The Bad Boy is Mine

Chapter 1

Ding Dong

I frown. It's a bit early for them to be here already.

I set my bag down and walk to the door. Bella and Bentley shove past me, their tails wagging crazily.

"Back." I say, nuding them with my knee gently. Both dogs back up and sit obidently. I open the door.

"AUNTIE!" Charlotte squeals.

I pick her up. "Oh, look at you!" I grin, moving aside to let my Mom and brother in.

Mom hugs me, but Adam doesn't look at me.

My heart cracks at how skinny and pale he is.

"Hey Adam." I say.

He shrugs, looking down at his daughter.

"I wasn't expecting you guys for another two hours." I say.

"Were you just leaving?" Mom asks.

"I was going to go get a drink..." I admit. "It's fine though, I know you guys don't want to go anywhere."

"Actually..." Mom looks down at her granddaughter. "We were hoping we could go to the beach."

I look at the time. It's five thirty.

"Sure, just let me change and then we can go."

Mom nods. I walk into my room and get a white strapless bra bikini top with a pink pattern on it, a white cover up, and high wasted shorts. The cover up is like a sweater. I leave it open. I pull on the elastic band that holding my long red hair in a bun and let it flow. I run a brush though my waves, put some black sunglasses on my head, and walk into the living room. I put my phone in my pocket and grab my keys.

"Ready to go?" I ask. Everyone nods, and we head downstairs. I slide on white flip flops before we left.

The guy that lives next to me has a crush on me, and he's just walking out of his door when I walk out of mine. He stops dead in his tracks and looks at me.

He opens his mouth to ask me out for the seventh time, but I go downstairs. I'm tired of telling him no every time he asks. I feel bad, but he's disgusting and picks his nose.

Plus I'm really not looking for a relationship.

Especially not after Marucs.

I unlock my gray 2009 Toyota Corolla and we all get in.

I roll down the windows after starting it up.

"So how's life?" Mom asks.

"Same old, same old." I sigh.

"And how's Marcus?" she asks.

Mom hates him. He's my ex, and he's abusive.

I got away because I called the police and got him arrested for battery.

"Rotting in a cell." I say. She doesn't know he was abusive and she doesn't know I got him arrested.

"He's in jail?" Mom asks.

"Yes."

"For what?" Adam asks quietly.

"Abuse." I say. I don't look at either of them.

"Abuse?" Mom asks slowly.

"For abusing who?" Adam a=starts to get angry. "You?"

In answer, I let the white cover up drop to reveal the bruises and scars all over my back and arms. Mom and Adam gasp.

I cover myself again.

"I'm fine though." I shrug. "I'm thinking about getting a tattoo or something."

Mom wrinkles her nose.

"I'll go." Adam says.

"If you want you can. I'm not getting it soon."

"Okay."

Times like this, when my brother isn't drugged or drunk, this is when I love him.

This is also when I'm sad.

He's never sober.

Mom turns on the radio and we ride the thirty minutes to the beach.

When we get to the bridge, the traffic starts. We idle along the bridge.

Guys pass us on longboards, and a group of motorcyclists cute me off. Two of them have girls on the back.

They sit three cars in front of me revving their engines.

As we get off the bridge, the traffic slowly starts to move.

We stop though.

"Chinese firedrill!" Adam says.

Well of us get out. I get in the passenger seat, Mom gets in the driver, Adam gets in the seat behind Mom, and he puts Charlotte in the seat behind me.

Mom and I switch seats again though, and we drive around the beach until we find a parking spot.

We park, and we start to walk.

We eat at Hooter's because it's the nearest restaurant, and my eyes wander to all the men and I choose who is cute and who isn't.

We go onto the pier. I hold Charlotte's hand as we look at the tables.

I see a table with necklaces and bracelets.

When I see the small bracelets, I get excited.

I love spoiling Charlotte.

I pick her up.

"Do you want a bracelet honey?" I ask. She's tired. I know because she's sucking her thumb.

She points to a pink and purple one. I open my phone case, which is a wallet case, and I hand the women a five. She gives me a dollar back, and I put the bracelet on.

My eyes lock on a blue anklet.

It's cute.

I get that too, and I put it on my left ankle.

We go down the other side. When we get off the pier it's nine thirty three.

We walk back to the car, and then we drive home.

It's ten o' seven.

I take a shower.

When I come out, Charlotte is sleeping on the couch, and Mom is crying.

"What's wrong?" I ask. I have one a red hoodie and sweatpants.

"He's been in the bathroom since we got home." She whispers.

"Is he taking a shower?" I ask she shakes her head.

I sink onto the couch and bury my head in my hands.

He's probably shooting heroin and snoring cocaine.

I fight tears, and then take a deep breath.

Adam stumbles out of the other bathroom.

He lets out a sigh and falls, literally falls onto the couch next to her daughter. I immediately pick her up and move her away from him.

She's three. She doesn't need his bullshit.

"You-" he cuts of and grins. "Need to chill!" he points at us. I bring Mom and Charlotte into my room.

We'll just have to sleep in here tonight.