Page 41 of Sinful Addiction
I nod to my dad, but don’t speak a word.Anything that I say gets twisted and ends with me being beaten.It’s all Darius’ fault too.He’s the one who lies.The only one in our family who knows the truth is Leona, but I won’t ever let her stand up for me.She’s the only unharmed one in this family.It’s my job to protect her.
I watch as they leave and wait for the nightmares to continue.
I won’t admit I’m scared—ever.Deep inside I am though.I'm frightened that one day they’ll go too far.
I was once hit in the face so hard it made me fall asleep.Darius told Mom he put me down for a nap after I tripped and fell, hitting my head on the corner of the small table in the lounge.
I was seven years old then.
I’m thirteen and understand what this family is doing to me.
When I’m older and much stronger, I plan to take my sister as far away from here as possible.I want to free her from this broken shithole.
As soon as the door closes, Darius turns to me with an unkind glower.I’m scared of him the most.Just because he’s older, he thinks it’s his right to boss me around.It sucks because if I don’t do what he asks then he beats me up.
I hate the way he looks at me.He enjoys playing his mind games.
I try to ignore him and turn around to walk to my bedroom but the force of his hand on my shoulder stops me.
“Where do you think you’re going, bitch.”
“To do my homework.”
“Nah, you’re gonna stay here and clean my shoes.I stepped in mud earlier and they need cleaning.”
My eyebrows scrunch together, the only reaction I can manage without giving my disgust away.
“You can do it with this.”
As he spins me around, my toothbrush comes into view.The moment he sees the shock in my eyes, his smile grows wider and meaner looking.
He’s pleased with himself.
I take the toothbrush and shoes from him with caution.“I’ll do it.”
“You fucking better, bitch, or I’ll tell Mom and Dad you didn’t listen.”
“I’ll do them, just don’t tell Mom or Dad anything.I’ll have them cleaned before they get home.”
Darius seems to like my answer because he’s already walking through the back door, lighting a cigarette I know isn’t filled with tobacco.
I hurry toward the bathroom and pull out his toothbrush.There’s no way I’ll do it with my own.I’m too clever for that.
I know he’ll be outside for at least an hour.He always smokes too much and gets stuck on the swing chair when our parents go out.
Running the cold water over the rubber sole, I start scrubbing as fast as I can making sure to get inside all the little crevices.
It takes me fifty minutes before the last one is dried and ready to wear before the door bursts open and Darius is standing tall, with a look of pure hatred.
Heated pain slices through my cheek, then my breath is taken from me.I brace myself against the bathroom vanity as he lands blow after blow on me.My head, my stomach, my side, my head again.The pain overcomes me so much that I end up on the floor and his fists are replaced with booted feet.
By the time he’s finished I’m barely breathing, unable to move, and I can feel the dribble of blood as it drips to the floor.
Before he leaves, I hear the tinkering of toothbrushes as he moves them inside the holder.The one I cleaned his shoes with comes into view and I internally plead he not do what I’m thinking.
He grabs a fist full of my scruffy hair and holds my head back.I try with all my strength to keep my mouth closed but he’s too strong.
The toothbrush is forced into my mouth, making me gag as it hits the back of my throat, then moved around as if he’s cleaning my mouth out.