Locced and Loaded Ladies: Daleigh's Journey

Locced and Loaded Ladies: Daleigh’s Journey By Candi Usher Table of Content Table of Contents 1 Prologue 2 A Matted Mess 3 Detangling 13 The Big Chop 22 New Growth 36 Getting Started 43 Twisted 55 Locced In 66 Growing It Out 77 Retwist 93 Locced and Loaded 111 Surprise 128 About the Author 131 Prologue Daleigh ran when she got the chance. But was her past really behind her? She had been running from things all her life. Was she finally at the place to settle down? Had she found what she was looking for? Things look different. With the past that she packed up and left behind, she believed she was moving on. But when there was a knock on the door, it seemed her past wouldn’t let her go. How will Dayleigh begin again? She could go on the run again. Disappear into the night. Yet, she didn’t want to leave the life she created. Was staying worth it? Or should she leave to protect the people who had started to mean so much to her? She would discover that the life she thought existed was never real. A Matted Mess Daleigh (pronounced Day-lee) was from Videl, a small town in Georgia. She was only 18 years old. She was a chocolate-skinned girl with unusual eyes that were an eerie shade of purple. She didn’t look like either of her parents. She didn’t look like anyone on either side of her family. She was 5’10” tall with legs for days. She had some curves but felt more they were more significant than other people considered curvy. Daleigh’s coiled hair was to her shoulders and purple on the ends. Her voice was firm yet soft because she felt if she spoke too loud, she would sound harsh or angry. She was an only child. She was also an all-A student in school. Her life was sheltered and wrapped tight by two domineering and overwhelming parents. They didn’t care, and Daleigh was always trying to prove she was the perfect child for them. Her dad, Jason Miller, was a teacher who loved to control everything and everyone. Her mom, Casey Miller, was teetering on the edge of a nervous breakdown every week. The family was in constant disarray. Daleigh’s grandparents didn’t even want her mother. They constantly made it clear that Daleigh wasn’t welcome to family events. Her father’s family intentionally cut him off. The amount of control he needed was out of control. He would ruin family functions by starting fights deliberately. He would get loud and boisterous; no alcohol was necessary. They avoided him at all costs. This means they avoided Daleigh, too. She had begged her dad and her mom’s family to get her out of that house. Yet they refused to help her. Daleigh was left to fend for herself. Daleigh was always looking for a way out of Videl after graduation. There was nothing for her there. Marcus Domingez came as a disguised blessing. She met him on her eighteenth birthday. She worked at the Waffle House. Dayleigh had worked there from sixteen until graduation. Marcus had showed up the day after graduation. He was 6’3”, with mocha-colored skin and hair that was so curly you knew he was of Puerto Rican descent. He was a trucker who was supposed to be passing through. He made a point to be seated in Daleigh’s section, flirting with her every chance he could. Marcus made a point to show up every day. Daleigh basked in his attention since the guys in her town had no ambition, and very few made it out. She thought Marcus was going to be her ticket out of Vadel. She was so wrong. * * * * Next thing Daleigh knew, Marcus had moved to town. He was adamant about “rescuing” her after she told him what was happening at home. He even dared to go and confront her father, which was a huge mistake. That man made such a fuss that Marcus ran out of the house. Daleigh followed, embarrassed that the neighbor had come out of their homes because of the yelling and screaming. Her father stood in the middle of the road and screamed for her to return. Her mother had a meltdown in the middle of the road. Marcus and Daleigh got in Marcus’ Mustang and drove off. They passed the police coming up the road. Daleigh couldn’t imagine the mess that was about to happen in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, she needed to go back and get her things. She didn’t want to ever return to that house again. Marcus took Daleigh back to his house, hoping she would stay with him permanently. He intentionally riled up her parents. He needed a way to make Dayleigh dependent on him. He was ok with her working at the Waffle House. If she stepped carefully and didn’t flirt with other men, she could make her measly money. “She’s going to need me forever. I will never let her go!!” Marcus thought to himself. He looked over at Daleigh, smiling. Marcus was a man who took whatever he wanted whenever he wanted. He had intentionally moved to Vadel. When Marcus met Daleigh, he wanted her. Trucking was a decent life, but it wasn’t the life he wanted to keep doing. Driving trucks did allow Marcus to find the women he wanted, though. He always made sure to have the women hooked on him just enough so he could control them any way he could. He almost was caught playing the field a few times, but that silver tongue always got him out of it. “I’m so sorry about my parent, Marcus,” Daleigh mumbled, still embarrassed and not wanting to look Marcus in the face. “It’s ok. It’s my fault for even going over there. I provoked them, and I’m sorry.” Marcus stated. “Okay.” Daleigh nodded. Marcus pulled up to his house, got out, and then walked around to open the door for Daleigh. “Thank you,” Daleigh said softly. She and Marcus walked up to the door of Marcus’ 3-bedroom house. He opens the door for her, ushering her in. Daleigh walks to the couch. She can’t control the sobs that suddenly overtake her. Her life is going wild, and she feels there’s nothing she can do about it. Marcus sits next to her and then wraps his arms around her. If Daleigh had looked up at that moment, she would have seen the smirk on Marcus’ face. He had her right where he wanted her. Next move, then checkmate. Daleigh’s face was buried too deep in his chest, and his eyes were closed, so he could not even sense the change in Marcus’ body language. “I think you should move in with me. That way, you’ll be safe, and you don’t have to keep dealing with the drama from your parents.” Marcus suggested gently. “Would that be a good idea? We’re not married, and I wouldn’t feel comfortable staying with you in that capacity.” Daleigh answered. “Just for a few days. Until you can find your place to live.” Marcus prodded. Daleigh looked into Marcus' brown eyes, her violet eyes still damp. “OK. Sure. But only for a few days. I can apply for an apartment or find a friend to stay with. I don’t want to be more of a burden to you than I already am. Thank you for caring so much about me.” “I love you. I want to see you happy. You’ve been through so much with your parents, and you deserve to have a happy life. I hope I can give you that. I’m always here for you. You staying here is no problem.” Marcus consoled Daleigh. Marcus’ mind began running again. Step one had now happened. Daleigh may have been the easiest target he had ever come across in his 36 years of life. See, he told Daleigh that he was only 20 years old. No one in town knew his age because he had purchased a fake identity. Oh, his name was confirmed. That’s the only thing in his life that was real. Marcus had done so many things in his life that if Videl knew who he was, people would lock their homes and daughters up. Marcus’ past was so dark that there was no way any light could soften it. Marcus’ condescending smile broke through again as he stared at the beautiful yet unaware young woman in his arms. He was going to break her. Her parents had already done part of the job for him. He wanted her so dependent on him that she would have to ask his permission to breathe. He didn’t want Daleigh’s body. He wanted her soul. Marcus wanted her to become his mannequin. He enjoyed the challenge of breaking a woman into the image he wanted her in. When he was tired of her, he would leave the shell of her for someone else to deal with. The trail of broken spirits was like a high to Marcus. Every city he chose, each woman he chose, he made sure the next one was harder than the last. Daleigh may be his last one, though. She was too easy, and Marcus could easily make her his wife. He intentionally never married because he didn’t want to be tied down. Marriage meant that, at some point, he could lose control. Yet, Daliegh was the clay he always craved. He was willing to take his chance on her permanently. She was unaware, and he was the snake waiting to strike his poison, filling every cell of her with him. Daleigh finally calmed down. She went to the bathroom to clean her face and blow her nose. Something in her didn’t feel right; she couldn’t place her finger on it. It felt like Marcus’ attitude had changed once they had settled into his house. Maybe it was the stress of the day. Daleigh thought she was overthinking things. Marcus was loving, kind, and caring and had her back when no one else did. She knew she could depend on him. Just as Daleigh came out of the bathroom, the doorbell rang. Marcus moved quickly to the door, hoping it wasn’t anything or anyone who could get in the way of his plans. Things were coming together too quickly, and that was unsettling to him. He brushed the feeling off and opened the door to two police officers standing in the doorway. “Good evening, sir. We’re here to check on Daleigh Miller. Is she here right now?” the taller White officer asked. Marcus looked the man up and down, then turned to the Hispanic female officer beside him. He flashed her his unique smile, then answered, “Yeah. She just stepped into the bathroom. Let me get her for you.” “Why are you here, officers?” asked Daleigh. “Did my parents send you here? Nothing is happening, no one is injured, and we left the altercation before it worsened. Why are you bothering us?” “Your parents just want to make sure you’re ok. Your mom had a breakdown and had to be medicated. They just transported her to the hospital. She thinks your boyfriend kidnapped you.” the Hispanic officer answered. “Well, Officer…what’s your name? Diaz? I am just fine. I’ll check on my mother later. If there’s nothing else, please leave.” Daleigh huffed, getting frustrated and stressed all over again. “Baby, calm down. Your parents care about you and want to make sure you’re ok. Don’t take it the wrong way. How about this? Let’s go to the hospital, check on your mom, and let her and your dad see you’re okay. No drama, no mess. Just a simple pass-through.” Marcus encouraged.