Secrets Kept - Saints & Sinners Edition (Book 1)

Chapter 3: Hidden Secrets

JACQUELINE's POV

Jakoby has been late for curfew quite a bit lately and I'm sick of it. She's probably out there whoring around with that bad influence, Maddie Booker. I saw the guy drop her off, but I'm sure she will deny the shit.

"JAKOBY! Where the hell have you been?" I asked angrily. "I, um had dinner with Maddie" she replied sounding like a lie. "How many times have I told you ain't nothing open but 7/11 and legs at this time of hour?" I rhetorically asked. "Mom, what are you going on about? It's only a little after 9?" she asked with a confused look. "Don't play dumb with me. As soon as you give him your honey pot he's going to leave you sixteen and pregnant!" I shouted waking my brother Eddie up. "I'm a virgin mom. You know that", she retorted rolling her eyes. "Don't you dare roll your eyes at me child!"I blurted moving closer to her. "I'm sorry" she whispered losing eye contact with me and looked down at the floor. "Go to your room. NOW!" I yelled.

I watched Jakoby stomp away just to run into Eddie who blocked her path.

"You shouldn't speak to your mother that way" he said defending me.

Jakoby didn't acknowledge what he said. Instead she looked him in the eye awaiting a reaction. I could smell the whiskey on his breath. It was always a bad night when he would drink.

"Are you challenging me?" he asked immediately making me nervous. "Jakoby, just go to the room and stop puffing your chest out" I called out earning another confused look from her.

My breath hitched in my throat when my brother, Eddie slapped her across the face drawing blood.

"EDDIE! What the hell are you doing? Don't you dare touch my child. Get the fuck out!" I shouted pushing him in the chest. "That's the problem with kids today, Jacq! They think they can whoop everybody ass. You have to show them who holds the power" he replied unmoved by my strikes to his chest. "I said GET OUT!" I yelled again. "NO! Unless you're going to physically put me out, I'm not going anywhere" he said pushing me up against the wall.

I knew if I called the cops to my house we would never be safe. I would have been known as the neighborhood snitch. I can't believe I let him live here. After he got out of prison he swore that he had changed. He's been here with us for years, but it's never gotten this violent. I owe him a debt I could never repay, but if the contract on this house goes through, I'm leaving his broke ass here. I'm sick and tired of trying to put the puzzle we call a life together with no real help from him. There was a time we were happy living under one roof, but Eddie started drinking and gambling four years ago. It only made matters worse. Jakoby and me won't be enduring it much longer.

JAKOBY's POV

I rushed to the bathroom to wash my bloody nose. I could already see the bruise forming just above my top lip. This is the first time he's actually struck my face. He usually aims for my ribs or my legs. My mother pretends this isn't a recurring event, which sometimes makes me hate her.

One time I thought he broke my ribs, but they were just bruised. It's not an everyday thing or even monthly, but when it happens it's usually serious.

When I graduate, I swear I'm getting far away from here. I told Kiki's three brothers that my uncle hit me when I was younger and they beat the shit out of my Uncle Eddie in the street in front of the whole neighborhood.

Instead of my mother calling the cops on the man who physically assaulted her 12 year old daughter, she called them on Kiki's brothers. After that, Kiki was no longer allowed over here, but her mom allowed me at their house. Kiki still snuck over of course as long as my mother wasn't here.