Chapter 2

He knows my parents, especially my mother since she is warmed his bed on many occasions, or should I say he has warmed my parents' bed. I have caught him many times doing the walk of shame at dawn trying to be as quiet as a mouse so my mother would not wake and notice he was not there. Those are the days that I become her personal punching bag because she knows he is interested in me and she is just a booty call. Something that I can't seem to understand is, why does she blame me instead of him?

"Time for you to come home with me tonight. When are you going to pull that stick out of your arse and let me show you a good time?" he asks smirking and extending his hand to pull me against him. I pull my hand away from his and take two steps back. I don't need no more drama, if my mom hears of this, she will definitely kill me. She's like a blood hound on a mission, every time he's next to me or has touched me even if it were my hands she always seems to know.

He grabs ahold of the hem of my shirt and pulls me against his chest. I push against his chest, to get him to let me go but he only tightens his hold. Just being this close to him twists my gut, he disgusts me. Some of his goon's chuckle from the corner, pissing me off. I push harder against his chest, "That is never going to happen, and you know that now let me go." I grit in annoyance. There is nothing of him that can ignite desire in me. He is extremely attractive with his six-foot four height and body packed with muscle but none of that makes up for his whoring ways.

He never gives up; he has slept with most woman in this place and who knows how many kids he got laying around. Though everyone in this project knows that his go to flavor is always my mother and even if he didn't, I would never give him the chance, I'm not attracted to him. I do not want a fling or anything else for that matter. He tightened his hold on me and lowers his head to my neck. "Let go Stephen!" I hiss in warning and push harder against his chest.

He drops one hand towards my buttock and squeezes one cheek. I lose it! I pull my leg back then lift my knee with momentum and ram it against his jewels. His yell of pain gets me what I wanted, which is for him to let me go but it also brings his goons running out to help him. When they see me pulling away they know what happened. Not all his goons were okay with him bothering me and trying to get into my pants knowing he is screwing my mother.

"Go Analiah, no one is going to bother you." Joel says pushing me towards my parents building. Joel is Stephens little brother and one of the people that try to keep his brother away from me. Samuel glares at me in anger while he helps Stephen, he is Stephens right hand man and go to guy. I look between them all and nod at Joel. Stephen is not the type of man to sit idly with his arms crossed, much less take no for an answer. Frankly, I am afraid he is the type to take things by force if he must.

I have never heard of anyone accuse him of rape, but I can't let my guard down. He gives me the creeps and everything in me screams to run as far away from him as physically possible every time we meet. I turn and run the rest of the way not wanting him to catch up to me. I breathe a sigh of relief when I make it to our building. I lean against the wall on the first floor trying to calm my breathing. My parents must be asleep by now, well I hope so. I hear music the closer I get to my parents' apartment.

A chill goes down my back, I have a bad feeling. The type that cripples you with fear of the unknown, the one that makes you want to run the other way and hide because you know you will not survive its wrath. That is the one I have right now, everything in me screams for me to run the other way. The music is coming from my parent's place. I guess they are not sleeping, red flags keep flashing in my mind and the feeling to run is getting harder to resist.

I trust my gut and turn my back towards the door to leave the same way I came. I hear the door open and see my mother walking out. The look on her face says it all… I run… My brain keeps screaming and my pulse hits over drive. My fight or flight instinct push me to choose the latter. I feel my heart drop to my stomach in panic, I can practically smell my own fear… the type that cripples you and wants your bladder to betray you. I turn to run but scream in pain when I feel myself being yanked back by my hair.

I grab onto my mother's hands and try to pry her fingers off. "Let go ma, I'll leave, I'll leave… Please, just let me go." I beg as she pulls me inside the apartment. Tears run down my cheeks and I can't seem to make them stop. They make my vision blurry and my heart seize by panic. She throws me across the room making me fall on the old coffee table they have in the middle of the living room and I break it with my weight.