Nyla (Urban)

Nyla 13

Nyla

"Hold still baby, only a minute longer." My momma cooed in her soft voice. "Don't you wanna look pretty for picture day?"

I sniffled, "But it burns."

I hated when my mother straightened my hair. It never made me feel and 'prettier'-it only made me wonder why I couldn't leave my hair how it was like all of the other girls in my class.

She ran the hot comb through my hair a few more times before running her fingers through my mane. "Your hair is so pretty Nyla."

She sighed when I didn't respond, "Look at me. If you never wanna do your hair like this again, you won't have to. Okay?"

I stared into my mothers hazel eyes, entrapped in their warmth. "You promise?"

"I promise, my pretty girl." She offered me her pinky and I wrapped my tiny one around hers, giving her the prettiest grin I could being that my two front teeth were missing. "Go wash your hands, we'll cook some pasta." She said, making her way to the kitchen.

My six year old body shook in excitement at the thought of being able to help my mother in the kitchen. She rarely ever let me because I was so accident prone.

I was scrubbing my hands extra hard when I heard the front door open. Thinking it was my father, I bolted to the front. I paused as I realized that there were two men in blue uniforms talking to my mother.

I didn't make a peep. My momma had always told me the men in the blue suits weren't to be trusted.

"I'm sorry ma'am." One of them murmured, and my heart plummeted as I watched my mother fall to her knees.

Castillo twirled the ring on his left index finger as he stared at me in annoyance. I blatantly ignored his cutthroat glare and took my time looking around his house. It was nestled away in the countryside two hours away from the city. The outside was red brick and cobblestones with rose bushes surrounding the huge estate.

The inside was nicely furnished with creams and golds to match the light atmosphere. We were seated in the living room and right above the fireplace held a painting of what looked to be a busy city at night. I wiggled my toes on the soft rug underneath my feet, getting comfortable on the couch.

It was the complete opposite of what I expected a drug dealers house to be like.

"You didn't do what you said you'd do Nyla." Castillo said through gritted teeth. "You were supposed to come straight back after I dropped you off."

"Well shit, I knew you would never leave me alone if I had told you the truth. I'm thirsty." I snapped.

He squeezed his fist and then turned to one of his goons. "You heard her. Go get her some fucking water."

He came back a minute later with a glass of water with ice swimming in it. I took it and gave him a wink. "Thank you." He watched me as I took a sip seductively and licked the droplets from my lips. Castillo was in front of me faster than I could blink and he snatched my wrists, causing the water to slosh everywhere.

"You're fucking testing me Nyla, and you don't want to! I'm trying very hard, but you're mistaking my kindness for weakness." He let go of my wrists and stepped back as I stared at him in alarm.

"I've had your things moved from your hotel to a nice apartment about an hour away from your school. I'll be staying two doors away and if I'm not there, somebody will be."

I massaged my wrists, "What about this place? It's gorgeous."

He shrugged. "It was only temporary. It is important that I keep you safe darling. Nobody is messing with my girl and getting away with it."