With their help, I am now Regi Martin. They helped me to get a new social security number and a job at a grocery store, and a cheap room to rent.
I changed my hair, too. I dyed it black and cut it to shoulder length. It’s cute. It’s the new me. I think I have a knack for doing hair. Maybe beauty school is in my future, after I get my GED, and I’m working on that now. I’m safe for now, Diary. My body has healed, yet I’m still always looking over my shoulder.
God, I miss my parents. I wonder if they ever looked for me, Diary. But I tell myself that it doesn’t matter anymore. Did Krew and Decker ever look for me? Did they really care about me? I hope they are happy together. I know from what Maya told me the last time I talked to her, that they were caught by the cops, but they are okay now. That was all she said before my cheap, pay-by-the-minute cellphone cut out and stopped working. I managed to save enough money to get another phone. I called Maya to give her my new number, and ask about my parents, and Krew and Decker. She never answered my calls and messages. I know she’s busy with school. It’s our her senior year. And I know there’s a lot of things happening, but she hasn’t returned any of my calls or texts in almost six months. I don’t know why she’s ignoring me.
I couldn’t call Krew and Decker, even though I wanted to. Truth is, I was too scared to tell them—Krew especially. They would blame and hate me, just like Teke he said. God! Why did I even write his ugly name in here? It doesn’t matter anymore. I’m on my own and free. Anyway, I have to go to work. I’ll try to write more. But I can’t make any promises.
Regi
Chapter Thirteen
Decker
