Angel's Secret ✔️

[FORTY-FOUR]

[UNEDITED]
•ANGEL•

My mother hugged me, but I gently pushed her away putting on a stern face.

"Why the fuck are you here?" I snarled eyeing her up and down.

She was clad in a grey shirt with a jean jacket, and black leggings. Her flat sneakers which she always wore on a run didn't fail to have me inspect it either. My mother always looked like an older version of Aislin.

"...I'm here to make sure you're alright, Ange. I didn't know where you and your sister retreated and your father and I found Dom knocked out bleeding on the floor," she sighed putting her open arms down. I crossed mine in front of my chest waiting for her to go on.

"Your father left town when police arrived at our house.  I don't know where he went, but he left.  So did Dom.  Dom said he'd be back though, but your father isn't healthy.  And I just want to make sure the rest of my children are okay," she started sniffling and her eyes sparkled. 

I shook my head scoffing. "None of you are healthy. Not after all these years."

She sighed and let herself lean against the door. Her lips pursed as her eyes gazed at Gabe's rugged floor. "I know you love her. I always knew."

"Then why didn't you save her for me?" my voice cracked remembering everything they did to her.

What I couldn't stop earlier.

She snarled lowly, and softly. "Your father wouldn't let me.  He wouldn't let me aid her, help her.  I had to be someone I was not.  I had be a monster. For five atrocious years."

"You were more than a monster, Mom.  All of you were devils wearing human skins.  Why?! WHAT DID SHE EVER DO TO YOU?!" my voice boomed in the room making her shake.  Tears scurried down her pale face and she blocked her sobs by putting a hand to her wobbling lips. 

She shook her head. "She... she was only fifteen.  When we bought her... she was only fifteen.  I told Raphael that we shouldn't. That we should get her, give her some help to get back to her family and just stay out of it. How did he react to that? He beat me. He physically abused me by hitting me square in the face and then by wrapping my own scarf around my neck and making me swear that'd I'd be loyal to him."

Bristling, boiled blood roared inside my veins. My head spun and my balance swayed by the rage. My mother sobbed even more as she whispered, "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry, Angel."

"Is that the only time Dad touched you?" my voice was literally inaudible. The room was so quiet you could hear the cries of the birds outside my window.

"There were more times.  Sometimes he'd just slap me or push me.  But one day, I um... I tried reaching to Aviana's parents—"

"You know her name?"

She looked up to lock eyes with me and nodded. "Aviana Laurent. I researched her the minute I realized that we'd taken a girl from her family.  And... that wasn't good.  On my behalf.  Because I found her parent's number and called them.  I was about to spill everything, I was ready to give them back their child, but I couldn't in time. Your father heard me, came into our room, and knocked me out with a wooden bat over my head.  I was out for a few minutes.  When I woke up there was a fainted scar in between my forehead and baby hairs.   Do you remember that day?"

I swallowed the lump in my throat nodding yes.  I definitely remember that day.

"Shut up, Dom. Girls aren't just objects," Aislin snarled at our brother who only smirked with his shiny teeth.  His retainer that he barely ever wore gleamed under the rays of the sun.