Chapter 1

Janae POV

My body felt cold and lifeless while I laid on the cold cement with blood dripping from my skull. I just prayed that God would take the pain away. I managed to turn my head a little before a felt a syringe inject something into me that knocked me out cold. After that I didn't remember a thing . I figured that was the end for me.

5 years Earlier

My Life was pretty much average Like a normal African American cliché story. I grew up in the church. My father left Before I turned 16. My mom and dad broke up because of my dad's excessive infidelity and his abusive ways towards her.

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I had just began to drift to sleep when I heard the front door creep open. I knew it was my dad. The echoing of his heavy footsteps filled our small one story house.

The footsteps sounded like they were getting closer to my door signaling that he was getting closer to his door. I heard my dad slip past my room into his bedroom down the hall. The house fell with a dead silence until my mother stirred in her sleep awake.

I turned over in my bed facing the window to try to go to sleep because I was preparing myself for whatever argument that was about to occur.

Toni POV

"Jonathan , where have you been? You were suppose to be home six hours ago?" I said sitting up in the queen sized bed we shared of 20 years. I knew he had been out drinking again. I could smell it on his breath as he came into our bedroom.

I loved Jonathan. I swore I did. His perfect brown skin. I remember when I met him I instantly fell in love with his deep grey eyes. It seemed as every since he had gotten laid of those eyes never looked warm. Not even welcoming anymore. Perhaps he became a shell of himself. My beautiful monster.

He sat on the end of the bed sliding off his wheat colored Timberland boots with his perfectly chiseled back turned to me.

"Toni, don't start with me. I'm grown. Besides I was out handling business with my boys. You know that." he said with a slur lingering on his words.

Sometimes I hated that I loved him so much. But that's what I agreed to in my vows right? For better or worse right? I emerged from under the covers and decided to rub his shoulders. He might've really had a rough day of trying to find work.

I removed his t-shirt laying it across my lap behind him. I slowly began massaging his strong broad shoulders. He leaned his head to the left slightly in amusement. "You're welcome baby" I kept rubbing moving closer towards his neck since he had leaned it over.

That's when I noticed. Fresh hickies lacing the base of his neck from his jaw line. I could feel my head filling with so many scenarios. I literally could feel my heart breaking into a million pieces.

I got up standing directly in front of his face. "Who is she Jay? I see the hickies, so don't even hand me that bullshit. You didn't even try to hide them." I could feel my eyes filling up with tears.

He looked me dead into my eyes they were now filled with rage he stood up slowly towering over me with his 6'2 frame. Those once grey almond shaped eyes I fell in love with were now dark and looked like they were ready to hunt me.

"You really wanna know. Huh?" he said with a menacing dark chuckle that sent chills down my spine. He backed me against our dresser. He was now in my face. His breathing speeding up. Signaling to me that he was angry.

"It's Dianna. Your sister D. You happy now. If you worried more about holding me down than fussing at me like some child I wouldn't have to wonder. This is your fault my baby." He said with a more noticeable slur. A evil grin crept across his lips.

At this moment I knew that this was not the Jonathan that I fell in love with. This was an evil monster that had my love's face. I was angry. I pushed him away furious.

"Get Out Jay! Get the hell Out my house! How could you disgusting piece of shit? Your worthless. I can't believe I loved you. " I screamed.

He lunged at me grabbing me by my throat and threw me through the door.

Janae POV

I heard a loud noise. As I was just dozing off to go back to sleep. Our home had become eerily silent. It was then suddenly when my father's voice emerged from the silence.

"Toni, shut the hell up. You sorry excuse of an woman. I thought you would've picked up the hints a long time ago that I didn't wanna be with you anymore darling. You had one job and that was to submit and hold me down while I figured something out money wise. You couldn't even do that. I guess you truly are as dumb as you look. How dare you tell me to get out the damn house I paid for. Baby you not running nothing." He screamed at her just before he struck her. I heard the slap echo it made the hairs of my neck stand up and my body jump.

I got up and peeked out of my door. Careful to not peek out to much so that I wouldn't be seen.

"Tell you what. I'm a nice guy. You have until Friday morning to get your stuff moved out and take the kid with you. Hell, I don't even think she's mine no way. I don't wanna ever see your face again. If I do i'll kill I promise you that." he said squatting down holding my mother by her throat while she sat on the floor leaning against the wall. While letting out a menacing laugh.

"But before you Leave , your gonna give me something that you've been holding out on me with. I figure that's the least you can do."

My father tried to pick her up, but there was a scuffle of her trying to fight him off. He slapped her across her face. Making it easier for him to drag her back into their bedroom.

I ran back to my bed and cried into my pillow. Mixed into the sound of my soft cries ,I heard the sound of my mother's blood curdling screams along with my father's disgusting groans.

It was not until thirty minutes later when my father threw her out of their bedroom. I stepped In to the hallway to see my mother's face bloody and swollen and her clothing missing.

Her body looked looked totally weak. From the days when It was a beautiful silky smooth milk Chocolate color complementing her beautiful green eyes and long curly hair .

I knelled down took my robe off and threw it over my mother's body . I laid her in my bed just sitting watching her sleep . By the early morning, I rolled over to check on my mommy I reached out to nudge her to see if she was awake . Her body was ice cold. I got up and scurried to her side of the bed.

The morning light revealed her once beautiful face now bruised from the night before. My warm salty tears began to run down my face.

My mother had died over night next to me my body felt weak all I could do was cry. I sat crying holding her hand for at least a decade it felt like. I soon called 911 and watched as they zipped my mothers body into a body bag and took her to the morgue . From that day on I could never trust a man again.