Lani

by Ashers, LeAnn

  I just met them, but it’s like I’ve always known them. Both of them wrap their arms around me and we stand together enjoying the moment.

  * * *

  Hours Later

  We’re on the outskirts of town, driving towards the middle of nowhere. Trey is driving behind us and I’m behind Vinny, holding onto him tightly.

  He’s nervous, so I spend the ride rubbing his chest, belly and thighs, trying to ease some of the nervousness.

  Trey put me right on the back of Vinny’s bike. Trey is pissed off. He decided to drive his truck in case it was needed.

  I truly hope Vinny’s family don’t hurt Vinny. The thought of them hurting him truly makes me sick to my stomach.

  We slow down and pull into a long gravel driveway. The house comes into view and it’s completely stark white—no colors, no sign anyone even lives in it.

  The vehicles in front of the house are old and black, nothing flashy. There’s absolutely no decoration around the house. I would honestly think it was abandoned if it didn’t have the cars in the front.

  Vinny’s arms flex as he grips the handlebars tighter. I almost want to ask why he wanted to do this to himself if it stresses him out so.

  But I know I would go back to see my siblings if I were in his shoes, but it hurts my heart because I can tell that he’s fighting his inner child.

  We pull to a stop and I see two young girls’ faces in the window. I slide off the bike and take Vinny’s hand, and Trey gets out of the truck, moving to the other side of me, putting his arm behind my back and settling his hand on Vinny’s back.

  We walk the short distance from the porch to the front door. I study Vinny’s face as he looks at the door. He looks haunted.

  Vinny gathers his nerve and knocks on the door. A second later I can hear sounds coming from inside.

  Then the door swings open, revealing who I guess is one of his sisters. She looks so much like Vinny with her beautiful eyes.

  It’s the way she’s dressed, the fear in her eyes, that sets me on edge. She’s wearing a baggy gray dress that is hanging to her ankles. Her hair is in a braid down her back.

  She looks at Vinny and her face pales before her eyes settle on his vest. Her eyes are glued to the devil symbol on it.

  She looks behind her towards the back of the house. That’s when I hear a louder set of footsteps. An older man comes into view. I know instantly that this is Vinny’s dad, Charles.

  Their eyes are the same, but Vinny has life inside of his. This man does not. I grip the back of Vinny’s shirt.

  “Can I help you?” he asks, walking up to the door. He grabs the girl who answered the door and pushes her out of the way, almost knocking her to the ground.

  She looks down, not at her father or at us. I peek a little closer and I see bruises on her arms. They look like fingerprints, and I note some older marks, faded and yellowing.

  “Who are you?” he asks and puts himself in the door so we can’t see inside of the house.

  Vinny steps out. “I’m your son, Vincent,” Vinny says, his voice empty of any kind of emotion.

  His dad’s face changes and cycles through so many emotions in a second, but he steps back, motioning for us to come inside.

  I don’t like the idea of being here at all. It feels like when I walk inside of that house, it’s going to be hell.

  The vibes I get are just so wrong.

  So, so wrong.

  Vinny walks in first. He reaches back and takes my hand, and Trey takes up the rear. I feel safe between them, but it threw me off my game when I saw his sister.

  We follow his dad into the kitchen, which is made up of nothing but white appliances, a white table and white chairs and white walls.

  That’s when I see an older woman in the kitchen.

  She stops stirring something as we walk inside, her face showing her shock. Her eyes never leave Vinny’s when she spots him.

  Another young girl walks into the room, then a toddler follows her. Whose baby is she? Is she Vinny’s little sister?

  “Vincent?” Vinny’s mother asks in a soft, pleasant voice.

  “It’s me, Mama. I’ve come to see how you’re doing.” I notice the change in his voice when he speaks to his mother.

  She walks over and she starts to hug him, but his father clears his throat and she stops at the last second. But Vinny doesn’t mind his father; he hugs her.

  I can see the ache in his heart for his mother. She doesn’t fight Vinny and hugs him back tightly.

  A loud smack hits the table, causing all of us to jump. I turn to see Vinny’s father slamming a ruler down onto the table to demand our attention.

  Stupid fucker.

  His sisters are scared shitless. They’re all huddling in the corner, even the toddler, who is probably three years old.

  “What the fuck?” Vinny snaps and turns to face his dad. Trey looks at me and pulls me straight into his side, but gently. Trey is in major protective mode.

  His dad stands up and his chair flies back, hitting the window hard. The girls all flinch and so does their mother.

  “Do not speak like that in this house.” He sneers at him and Trey, before he grins. “Faggot.”

  Oh no he fucking didn’t.

  I move and stand in front of Vinny. “Your point is?” I ask him straight out, meeting him eye to eye. His glare doesn’t intimidate me.

  “How dare you speak to me, and a woman, no less.” He grimaces as he looks me over. “Tempting men with those clothes—sinful.”

  Trey chuckles and I join in. Does he not know how stupid he sounds? “Dad, this isn’t the fucking pilgrimage years and she isn’t a pilgrimage bitch. Women are free and shit, they do as they please.” Vinny lays it out way too nicely for my tastes.

  “Lies, you all will go to hell for not following the Lord as He is meant to be followed. Your sisters are good and holy, married.”

  What the fuck?

  “You’re fucking joking!” Vinny roars. “Etta is eighteen and Lynn is fucking sixteen! Whose baby is this?” He walks over to his dad, getting straight in his face, his hands clenched at his side.

  “Mine,” a small, sad voice says.

  My heart immediately breaks. I walk over to Lynn. “Do not get close to her, whore!” Charles yells at me, but I don’t pay attention to him.

  I just want to wrap her up and take care of her. “Hey honey, this sweet girl is yours?” I touch the top of the baby’s head.

  She nods, her eyes fearful as she glances at her dad every few minutes. Determination, that’s what I feel. I take her hand. “Let’s go outside for a bit. Do you want to?” I ask her.

  She looks at her dad, who is cursing at the both of us, but I see him for what he is. He’s an egomaniacal, fragile, stupid fucker who gets off on beating and belittling others to feel better about himself.

  She squeezes my hand and I look at Vinny’s other sister Etta. She turns her head to me and looks at the ground. She doesn’t want to come with me, and I won’t force her.

  I take her small daughter’s hand and we all walk past her dad. Trey walks us to the door so no one will bother us on the way.

  “I want to help her,” I whisper to Trey. He nods. He puts his forehead against mine and settles himself right in the middle so he can watch me and keep an eye on Vinny.

  “Want to sit on the steps?” I offer, and Lynn nods, sitting down. She makes sure her dress is perfectly in place, her back poised and straight.

  Her daughter plays with a toy she found on the ground in front of us. “May I ask about her father?”

  Lynn’s eyes fill with tears and she looks away from me so I don’t see them fall. “I was forced to marry when I was thirteen years old. I expect him to come pick me up any minute.”

  I want to vomit. I want to scream at the injustice. “I had her when I was thirteen. I almost died,” she admits, staring at the sky.

  She’s so young, but her eyes have seen so much in her short life. I can’t imagine this happening to
me. She went through so much before she even knew what it was like to live.

  I look down at the sweet baby playing on the ground. She will more than likely suffer the same fate as her mother unless her path is changed.

  “If you had one wish, what would it be?” I ask her. I take her hand, offering my support. She looks around her to make sure there is no one within earshot.

  “I want to get out of here. I want to be a mom for my baby, Michaela. I want to have peaceful life, no more hurt, no more fear,” she answers honestly. I can see the desperation in her eyes.

  “Want to come live with me? With Vinny?” I ask her, praying she takes me up on it. I want to get her out of here so desperately.

  She shakes her head in disbelief. “I have no money, no anything!” she rushes out, but I can’t help but notice the hope in her eyes.

  “Look, I will put you in that truck right now. You won’t have to step foot in that house ever again. I will help you start a new life.”

  She laughs, her smile blinding, then throws her arms around me tightly. “Thank you so much,” she whispers over and over.

  My heart is so full, but anger is burning deep inside of me. “I’ll grab the key from Trey and lock you inside until we leave.” She nods and I run inside to the kitchen. “Trey, can I have a spare truck key?” I whisper so softly it’s barely audible.

  He hands me it without hesitation. I walk out and I pick up Lynn’s daughter. We hurry to the truck and I start it up, turning on the air. “Lock the door behind me. We will leave soon.”

  I hear the door click as soon as I shut it. Lynn settles into the back seat, sobbing, with her daughter cuddled to her chest.

  It’s fucking on.

  I stalk into the house. I’m furious. She is sixteen years old, and she’s already fucking married and has a toddler. This blows my mind!

  Trey sees my face when he meets me at the door. “What the fuck is wrong? I saw you put Lynn in the truck.”

  “You’ll find out in a second,” I whisper and take his hand, pulling him with me towards Vinny, who is watching both of us.

  “Where is my daughter?” Charles demands, taking a step towards me. I would be intimidated if I wasn’t so fucking mad.

  “What fucking daughter?” I ask and plant myself directly beside Vinny, putting myself right in his face.

  I am one woman he will not overpower.

  “You know what fucking daughter!” he screams in my face, and I look at Vinny, who is pissed the fuck off.

  “I would suggest you back up. I will fucking shoot you if you dare to speak to her like that again.” Vinny pushes him back, and he stumbles dramatically and his back hits the wall.

  “You don’t have a fucking daughter, because you’re a pathetic fucking excuse for a father.” I point my finger in his face. “You forced her to marry a man when she was thirteen years old! She is a baby who has a baby! Do you not see anything fucking wrong with that! As a father you’re supposed to protect her from the fucking pedophile who married her!”

  I try to catch my breath. I want to cry, I am so fucking angry and hurt this happened to her.

  Charles’s face pales.

  “Tell me, tell me I shouldn’t call the police and lock you up! She is a minor!” I threaten him. I want to fucking choke him. I want to pound it into his brain that what he did was wrong!

  I turn to his mother, who is crying. “You…you’re to blame also. You didn’t protect her,” I tell her in a much softer voice, because I know she has had a hard life.

  Etta looks so conflicted, and I address her. “Sweetheart, if you want to leave, I will take you so far away from here. You can have a whole new life, college, friends and be a normal eighteen-year-old.”

  “I’m married,” she whispers, looking at her mother, who looks completely haunted with everything that is happening around her.

  I take her hand. I want to take her away too. “It’s your choice. How old were you when you were married?” I ask her.

  She pushes her hair behind her ear with shaking fingers. “I was fourteen; it happened right after Vinny left, but I don’t have any kids. He tried and tried, but I haven’t gotten pregnant,” she confesses.

  “The marriage isn’t real, it’s not legal,” I inform her, and she looks completely shocked.

  “What do you mean it’s not legal?”

  I wince internally at how clearly brainwashed she is, the abuse she has suffered.

  “I’ll come with you. I want to be with my sister. Our brother Danny left years ago. I don’t know where he is,” she tells me and looks at her father, then her mother. “I’m eighteen now, I’m an adult. I can leave as I please.”

  She walks out of the room by herself and opens the front door, then I see her through the window walking to the truck with her arms above her head, feeling the breeze.

  I smirk when I see the horrified look on her dad’s face. “Why are you scared? No one to bully anymore?”

  Vinny doesn’t speak. He grabs his dad’s face in his palm and forces the back of his head to hit the wall hard, then he turns away. I can see the anguish on his face, the hurt.

  He is devastated.

  Trey looks at me and flicks his eyes to Vinny. I walk over and wrap my arms around him and hold him.

  Trey takes Vinny’s place and picks his father up by the throat, slamming him onto the table right beside his wife, who finally wakes up and screams.

  Trey laughs at her, right in his face. “Let me go, faggot!” Charles screams as Trey squeezes harder and harder on his throat, until he stops speaking.

  With his free hand, Trey takes out his gun, dragging it up Charles’s body to his temple. “Vinny, do you want me to kill this sorry excuse for a man?” He grinds his gun, taunting him.

  “I think he deserves to die. He isn’t even a man.” I taunt right back. I peer over Trey’s shoulder, sickened at the sight of him.

  Then I realize something. When I first saw her, I noticed that Vinny’s mom was quite a bit younger than Vinny’s dad. “How old were you when you married him?” I ask her, and Charles starts fighting Trey, trying to get loose.

  “Mom?” Vinny asks her.

  She bends her head. “I was thirteen like Lynn. He was in his twenties.”

  This is blowing my mind. How can something like this happen for so long and no one get caught?

  “I am going to kill you,” Vinny growls and tears Charles off of the table, dragging him by his throat out of the house to the back yard.

  “You don’t deserve to live. You don’t deserve another second on this earth. Fucking pedophile.” Vinny tosses him onto the ground and takes out his gun, putting it in the center of his forehead.

  Am I going to watch this happen? An idea hits me.

  “Wait, Vinny. Maybe we should get more information out of him. I can’t stand the thought of young girls like this being stuck in this life.” Vinny lowers his gun and studies me.

  “I want to kill this motherfucker just as much as you, but just imagine if we get all of these sick fucks.” Trey smirks, bending down to Charles. “But know, you are going to die. That is non-negotiable. Your suffering is just getting extended.” Trey pats his face hard.

  “I’ll call the guys to bring a van for this dipshit, then we can get out of here.” Trey walks away and pulls out his phone.

  I walk up to Vinny and wrap my arms around his middle. This has been a shitshow and it must be hard knowing that this happened right under his nose.

  I put my hands on his cheeks, demanding he look at me. “Vinny, this is not your fault. You’re a survivor too. You got out of here. That takes guts, baby. They were so mean to you,” I whisper, trying to stop that ache in his heart I know he has.

  “Be a fucking man. Tell her to shut up,” Charles bitches from the ground.

  Vinny spins around, punching him hard in the face. “Do not look at her, speak to her or even hint at talking about her. I will save the prospects the trouble of driving out here and kill you now. You disgus
t me.”

  I take his hand and pull him away from Charles. “Baby, don’t be hurt over this. You were so young when you left. This is not on you, but what we can do is get revenge.”

  He smiles at that and kisses my forehead. “I am so thankful you came into my life.”

  I grip his sides. “I’m so thankful for you too.”

  Trey joins in and kisses me softly. “I’m thankful for the both of you.” He holds my cheek as he kisses Vinny, and I smile at the small intimate moment we’re having.

  “Oh shit, I forgot. Their husbands will be back,” I whisper-yell, and I run around the side of the house to the front so I can check on the girls.

  Vinny runs with me. Trey stays back so he can keep an eye on Charles. “You nervous to talk to them?” I ask Vinny, taking his hand as we get closer.

  “Yes, I haven’t seen them since they were really young. I just never expected all of this when I planned on visiting today. In my mind I was going to confront my parents for how they acted. I didn’t know it ran this deep.”

  I surely never expected this.

  Vinny opens the truck door, hops into the driver’s seat and I get in the passenger’s seat. “You okay?” Vinny asks Lynn and Etta.

  Lynn is holding her sleeping daughter. “Are you sure it’s okay we come live with you, Vinny?” she asks.

  Vinny smiles. “Yes, baby sister. I’ll put you both in school and college, and you’ll live with me, Trey and Lani until you’re ready to move out. Whatever you want to do, I will support it.”

  Etta’s eyes fill with tears. “Thank you so much.” She leans over the seat and hugs Vinny tightly. “I’ve missed you so much, Vinny, but I was happy when you left. It hurt me when they hurt you,” she whispers so softly, but I hear her.

  I think I need to hop out of this truck and beat the fuck out of his dad. “I’m going to go check on Trey. I’ll be back in a few.” I kiss his cheek, hitting the lock when I leave.

  Vinny rolls his eyes at me before I shut the door. I know it may be useless because he’s a badass biker guy, but I want to protect him too.