One Step Forward

Chapter 24. I came For Her

Mya's POV

I stood in the spot he asked me to for at least a half an hour, looking around for any sign of him. The sun had gone down. If I were being honest, I was a little stunned that he chose such a busy area of the city. 

Something jabbed into my lower back, and a large hand wrapped around my arm. "Behave yourself. We're just walking to my car," he warned.

I stiffened and swallowed hard. At that moment, a part of me wanted to run for my life. There was no possibility of this ending well, but I had to see Lilly. I could persuade him into letting her go. I had to see my daughter, even if I only got a hug and kiss for just a brief moment. 

We walked forward, without looking at each other. I hadn't laid eyes on Damen in over a year. He felt like a stranger to me now after all the time that had passed. It was hard to believe I was ever married to such a monster. Another thing that was hard to believe was the fact that we made such a beautiful, sweet, and innocent little girl together—a little girl I was so desperate to see that I was willing to die or worse just to hold her again for a moment. 

The wind blew my hair back away from my face, and I could feel his eyes scrutinizing me as I walked alongside him. He was probably waiting for the sirens to come, sirens that wouldn't come because the only trick I had up my sleeve was that I had left Linc a letter apologizing to him for leaving. I told him where I was instructed to meet him, too, and hoped that would be enough. 

I slid into the Chevy Malibu, most likely a rental. Damen got into the driver's seat, but I continued not to look at him. Several city blocks drifted past us before Damen finally broke the silence—there was no way in hell I was going to do it.

"I missed you," he murmured. His hand swept my hair back, and I cringed away from him instinctively. He sighed. "I'm trying very hard to be nice to you, Mya," he warned.

I took a deep breath. "Are you going to let me see her?" I asked. 

"Yes, of course."

"D-did you leave her alone?" I asked, confused. She was too young to be alone.

"She'll be fine," he snapped. "The place is locked down. She can't get out."

Which loosely translated that there was no point in trying to escape because he had the place secured. I imagined bars on the windows. Prison is what it would feel like.

"Just because I came, doesn't mean I want to be with you," I said sternly. "I came for her."

My words were too harsh; it pissed him off. His face scrunched up and turned red in anger. His hand flew up so fast, I barely had time to register it. My face whipped to the side from the blow. A whimper escaped me as pain seared through my jaw.

"God damn it," he sneered. "Why do you make me be mean to you, huh?" 

"I don't make you do shit," I hissed. 

"You'd better lose your fucking attitude. The only way you're going to stay reunited with your precious daughter is if you reunite with me. I might give you a little time to get readjusted to being with me, but I won't wait forever," he warned and jabbed a finger in my face. His wavy brown hair fell over his dark brown eyes. They were so dark, almost black, and there was an evilness in his eyes that I had never seen before. 

I swallowed hard, but let the tears fall down my face. I raised my head and closed my eyes as I prayed to God that Linc found us before it was too late. Damen would eventually kill me or both of us. 

"I love you," he said. "I know you don't feel the same right now, but you will."

I realized we were on a side of town that wasn't as nice, and houses were further apart—a little more secluded. Damen slowed down. Most of the houses appeared to be abandoned. The nearest house with any lights on was around the corner, two blocks away. He pulled into the drive of a small, red, two-story house.