❝ I didn't give a damn about anyone in a long time. And then you came along and pretty much blew that plan straight to hell. ❞
in which New York's most wanted man rescues a rich girl who is simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
...
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"You can help me by taking your ass home."
"This has been going on for what feels like decades." Joelle sighed, slumping further into the sofa in her mother's home.
After the heated argument with Hakim, she fled her house. She couldn't bear it any longer. What she had became. Her sister Nadia rubbed her back, holding her hand.
"I'm sorry Joelle."
"So how was that man? The one who my daughter has ran off with."
"Oh he is fine. Doesn't talk much though." Nadia grinned, and trailed off when she saw the expression on her sisters face. "I mean, Tamara told me he saved her life Joelle. He's not the bad person here."
"And you believed her?" She asked, in complete disbelief.
"You don't? Honestly, Joelle wake up! She isn't 15 anymore. If she wants to run off with an older man, who are we to judge? We were literally crackwhores at one point."
"Speak for yourself." Joelle muttered under her breath.
It was a surreal experience for her to be back in her family's home. She hadn't been there since Tamara was a toddler. She was apprehensive at first, but she really had no other alternatives.
"You haven't talked to us in years." She sighed.
"I know. Hakim wanted me by-"
"You don't need to explain. Joelle I missed you." She said, pulling her sister close.
"She told me she was fine. But what if she wasn't?"
"Look Joelle, I'm gonna say this for the last time. Tamara is okay."
"When Tamara was younger, she used to tell me she felt ugly. And I was so confused, I'm not being biased because she was my child. She was always beautiful to me."
"She grew, from a child to a teenager right before my very eyes. And she asked me, how could she be eighteen and not have all the things in the movies. Like a first kiss...holding hands, dating. And I told her it was normal, and she didn't need to feel like that was apart of growing up. She told me she thought it was because of her skin tone."
"I know. I couldn't believe it at first. Maybe it was because I grew up with hate but now there's a possibility she's not safe, I regret it so much."
"She was in pain. And I know I sound awful, and I shouldn't kick you when you're down. But you weren't there for her. Especially what you and Hakim did. Removing her from that school...and then berating her for what she did. She didn't grow up to her full potential. When I saw her, I saw she was still feeling guilty. She's had to live with Lola's suicide and she thinks she's responsible." Nadia said.
•••
"Why couldn't he just stayed dead, huh?" Isabella said, under her breath.
