CHAPTER 1: THE PAST
I walked out of the room without looking back. I don't know why but I always hated to hear their hopeless cries for forgiveness or help before the gunshot and silence that soon followed.
Another client called me toward them and like always I pretended nothing just happened. The nice 'Angel' came out and I gave them dances and put on a seductive smile until my shift ended. I pretended not to notice as they came out of the hallway leading from the private rooms with a smirk, and just sat down like nothing ever happened.
I put on my sweatpants and a sweatshirt then grabbed my keys to leave. I smiled at the ladies that were leaving with me and rushed towards my car down the street.
"Hey babe, wait for me!" I hear Tyler yell out.
"What do you want Tyler?" I snap at him as I walk faster towards my car that seems as if it keeps getting farther and farther the more I walk.
"You did good today, but come on you think you could just leave without waiting for me!" he forced me around and had a hand wrapped around my hip and another on my neck.
"No, no! I swear to you it is not like that...," I tried to explain, but stopped as he started squeezing my throat to the point where I couldn't even breath.
"No, you listen hear Bitch! I can take that little boy of yours away right now and there ain't anything you can do about it! Do you understand me?!" I try to nod but can barely even move due to his vice-like grip. "Do you!" He yells in my face as he realizes I can't answer and lets my neck go.
I land in a coughing fit with tears streaming out of my eyes, nodding at the same time trying to give him an answer as I regain my breath. "Y.Ye..yes, I un..der..stand" I wheeze out.
"Good," he touches my chin tenderly and gives me an aggressive kiss. "Tell that boy of mine, I'll be home tonight for his birthday," he gives my cheek a slap and then walks off.
I don't even wait for a second and get in my car and drive off. My mind racing a mile per minute, but all I want to do is get out of these clothes and wake up my baby to take him to school.
By the time I get home, I see my friend Naomi making breakfast for everyone, "C'mon dig in you need some food and coffee in your system before you pass out." She was like an older sister to me, she knew how bad these nights killed me and it wasn't from the fatigue of being overworked but from the things I did to some of those people. I lead them to their imminent death.
"How was he with you tonight?" she asks me with a knowing look.
"He was calmer than most days," I tell her honestly as today I didn't come home with a bruise or scare so that's a good sign. "But he's coming over later for Caleb's birthday."
"Ugh, why does that cute kid have to have an asswhole of a father?" she stops making food and comes over to give me a hug. "It's okay honey, it's not your fault." She gives me a kiss on the head. "Now go take a shower you reek of cologne and sex."
I make my way to the shower and take my time to scrub all those gross hands off of me. By doing a mental technique of pretending to wash all last night's events down the drain, I somewhat feel lighter as all my aches and pains go away. For a while that is. After quickly changing I check the time to see it is 6:45, so I go wake up Caleb for school.
His room is a mess from the Lego's he forgot to put away last night and I can't help but laugh at the fact that Simba, our husky, is sprawled all over him. They are like two peas in a pod.
"Caleb, come on get up or you'll be late to school," I yell out causing Simba to wake up also and lick Caleb's face till he wakes up.
"Okay, okay! I'm awake," Caleb groans out causing Simba to stop and go back under the covers.
