The following week, I had somehow managed to avoid Harry. Seven Harry-free days. It seemed God was granting me some time to sort out my thoughts and undeniable attraction towards the beautiful man.
I spent the majority of my time working of course, however the minute Kat and I were released we continually caused chaos with Calum. The time away from the poison Harry spread also gave me the opportunity to get to know a few of the other servants.
I especially came to like Paige, one of the appointed supervisors. It was clear she acted as a motherly figure to everyone, even Harry. She never failed to constantly scold us whenever we were late, but would always squeeze our cheeks and send us a warm smile as she protected us from Harry's wrath.
As I lay across my bed, I stare at the ceiling thinking of home. A sigh escapes my lips and I can't help but think of my mother. It seemed practically impossible for her to protect Derrick and Andrew from Dalton's relentless bounty hunters, but for some reason I knew they were safe.
"What are you thinking about Harley?" Kat's voice pesters, shaking me from my thoughts.
A small smile plays at my lips. "My family," I truthfully admit. Her curious blue eyes stare down at me as she smiles widely. I feel her body collapse onto the bed next to me, and I scoot over providing her with more room.
"Tell me about them," She states. I glance at the young girl from the corner of my eye, noticing her sight was blankly focused on the ceiling.
Memories quickly fill my mind of my small family, "Well, my mother is one of the most extraordinary women I've ever met. My father left us two years after the Trinity came into power. He could only provide for himself, so he left us on the streets. I was 16 at the time, my mother was nine months pregnant, and my younger brother Andrew was 5 years old. She immediately risked her life by going out on the streets, trying to find safe places for us to stay. I've never seen that woman cry," My voice falters at my last sentence. I never truly realized how strong my mother was until this moment.
"My brother Andrew is one of the happiest children alive. He's so incredibly creative, always drawing or humming. He's a bit of an introvert though, I never felt like I knew what he was thinking. My youngest brother, Derrick, is the complete opposite. He constantly craved attention. I swear, he was speaking the moment he came out of the womb-" Kat laughs and I can't help but join her.
I bite my lower lip, my thoughts beginning to wander. "You miss them, don't you?" Kat questions.
"Yeah, of course I do. What about your family?" I ask, realizing she only briefly spoke about them when we first met.
We lay in silence for a few moments, until the girl's quiet sobs fill the room. I immediately sit up and glance at the girl whose face was held in her hands. "Kat, what's wrong?" I ask, not quite sure what upset her. I lightly wrap my fingers around her small wrists, pulling her palms from her face.
"You know how I told you that I left them?" She begins, her red eyes focused on me. My eyebrows furrow and I nod in acknowledgement. "That's not the entire truth. The first year the Trinity came into power, my parents almost immediately lost their job. Things were extremely violent in Texas, Dalton's bounty hunters were incredibly abusive towards people and their property-" She pauses for a moment, to wipe away a tear that had slipped from the corner of her eye. I grip her hand and squeeze it gently, urging her silently to continue.
"They weren't afraid of torturing people who resisted them. One day, they stormed into our home demanding all of us voluntarily come with them. My older brother, Jake, immediately fought back hoping to grant us some time to run away. This man shot him dead without any hesitation. My mother had cried over his lifeless body, his blood completely soaking her clothes. My dad managed to get a punch on this guy, but he was too strong Harley. He managed to strangle my father with his bare hands. I watched in complete horror as this single man continued to tear my entire family apart," Tears completely raked her body as she struggled to continue her horrifying tale.
