TAINTED HEARTS (ENGLISH)

TAINTED HEARTS 21

Chapter 21

I was holding a knife behind my back when Mama’s ex-partner appeared with a devilish grin. His companion looked around the whole house.

“Your family is big time, Amel.” His cheeks were sunken, and his eyes were bloodshot.

“It’s been so long since I last saw you all! Aren’t you going to hug me?” Amel laughed.

When they walked closer to the living room, I pushed Mama to the side. I placed myself nearer to Amel, because before they could reach the children, they would have to go through me first.

“How did you know where we live?”

“Why? Are you going to drive me away? You’re my family, so I should live here too!”

“You’re not family to us!”

He burst out laughing and glared at me.

“Look at you! Just because you bagged yourself a rich boyfriend, you’re already acting arrogant!”

My grip on the knife hidden behind me tightened.

“Is it your boyfriend who gave you this? I saw you outside kissing. Looks like he loves you a lot, huh?”

My lips pressed tight when I remembered the shadow I had noticed several times. I thought it was just my imagination because of the lamppost light.

His companion was already rummaging through the things inside, checking if there was anything valuable to sell. His companion had no weapon with him. Only Amel was holding a gun.

“You wouldn’t open the door, so I ended up breaking it. Don’t worry, I’ll fix it since I’ll be living here anyway—”

“You won’t live here! You have no family here, so leave! I won’t give you anything, so get out!”

“Don’t be like that, Xena.” He laughed. “We’re family. Don’t be stingy.”

While arguing, I was signaling Mama. They were already close to the door, so I locked eyes with Mama to remind her of what I told her earlier. The gate was locked and Mama had the key. Once they got out, Along and the kids were to go straight to my car. Mama would head to the gate to unlock it.

“Look at this, Amel! We can sell this!”

I signaled Mama when Amel turned his back to inspect what his companion pointed out. While they were talking about how much it could be sold for, we all moved quickly. Mama and my siblings ran out. I followed. Amel turned and angrily chased after us. I pulled the door shut before he could get out.

“You f*****g b***h!” he shouted furiously when his hand got caught in the door. Because of that, I couldn’t fully close the door properly.

I glanced at Mama, who was struggling to open the gate. When I looked back at the door, Amel’s hand reached my face. I felt a sting on my skin where he scratched me.

I trembled in fear but used all my strength to keep him from opening the door. We struggled, pulling against each other from both sides. I checked on Mama again. When she opened the gate, I shouted at her to get in the car.

“Do that later! Help me here!” Amel yelled at his companion, who still seemed busy looking for valuables things to sell.

I panicked. If his companion helped, they could quickly force the door open. I remembered the knife I had dropped near my feet. Slowly and carefully, I picked it up. Once I got a hold of the handle, without hesitation, I stabbed his trapped arm twice.

He screamed, and his attention turned to his wounded arm. I used that moment to run from the door to the car and quickly got inside. I could still hear him screaming in pain, cursing me, and shouting that he would kill me.

My hands shook as I hurried to start the car. I couldn’t remember how to do it. Lennox had taught me in his car, not this one!

My face drained of color when the door opened and Amel pointed his gun at us. His other arm was down, blood flowing heavily from it.

I closed my eyes and tried to recall what Lennox had taught me. I opened them again when I heard bullets hitting the car. I bit my lower lip hard, terrified that my family might get hurt with his next shot.

“I’ll kill all of you!”

I took a deep breath when I saw through the side mirror Amel attempting to run toward us. Panicked and desperate to get away, I managed to start the car. I didn’t know how. I wasn’t even aware of what I was doing. All I knew was that we had to escape, or else my family would be hurt, or worse, all of us would be killed by Amel.

He fired several more shots at us, but since we had already pulled away, it was unlikely for him to hit us. I had no idea where we were going, and I hadn’t brought anything with me. I didn’t even have my phone. I just kept driving, scanning the area, hoping we’d pass by a police station.

My siblings were crying, and Mama too, while I kept my eyes fixed on the road. I wasn’t used to driving. I was also surprised at myself that I managed to do it properly because of the urgency. I never thought the few hours Lennox spent teaching me how to drive would end up saving all our lives.

I slowed down once I was sure we were far enough. Amel didn’t have a vehicle, so I was certain they couldn’t follow us. I stopped in front of a police station. They immediately attended to us and quickly sent officers to our house. I didn’t know if anyone had arrived there yet, but they sent another team.

My white clothes were stained with blood from stabbing Amel. I was sitting down but still weak from what happened. Two policewomen were distracting my siblings to stop them from crying. I breathed deeply and leaned against the wall behind me. I tilted my head up and closed my eyes.

This time, I wanted him imprisoned. He carried a gun and broke into our house, so this time I could file a case. Before, he always got away by denying the abuse; now, he couldn’t deny the crime he committed.

“Hey.”

I slowly opened my eyes when I felt a touch on my cheek, on the part where Amel had scratched me. A handsome man came into view. He was wearing an elegant suit, worry written all over his face as he bent down toward me.

“Lennox . . .” I whispered weakly, exhausted.

“Let’s tend your wound,” he said.

I smiled. “I’m fine. It’s just a scratch.”

I kept smiling even though my lips were dry from fear earlier. I couldn’t even feel thirst or hunger, only exhaustion. After studying my face, he exhaled deeply and sat beside me. He reached for my hand and stared at me.

“You are not safe at your house anymore. Go home with me.” He glanced at my siblings, who were still being entertained. “Come home to me with your family.”

We stared at each other in silence.

“Miss, we need to talk to you about what happened.”

I let go of Lennox’s hand and stood to follow the officer who came for me.

“Were the intruders thieves?”

I shook my head. I felt Lennox approach and sit beside me.

“He’s my mother’s ex-partner.”

“Where’s your father? Does he know what happened?”

I lowered my gaze and played with my fingers. I looked up at Lennox when he held my hand.

“Our father’s not here. He’s gone . . .”

The officer looked at us, and I knew he understood. He nodded and wrote on the paper he was holding.

“Whose house was broken into?”

“My father’s,” I answered. “He left it to me.”

Lennox’s tightening grip on my hand caught my attention. His brows furrowed.

“He left it to you before he died?” the officer asked. I didn’t know if they were just curious or if it was necessary to ask, but I answered anyway.

“He had a friend he left money with. That friend gave us the house and the car. It was Mr. Andromeda who bought it but it came from my father's money.”

I quickly turned to Lennox when he squeezed my hand tighter. His eyes were confused, and I didn’t know why or what about.

“Have you lived there long?” the officer asked.

I shifted my gaze back to him.

“We just moved in. We used to live in the squatter’s area. We lived there with the man who broke in. Whenever I couldn’t give him money, he would hurt us.”

“He’s hurting all of you?”

“Yes—”

I stopped talking when Lennox let go of me. He stood up and walked out. I followed him with my eyes. He stopped at the door, roughly rubbed his palms over his face, then angrily ran his fingers through his hair. Finally, I saw him clench his fists.

Amel and his companion still hadn’t been caught. They had escaped before the police arrived. Lennox caught up with the officers at the house and asked about us, so he quickly came here. He looked exhausted. He hadn’t even changed out of his work clothes.

When I stepped out, he was leaning against the wall, his gaze far away. He seemed deep in thought. He stood properly when he saw me coming out.

“Are you okay?” I asked softly, approaching him to look into his face.

He nodded and smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He looked even more tired than me.

“I’m fine. Are you all ready to go home?” he asked hoarsely.

We left immediately and rode in his car. We were all quiet, except for my siblings, who started making noise again once we got down.

They were amazed by Lennox’s house—the big gate, the wide courtyard, the fountain, and the massive house.

He grinned as he opened the door for my siblings. I told Mama to follow them since they ran excitedly inside. They were rowdy, and I didn’t want them breaking anything expensive.

I stayed outside. I looked at Lennox as I waited for him to come closer so we could talk.

“We won’t stay here long. I’ll look for an apartment tomorrow where we can move.”

He looked at me with narrowed eyes. His strong arms carefully wrapped around my waist. I looked up at him and placed my palm on his chest, where his heart was. My other hand reached for his nape when he began planting lingering kisses on my dry lips, sucking them to moisten them. After a while, he parted our lips. I smiled and hugged him.

“You made me worried.”

He buried his face in my neck and exhaled deeply. He caressed my back as his heartbeat raced wildly.

“You don’t have to leave. Just stay here with me, Xena.”

For a moment, I forgot everything that happened earlier because of the tickling heat of his breath against my neck.

“Don’t you have anyone else living here?”

He shook his head, his face still buried in my neck.

“Just the housemaids.”

I bit my lip before asking the next question.

“Doesn’t she live here . . .” I trailed off deliberately. His embrace loosened so I could look up at him.

“She’s at another house. And frankly, we’re not entirely living together. I just call her whenever I want to f**k. She wants to cuddle after, so out of respect, I let her stay.”

I blushed and lowered my gaze at his vulgar reply. He chuckled and hugged me again.

“You cuddled her? You held her while sleeping like you did with me in my room?”

He laughed against my neck, squeezing me tighter in his arms. He was hugging me so tightly I felt crushed.

“Are you really sure you want to talk about this right now?”

I nodded, feeling his body heat.

“Fine. She was hugging me, but I wasn’t hugging her. I’m a stomach sleeper,” he laughed.

“You sleep lying face down? Then why, when you were in my room, were you hugging me?”

He groaned and bit my neck gently.

“Because it’s you,” he murmured huskily. He began planting wet kisses along my neck, up to my jaw, and on the corners of my lips. “You changed me without even realizing it, Xena. And you made me guilty for everything that I’ve said and done.”