GoodReadShackled (The Lord Series)
120. Reyes
I never liked Christmas, it reminds me of all the times Roxanne spent all the money my father earned with his hard work on
booze and drugs. Even on Christmas he had to work, leaving soon after Alec and I opened our presents. As soon as the front
door closed, Roxanne would take away our gifts and leave to exchange them for cheap vodka or shrooms. But this year will be
different as Angel put a lot of thought into our first Christmas together as a family. I hope she likes what I got her, as I’ve never
bought a woman presents.
I left the apartment in the middle of the night, wanting to return before the others woke up. And now I am standing in front of an
old house that is in shambles. Part of the rooftop is caved in, and some windows are broken, making me wonder how someone
can live here. Many times, I found myself standing in front of it, but never had the courage to go inside, not wanting to face my
past...but now, I want to put an end to it.
I enter. The stench of human feces and vomit hits me hard, making me gag, and I cover my nose with my sleeve.
Most of the furniture is gone, and what is left is broken. Trash, roaches, and rats are all over the place. My OCD is starting to go
wild, and I make my way to the top floor, wanting to be done what I came here to do. The door to the master bedroom is open,
and I enter. A woman who is only skin and bones is sleeping on a dirty mattress; bottles and syringes are piled in a corner,
confirming what I already know.
fear flash
When I stand next to the mattress, she wakes up, fear flashing in her green eyes. Her hair is greasy, and her clothes are full of
stains, the body odor coming from her makes my eyes water.
“Hello, mommy dear,” I sneer.
did?
She tries to grab my legs, but I move away from her. “My son.”
I pull out a knife. “I am not your son,” my voice comes out so calmly it surprises me. I thought I would sound as angry as I.
rel, all this hatred I harbored for this woman since she sold Alec and me, eating me from the inside out. “You sold me. And Alec.
Remember?”
“Forgive me,” she whimpers.
“God is the only one who can decide if your sins are forgiven or not. My job is to send you to him.”
“You are going to kill me?”
“It will be a pleasure to do so. We will start with a shower, as I don’t think I can stand that smell of yours for too long.”
She blinks. “A shower? But I haven’t paid the bills in years.”
Great. She doesn’t have running water. I will have to endure her stench then. “Tell me where to find Azael.”
“I don’t know.” The tone of her voice lets me know she is lying.
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120. Reyes
“When I am done with you, you will tell me everything I want to know.”
I torture her and make her beg for her life before I torture her some more.
“Find Carlos, and you find Azael,” she finally tells me what I want to know after blabbering a bunch of useless stuff.
“Carlos? What about him?”
She shakes her head and closes her eyes, taking her last breath.
People are supposed to be sad when their mother dies, right? Yet I feel happy.
Before I leave, I go to see the room that Alec and I used to share. I expect to see it full of filth, but it is surprisingly clean.
am three in this picture, and I straddle Alec’s right thigh. My mother looks healthy, while my father smiles happily. I rip the part of
the photo that has my mother in it and let it drop on the floor, put the rest of the photo in my wallet and leave.
I move my mother’s body to the bottom floor, hoping the rats will eat her quickly and leave the house.
My father is on the other side of the sidewalk, and we stare one at another for a while.
“I heard you are going to be a father,” he says.
I dreamed of him talking to me again and of what I would say to him, and now my mouth goes dry, and I don’t think I can speak,
so I nod.
“You did well,” he says before leaving.
It is like him letting me know he is proud of me.
He stops and turns on his heels. “Your wife, she is a rare jewel. Treat her well. I will be seeing you.”
Is this his way of telling me he is ready to forgive me?
Not wanting to get my hopes up, I go to my car and make a phone call.
“Rueben, it’s me. Any news about Carlos?”
“It’s like the earth opened and swallowed him,” Rueben replies. “But I won’t give up until he is found.”
“Thanks. I owe you one.”
I end the call and start the engine.
Even if it takes twenty years, I will find Carlos. And when I do that, I will find Azael as well.
The streets are empty, I race home, wanting to take a shower and get rid of the clothes I am wearing before I snuggle with Angel.
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120. Reyes
“We bind our hearts, souls, and bodies to you and vow to love and protect you eternally. In return, you vow your
allegiance to us ‘till the end of time,” the words of the covenant between Angel and us come to my mind as I press
down on the gas pedal.
This story is a few chapters away from ending but the journey of the Lords has just begun. If you want to learn more of the next
book, you can if me on FB – Amy T Stories
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