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Editing in Progress…

~Chapter 63~

*****Trigger Warning: This Chapter contains themes of Sexual Harassment and physical abuse. Please proceed with caution*****

Lani squeezed her palm into a tight fist and released it before speaking, "I don't have any money right now, but I promise, if you give me some time, two weeks at most, I will have part of your money." She pleaded. She didn't know when or how she started crying, but when she heard herself snort through her nose, did she know she was scared for her life?

She didn't know if she could convince them, after all the last time they were here, she had to give them all the money she had which left her starving for two days as she didn't see nor was she getting replies from her brother during that time.

But now, she truthfully didn't have any cash on her at the moment. 

"But you promised the last time you would give us money the next time we came around"

"I don't recall anything like that," She defended, but before she could think again. Jan punched her square in the face.

"Did that jog your memory?" He asked, towering over her.

"~Boss… Remember, she has a pretty face. Try not to damage it too much," Pablo called out, grabbing two bottles of beer from him and Rico.

"Yeah, we wouldn't want her all bruised and injured before she starts work," Rico added. He had foolishly shaken the bottle of beer, which made it form out once he opened it. And for some reason it seamed funny to Pablo as he laughed.

Jan shove his hands into his pocket as he stared at the shaken girl beneath him. Kehlani held her punched cheeks as she wept, praying her brother would burst door the doors and save her before she was taken.

As she was listened to Pablo and Rico talk about them taking her for who knows what. She knew she would have to beg if it meant begging at their feet.

And she did just that, gathering whatever strength that was left in her body. She knelt down at Jan's bare feet as she prostrated to him.

It was only Jan who had taken off his shoes amongst the three men.

"Please Sir, I promise to pay back what I can, just give me two weeks," She pleaded as her tear dripped to the floor. "Please"

Jan, rather, pulled out a pocketknife and lifted her tears stained face to his. 

"Your father said you are a whore. Is that true?"

"No, sir," She weakly replied as her lips trembled, and more tears streamed down her face.

"Then where do you go to at night? Hmm?" He asked as he flipped on the pocketknife. Her body shook as he pressed the blunt part of the knife to the side of her eyes. "Look at me while I am talking to you. Ignore the knife. It is just doing its thing."

'It is the blunt part, It's the blunt part,' she chanted in her head. 

"I spent the weekend at my friend's house"

"Ah, I see, and this friend, boy or girl?"

"Boy, Sir. It is guy".

She didn't know if she was going to get in trouble for lying, but she knew she couldn't bring Savannah and her family into this. 

Jan smiled at her and with a swift movement, he split her shirt into two and full chest tucked in her bra was view. 

Her eye went wide as she instinctively moved to cover herself with her hands. But it only lasted for a second, before she felt the cold feel of the pocketknife on her arm that covered her chest.

With one look, Jan commanded, "Just the arm down"

Kehlani closed her eyes as she hoped this was all a nightmare, as once she opened her eyes, she would be back to normal.

Or at least the good normal that she knew.

Seeing she wasn't heeding to his command, he released the one of his arm and punched her in the face. Lani felt like she was going to have a concussion. 

Her eyes automatically left her chest. With weak lost eyes, she watched Jan lick his lips as she felt his hand squeeze on her chest.

More tears streamed down her eyes, "Please, Please, Please" Continue pleading. Jan continued squeezing. "I think she would fetch us good cash," Jan said. Pulling away from her as she fell backwards to the floor as her left boob slipped from the protection of her bra. Looming over her were Rico and Pablo. Rico nudged Pablo as nodded at him, "Told you so".

"We don't have anyone to sell her too now, so—" Jan said, but Rico interrupted.

"Do we need someone immediately? Can't she not work in the house till someone buys her?"

"Men like pretty girls like this fresh and with no harm," Jan said, looking at her swollen face.

"See, that's why I told you not to hit her in the face"

Jan shrugged as he wrote something on his used grocery receipt. He threw it at her face as he walked around her. 

"That's the money your pathetic dad owes, and I will be back in two weeks. Your face better be healed by them".

"Boss, you are so cruel. Why bother to give her the amount when you know she can afford it?" Pablo asked.

Jan tucked his pocket knife back into his spoke before speaking. "It is to show her she can't live off fruitless dreams." 

Just before leaving, Jan knelt down to her level and whispered in her ear. "If you ask much, dare to run away, and I will find you, and you would curse your mother and father for birthing you"

Laughing at his boss, Pablo uttered, "Are you sure she is even listening to you? She looks like she is passed out".

"That is the least of my problems."

The loan sharks left, leaving Kehlani miserable on the floor. 

She was perfectly awake and overheard their entire conversation. But she hoped that if he had asked her a question, and she didn't reply, he would kill her. But, as usual, the world was against her and nothing worked for her good.

Lani lazily stood up as she, with a weak body, limped to the kitchen to get an ice pack. She limped because of how long she had being on her knees. 

She ignored her father, who was still passed out on the floor, and headed to her room for solace and any common peace she could find.

Lani entered the bathroom and let the shower running down her body. It didn't take a moment before she crumbled as she squatted and wrapped hers around her knees and wept. 

She wept till she felt her tear duct run dry and her back go numb for being in a squatting position for too long. She came out from the shower and made a horrid decision to look at herself in the mirror. 

She looked like a ragged doll, ready to be used and thrown away. That was how she saw herself in the mirror. Her eyes puffy from tears and her cheeks swollen from the intense pain Jan had inflicted on her cheeks. 

She trailed her eyes to her chest, where his palm marks were still present. Shaking her head, she blinked back the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes. She reached for her first at kit as she began treating herself.