Page 57 of Tainted Essence
“Come on, baby girl,” Mom says. I shake off the unease and move to the center. We touch gloves, then I jump back going on the defense. I know from years of training and watching that my mom is an attacker and the only way to beat her is to try to tire her out, then slip in some hits while she has her guard down.
Except she doesn’t move, she stands there with her gloves raised and tears brimming in her eyes. I stand and drop my gloves to my sides. “Mom?” She shakes her head and tries to blink away the tears. I look over at my dad to see he looks just as devastated as she does, he nods once and then out of nowhere I’m sent stumbling to the side when Mom clocks me across the jaw. She may have pulled the punch slightly but it still hurts. I immediately throw up my guard and brace myself for her.
“I’m so sorry,” she cries out before she comes at me. I’m stunned and fucking confused by what is going on that I don’t even fight back for a minute. “Do it!” she screams at me. I suck in a deep breath, then duck and land a blow to her stomach and swivel out of reach when she tries to hit me again. I bounce on the balls of my feet, trying to get a read on her next move like Dad has taught me.
“Tell them!” is screamed from the other side of the ring. I spin around, forgetting all about the fight as I stare at Taylan standing at the edge of the ring behind my dad. Mom tackles me to the ground from behind. Instinct takes over and I buck my hips. Rolling, I get her off me and jump to my feet, she doesn’t fuck around when she comes at me this time. Something inside her has snapped, her punches aren't pulled anymore, she’s mad. “She’s not going to stop until you break those fucking walls down and let them in!” Taylan’s words hit me in the chest. I bite down on the inside of my cheek refusing to allow his words to distract me. I strike back, hitting Mom twice but she manages to get a good jab into my ribs that has me groaning.
“Let me help you!” she pleads as she continues to fight.
“You can’t!” I scream, then trade rolls, forcing her to go on the defense as I attack. I pin her in the corner of the ring forcing her to put her guard up as I go for a quick jab.
“Please, let me in,” she begs but I can’t, if I do they’ll know I’m a fraud and I’m weak. I can’t let her see me like that, she raised me better than that. I know better. I lose all control and unleash every ounce of pent up rage inside me as I attack my mother. I know in my mind that she is my mom but all my eyes see is Koda standing before me.
“Destiny, stop!” Dad screams.
“I hate you! I want you to die!” I yell as I continue to hit him. “You fucking hurt me, you took everything from me.” I hear him grunt and relish in the sound. “You destroyed the good in me, I’ll show you I’m not weak!” I scream.
“You aren’t weak, baby.” The voice penetrates through the haze of my anger and I stop fighting. “You are so fucking brave. You are my little fighter and our champion.” I blink my eyes a couple of times and the sight before me has me stumbling backward.
“Mom,” I cry, her face is bruised and bloody—I did that. Horror cripples me as I stumble backward only to fall to my ass. She rushes forward and drops to her knees in front of me.
“You aren’t broken, baby,” she chokes out through her tears. She uses her teeth to help get the gloves off, then she’s cupping my cheeks.
“Mom,” I sob. “I’m so sorry,” I cry out as tears trail down my cheeks. Dad appears out of thin air and is kneeling beside us looking distraught at the sight of us.
“No, you have nothing to be sorry about. We failed you?—”
“No, Mom, you both did everything for me. I fucked up and he… he… I fought him. I didn’t stop fighting, I swear, but he… arrgghhh,” I cry out when the pain rips me apart. Both of them wrap their arms around me, holding me tight as I let all the emotions I have suppressed for years break free. My chest grows tight and burns from the pain. I force the words out past the lump in my throat, if I am to heal then I need to say out loud. “Koda Novikov raped me.”
Taylan
“Koda Novikov raped me.” I slam my eyes closed and breathe through my nose. Pride swells inside me that she was strong enough to admit it out loud to them, but anger, bloodlust and pain also war for control. That son of a bitch hurt her and no amount of torture will ever change what he did.
“Fuuuucccckkkk!” Gage roars, the pain and heartache in that one word has me fighting back tears of my own. Gage’s hold on both of them tightens. He buries his face in the crook of Destiny’s neck. The three of them stay like that for over an hour. When Gage finally pulls back, his eyes are red and puffy. Not wanting him to think I was standing here judging them, I look away when he stands and helps both girls to their feet. “We’re going to go home, sit down and talk this through. We’re here for you whatever you need, baby girl. I swear to Christ almighty we will never think any less of you.”
Destiny sobs and launches herself at Gage, wrapping her trembling arms around his waist and burying her face in his chest. He cups the back of her head with one hand and grabs Anya with the other, pulling her in close enough he can rest his head against hers.
“You both are the most important people in my life,” he mutters as he releases them and then turns to me. I still as his gaze bores into mine. A moment passes before he gives me a slight nod of thanks, then climbs out of the ring. I remain silent and wait as Destiny and her mom embrace in the ring. I feel like I should give them a moment, so I head outside. I lean against the side of my rental and look up at the night sky feeling utterly useless. I preyed on her like a lion, I made a fucking bet that I could bag her without realizing how disgusting that was until I got to know her.
“You ride alone, we need this time with her.” I lull my head to the side and stare at Gage.
“Yeah, okay,” I say as I push forward and turn to get in the car but his words have me pausing.
“How long have you known?” His tone is hard but I know his anger isn’t directed at me, I do him the courtesy of meeting his gaze.
“A while. Consent is a huge thing for me, Gage. I swear on my honor that I never took advantage of your daughter. No matter what those pictures showed you, I never forced her, not a single fucking time.” He eyes me warily for a moment before nodding and stepping back.
“You get to be there but you stay silent, you are only here because my wife agreed to your terms.”
“I understand,” I say firmly before climbing into my car, it fucking kills me that I can’t be the one to hold her right now but I know she needs this. I know I have no right to feel the way I do after I just let her walk out of that hotel room and did nothing to stop her, but never again.
The fucking cock sucking bitches manning the gate of the Murdoch compound wouldn’t let me enter, so I’ve had no choice but to wait out on the fucking road for Gage to get here. The second I see his headlights, I pull up behind and follow him through the gates, but I roll my window down and shoot that cock sucker the bird as I drive past.
When he pulls into the driveway of his house, I park mine at the curb and kill the engine, suddenly feeling nervous. I climb out of my car, pull my hoodie on, then stuff my hands in the pocket and make my way up the drive. Gage glares at me before opening the back door. Anya steps out, followed by Destiny who won’t even look at me.
I deserve the cold shoulder but fuck that shit hurts.
Gage leads her inside and I follow behind slowly, before I can make it through the door, Anya stops me. She looks shattered and torn apart. Without overthinking it, I pull her to me and hug her, she instantly melts into me and returns my embrace.