Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The Present

Alicia's POV

“Mother, this isn’t the fucking stone stage. You can’t sell me off like some sheep” I cried, my eyes hurt and I winced as the result of the severe migraine.

My stepmother leaned over the door lintel with a blank stare, “We are trying to pay the debts of your father”.

I pumped my fist on the wall in anger, “This should be a joke right? First, you bury my father without my consent and then lay claims to his properties. Then, you start up a club and use me as a toy. You’ve treated me like thrash”.

“My daughter, things change” She teased.

“Fuck off, I’m not your daughter! You are acting like you’ve always wanted my father to die. See you, exhibiting everything you’ve always planned” I was trying to control my breath.

She walked over to me, “Look baby, in the grand scheme of things, you don’t fucking matter”.

“I matter, I matter! I won’t let you sell me off to some strange man and be whisked over to Chicago”.

A slap connected to my cheek and I spat out blood.

“Stepdaughter, I won’t let you talk to me like that. Have some respect for me” She replied.

“I won’t have any respect for you because you lost it when you used me as a whore in your club”.

Her large hands covered my face and she pulled on my hair. Her knee connected to my ribs and I tumbled to the ground. She placed her hand on my neck and pinned me to the wall. I tried to struggle but her strength overpowered me. She spanked me again and I felt blood trickle down my nose.

“I’ve watched you live like a Princess, I’ve watched you live like you’ve got the world in your palms. Your Dad gave you the liberty to mess up and that will be corrected” She spanked me again and I fell to the floor.

I groaned as I tried to stand up but my hands felt very feeble, blood trickled from my nose and I wiped it off. I crawled towards my bed and rested I was on it. I couldn’t believe that my stepmother would choose to sell me off like a slave. This wasn’t how I planned my life to be. I wanted to head back for my master's in Spain and then plan a vacation in one of the African countries. But my Dad's death changed everything. I had a nagging feeling that my stepmother was responsible for his death. But I had no proof, I knew it had to run.

The sound of a clicking shoe jolted me off my thoughts. I thought it was Becky returning but this time, it was a male shoe. As the shoe sound got closer, I lifted my face to see a strange man. There was a knife scar on his face which stopped an inch close to his mouth. His eyes were cold and emotionless. His lips were black and he looked like an agent of death. His black polo hugged his body tightly like a second skin. He had a mystical aura that I couldn’t comprehend. His imposing physique sent a cold shrill down my spine. For a few seconds, I was in awe of the man. But then, my alarm bells went off.

“Who are you?” I asked.

He smiled, revealing a white pair of dentitions. Then he pulled out a stick of Cuban from his pocket.

“Alicia Donalds, I overheard you talking with your stepmother”.

My body trembled in fear, “Don’t hurt me, my stepmom has all my Dad's money”.

He chuckled, “I'm not here for your Mom's money. I’m here for you, Miss Alicia. You are coming with me to Chicago”.

My heart skipped, “I am going nowhere with you”.

He grabbed me by my waist and I screamed as a sharp pain spread through my back. He then tossed me to the bed. I winced as I felt a burning on my flesh, his Cuban had grazed my skin. He pulled out a knife and the memory of my father being slaughtered came back again. I shifted into the bed, tears streaming down my eyes. My mouth shivered as I tried to beg for my life but I couldn’t say anything coherent.

“Alicia, I don’t take shit from girls. I had a deal with your stepmother and it’s concluded. So, we are moving right away. I don’t like saying things twice” He warned.

His voice was low but it was accompanied by tremors, “You bought me like a slave?”

He nodded, “Alicia, you are my slave”.

He nudged at me to get up and I followed him immediately.

“If you do as I say, we'll be fine,” He said and inserted the Cuban into his mouth.

“Now, strip” He barked, his cold grey eyes locked on my glassy ones. Sending shivers down my spine as I trembled in both fear and disgust.

As my hands trembled on my

dress, the door burst opened.