Partner In Crime

Chapter 37: Who's Linda?

Linda walks in her house, hours after work. She started working for Keith three years back when she was homeless and didn't have any family to fall back on. Linda was only twenty at the time. Now she's twenty five, she's more successful in her life, and she is very proud of herself.

Linda turns her light on to see her ex-boyfriend from five years ago. He had been locked up due to robbing and breaking into people's homes. Linda called it off, and he never once stopped stalking her.

"Micheal, you shouldn't be here," she said, seeing him get up off her couch.

"I've been calling and texting you for three days," he said

"I've told you, last week was the last we would ever get to see each other," she said, seeing him walk in her face.

Micheal grabs her throat, pushing her onto the wall. "And I've told you, it ain't going down like that," he said

Linda didn't say anything as he held her throat. Micheal steals off her, seeing her fall holding her face. Since he got out, he's been abusing Linda, but she always hid the fact that she was dealing with any man. 

Micheal grabs her by her hair. Dragging her to the couch. "Micheal, stop," she said

"Stop?" He asked, stealing off her repeatedly.

Blood began coming from Linda lip. Her eyes were beginning to swell up seeing this man she lost her virginity to hit her over and over.

"I'm sorry," she said, feeling her body becoming weak  after every hit.

Micheal stopped punching her. Seeing her cry and bleeding. He ain't care. She was always his, and he always had control over her.

"Clean yourself up," he said, walking out the living room into the kitchen.

Linda gets up, feeling the pain front her face and arms. She hated herself for even allowing this man to come back into her life. She walks up her steps, opening up her door.

Five hours later.

3am

Linda looks over her shoulder, seeing Micheal sound asleep with his arm around her. She slowly moves his arm, seeing him turn over. She waited another five minutes before moving. She gets out of bed putting on her house shoes. She makes her way towards her door, opening it slowly, looking back at Micheal sound asleep.

She walks out her bedroom door down the steps as quiet as she can be. She grabs the keys from the key rack. As the keys made a loud sound. Linda heard Micheal coming from the steps.

She ran out the door, unlocking the car door. She ain't look back one bit as she hears footsteps getting closer. She hops in the car, locking the door. Micheal was an inches away, grabbing the door handle..

Linda looked at him through her window. He was mad as hell.

"I'll be to find you," he said seeing her back up, than driving off fast as fuck. He could have followed her, but he knew exactly where she was going.

6am

Keith already up and ready waiting for Linda to walk through the door. Risha walks in the kitchen seeing Keith making Coffee.

"Goodmorning baby," Risha said kissing him on the lips. "Going into the office?" She asked

"Goodmorning. And yeah, but I got to see about this drop first," he said hearing his front door open

Linda walks in the kitchen all bruised up and eyes swollen shut.

"Linda!" Risha said in shock

"What happened?" Keith said coming up to her.

Linda cries not wanting to say anything.

"Linda, come on. Who did this to you?" Risha asked

"Someone from my pass. I-- I just...

"Come on," Risha said grabbing her hand. Seeing tears fall down

"What's his name?" Keith asked

"Micheal Ramsey," she said walking out the kitchen with Risha.

Keith grabs his phone out calling William. Risha in Linda walks outside to Risha Own private house. Walking in Risha goes pour Linda a drink, while she seats down on the sofa.

Risha walks back in her living room with red wine. She noticed Linda lip swollen, too.

"Hey, we ain't got to talk about it. But I want you to know I'm a good friend and listener," Risha said, sitting down next to Linda.

"I've never talked about my problems to anyone. I'm lucky to even be in the field of work," she said

"If you don't mind explaining.  Kind of slow here," Risha said, seeing Linda smile. "I'm sorry, I ain't mean to make you laugh,"

"No, it's fine. I was in the foster care system, and I never knew my family. I was homeless. Keith found me in a very bad space in my life. And he changed that for me. I'm grateful," she said

"And you never spoke on it," Risha said

"I mean. I'm just his chef. I didn't know how to cook or nothing. I was his made at first. And no, not like that. He never once came at me, or I've never come at him. He looked out for me like nobody did," she said

"He a good man,"

"He is. And I'm happy he found you, cause I've never talked or wanted to have a conversation with his females. Not even his ex-wife," she said smiling..

"I grew to know you a little. And I want to get to know more of you. I was in the system as well. No wonder we connected fast. We got something in command," Risha said

"I never knew. But thank you for even trying to get my mind off of what happened to me,"  linda sighs."I met him when I was fifteen. We met at school. My first. He was a sweetheart that had a dark side to him, I never knew nothing about until before he got locked up," Linda said

"He is fresh out?" Risha asked

"Yes. Been out for 6 months," she said."Once he got out. He saw that I had money and thought at first I was sleeping with Keith. I tried to give this man another chance. I kept it a secret of him abusing me. Covering up marks. Once I called it off, it got worse," she said

"Man like that HATE taking rejection from us ladies. especially from a breakup. Sometimes, man can't handle the fact that when we as women can finally come to our senses after being abused constantly. We ready to leave and not come back,"  Risha said

"I hate that too. It got so bad that he's stalking me. Sometimes, hes waiting on me blocks from Keith Penthouse. And I never said anything cause I do love him,"

"Love. That's what fuck us up as Ladies. I'm sorry, I'm not like that. And I'm not trying to come off rude or nothing. But once you have done me wrong, I'm leaving and not coming back. We as Women have to be more strong when it comes to these no good ass niggas," Risha said as the both giggle.

"No, I love the honesty. I don't have a heart like you. Wish I did," she said

Keith walks in. "Linda, you'll be staying here for a while. Until I figure out where he's at," Keith said

"I don't want to be a burden," Linda said, standing up.

"Burden?" Keith asked

"No, it's fine, Linda. You can stay in here. You'll have your own space and don't feel like a burden. You basically live here too," Risha said, standing up as well.

"You sure?" Linda asked

"Very sure. Plus, I can have somebody to keep me company and show me how to cook some good ass steak," Risha said

"Okay," Linda said, seeing Risha come up and hug her.

"I got somebody to come look at you in fifteen minutes. Risha," He said, seeing Risha walk up to him as he grabbed her hand.