The Devils Daugher

Chapter 8

"My name is Mayah Cortez, and my parents murderer was dad's business partner was my owner" she started. "My dad owned a shipping company called C & M Imports." She explained in detail how her father and Marco were close friends growing up...so close that she called him Uncle Marco as a child. "Uncle Mar- Marco" she said correcting herself "wanted to use the company as a front to start his own illegal shipping business. Dad looked the other way when it came to drugs and guns but he drew the line when he wanted to start human trafficking. They got into a huge fight at the office one night because dad found out that even though he said no to the trafficking, he found proof that Marco did it anyway. Dad cut him off from the company...from the front to his trafficking business. Marco told me it cost him a lot of money" she said.

"Marco?" asked Kace. "He told you this?"

Nodding in response she continued her story. "He came to our house one night when dad was working late saying he had to collect payment. Mom invited him in, she didn't know that they weren't friends anymore. He forced mom to open the safe and give him everything in it but..." determined not to shed any more tears, she took a deep breath. "Dad and Uncle Marco both fell in love with my mother, but she chose my dad. I guess he never let it go because he beat mom in front of dad... he recorded the whole thing" she said sadly. "He showed it to me for my birthday when I turned ten. For a while he was nice. He told me mom and dad were away or on vacation but he said I asked too many questions. When I wouldn't stop asking, he showed me the video." she said sadly. "After that, I became his slave. I had to cook, clean, serve him and his friends whenever he had a party. I didn't start running away until he sent me away for obedience training." she said touching her neck where the shock collar used to be. "The night Roach found me was the night I was supposed to go back home. Back to Marco after his fundraiser ended."

"Who were the men that came after you the night we found you?" Roach asked.

"Those were two of the enforcers Marco uses. Jackson and Derik.  Derik just started working for Marco a couple months ago. He owed him money and Marco came to collect. Now he has to work off his debt." Mayah couldn't help but feel sorry for him. "Derik's sister was taken on vacation and he tried to buy her back. Marco offered his sisters freedom for his services."

"What about the other guy?" asked Doc. Doc wasn't at all happy with the story he and the others had just heard.

"Jackson. He's been with Marco for a couple years. He's trying to work up the ladder" she said. She didn't give them the details her encounter with Jackson the night she escaped.

"So it's settled" said Adriano. "Marco needs to be dealt with," he said said standing up making eye contact with Mayah. "Until then, since she and my brother attend the same school, I will have guards posted around the school."

"She isn't going back to school" Kace interrupted looking at Roach ignoring Mayah's glare.

"I want to go back... I know I shouldn't have went outside" she said.

"You don't get it. It wasn't your fault! You ran outside because he chased you out!" yelled Kace. "He shouldn't have been in there to begin with! Stop apologizing!" slamming his fist down on the table letting his anger take control.

"Enough Kace!" shouted Roach. He didn't want Mayah to return back to school either but he also didn't want to break her heart. He knew school made her happy. "Kace, go to the backroom. Wait for me there." he instructed

Mayah waited for Kace to exit the room before speaking again. "I want to go back to school. That only happened because I got lost going to class. I was in the wrong hallway."

"You can go back but you are not to walk alone to any class at all, understand?" Roach said sternly.

Smiling back, Mayah nodded. "I promise!" she squealed.

"But not tomorrow," added Adriano. "I'm having the school and everyone there checked out." He had no intention of letting Mayah return back to school without extra protection. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to be going" he said. "My brother has been texting nonstop and is worried."

"Thank you Adriano, for everything." Mayah said to him as he headed towards the door. She knew she told Kace that there was nothing between them but she couldn't help that she was developing a crush on her classmates brother. After Adriano left, Mayah decided to head to bed. It's been a long day she thought to herself heading up the stairs to her room.