2. The deal.

Amara.

If eyes were guns, the looks Mom and Dad were giving me would have been enough to send me six feet under, but I couldn't care less, they were not half as angry as I was but they didn't see me reacting in any strange way. Tightening my robe around my waist, I adjusted comfortably in my seat, they couldn't even wait for me to have a shower before summoning me.

After the 'official statement' last night, all the guests turned out too stunned to continue with the charity event and ended up living half way through. Vincent threw a fit afterwards and Mom and Dad tried everything they could to calm him while promising to bring my back to my senses. Amidst everything, I had wanted to lay down with Ife and rant about my terrible mistake while she consoled me but no, she had to leave with her parents. Of every night they could have slept over.

"Do you know the gravity of what you have done, Amara?" Mom bit out. If I peered over the table, I bet I'd see Dad holding her from physically attacking me. Mom hated when any of her events was ruined. Fabian, her ex-bodyguard, got a fair share of her anger once.

I shrugged my shoulders, " what did I do?"

Mom tried to jerk up from her seat but Dad held her down. "Amara," he called while glaring down at me.

I fought myself from rolling my eyes, not like I was afraid of their reaction but it was too early for their whining. Literally.

"Do you know how long I planned that charity event? The stress I went through for it to be perfect? Do you?"

"Do you feel sad because you didn't raise enough money to save those poor animals or because you didn't get the chance to announce your interest to re-run for Mayor?"

"Amara!" Dad called this time pummeling towards me. I quickly stood up from my seat and created a safe distance between us and crossed my arms against my chest, waiting for them to get this over with.

Mom shook her head, "everybody would be talking about the atrocity you've committed, Amara. You've been hellbent on bringing shame to this family and I hope you're happy now that you've done it."

"Happy?" I scoffed, "this wasn't the reaction I was expecting of you seeing that you've wanted to ship me off to the nearest available man since the day I could walk. I thought you would be over the moon, Mom."

"Amara June Livingston, shut up!" Dad yelled, his chest obviously swelling up with anger. "Can't you be considerate for once? Can't you see what you've done to your mother and apologize for it?"

I chuckled to my Dad's dismay and his brows shot to his forehead. " I thought we were here to talk about my announcement last night. Come on, Mom has plenty of other opportunities to make her announcement, besides, everybody already knows of her interest to be reelected."

"And yesterday was supposed to be my night. I was supposed to make an official statement yesterday."

I threw my hands up in defense and took back my seat, "sorry not sorry. I didn't plan for it to go that way but since it has happened, you'd stop bugging me about this marriage issue especially with that asshole Vincent Sinclair. It is now official; I have a boyfriend."

To the public and my parents, I did, an issue which I have no clue how to handle but I'd rather stick to the lie and avoid any other 'Vincent' drama and my parents constant bugging than tell them the truth.

"Come on, I thought you guys would be really excited that I have a man in my life. Mom? Really guys?"

"James McKenna?" Dad asked, his eyes boring holes into mine before he turned to look at Mom. "Just how did you lure him into this because I know James would never choose to be with a girl like you."

"Ouch, Dad. Way to bruise your favourite child's ego." I scrunched my face.  

It hurts. It hurts so fucking much. It wasn't the first time Dad was making such type of comment but it still hurts. It hurts everytime he says something like that. Everytime he says I'm not good enough, everytime he reduces me to nothing even though I try really hard to show them that I can be something.

Didn't they say Dads were their daughters' best friend? Why wasn't my own father kind to me? Both my parents.

"You are basically half that man's age." Mom commented.

I lazily shrugged a shoulder, "blame it on love."

Dad chuckled as he exchanged glances with Mom whose eyes were widened in surprise. Gee, I was expecting shock.

"Love? You, Amara?"

"Maybe if you didn't try forcing me into early marriages, you would have found out that I was capable of falling in love." Lies, all lies. I wasn't capable and even if I was, it would be the last thing I did.

"You are in love with James McKenna," Dad's tune rose as his chest rose and fell, "James McKenna of all people, are you fucking stupid?"

I bit back a snarky retort when I saw Keith from the corner of my eyes climbing down the stairs. He didn't like it when I fought with Mom and Dad. Most times, he ended up crying for hours because he thought I'd move out again. Which wasn't exactly correct because I moved out because Mom and Dad wouldn't let me do what I loved in their houses. 

Keith, my little brother, was the reason my rent was frittering away in someone else's pocket. Maybe I should rent out that house. 

"Amy?" I didn't look a him coming down the stairs because I had planned to avoid him all morning but his little voice...how could I resist that?

"Hey?" I turned to him with a soft smile. 

"Is everything okay?" I nodded and motioned him to come closer. Letting off the railings, he half-ran towards me and I lifted him and rested him on my laps.

"Morning Mom, Morning Dad." His tiny fingers found mine as he nervously swung his legs.

"Morning, Son," Dad said softly before returning his eyes to me, his glare deepening.

"We will continue this conversation later." Mom said. Her eyes left me before I could respond and she turned to Keith, "I believe you have school, young man, don't you?" Keith stilled for a second before quickly bounicing off my laps and ran back upstairs to prepare for school.

I couldn't help but feel pity for him because, all his life, neither Mom nor Dad has been there for him. I was somewhat lucky because I could fairly recount six years of my life where Dad had tried to be involved before their ambitions got in their way and he got totally distracted from me and their other kid who they had ten years after me.

Unlike me, Keith has only known me and his nanny, Jessie. The best mother figure, I must say. 

"You should have at least said 'hi' to your son." 

Glaring down at me, Mom smoothened her hair and stood up, Dad steadily following her. I would have been surprised if they weren't already dressed for whatever nonsense they do in their offices.

"You shouldn't have had another kid if you knew you'd treat him like this." I called after them and just like always, Mom gripped her bag and Dad, his briefcase as they headed for the door.

"Mrs. Mayor, Mr. Livingston." Cold shivers ran down my spine as that cold deep voice with a deadly baritone fell on my ears. I stilled in my seat for a second before slowly turning my head to the door to confirm I wasn't just imagining things.

What the fuck was he doing here?

"James McKenna." Mom's voice gave out her surprise as she darted her eyes between James and me. "To what do we owe this early morning surprise?"

James's eyes fell on me and I gulped. I didn't need anyone to tell me he was a few steps away from strangling me to death because his cold, dark, dangerous eyes did the talking more than anyone could. 

He was going to tell my parents that the announcement yesterday was not true, that we're not really together. He was going to tell them that I made him do it and my parents will ship me off to Europe to marry Vincent. That's if I survive them skinning me alive of course.

"I'm here for Amara." His cheeks rose but I'd be a fool to believe that smile was genuine. I gulped again. I have imagined my death in many ways but I never imagined I'd die in the hands of James McKenna.

He's here for me? God, I should have just been with Vincent till I found a way to get him off me. Kill him maybe.

"Hey, Mamma." His eyes sparkled with a suspicious excitement and a whimper slipped through my lips. Mamma? Is that how we're going to do this now?

"Hey, babe." I raised my hand to wave at him but my muscles failed me. 

The tip of his lip rose up slowly as he stalked towards me. 

Someone please, fucking kill me now.