50

Daimen

I frowned at my father as he sat across from me in my living room. He sat on the couch his fingers clasped together in his lap, an authoritative aura surrounding him; this made me frown more. I was seated in a lounge chair, having just recently got out of a shower, my hair still slightly damp at parts whereas some was still dripping. I crossed my arms pulling my wet tank top from it's attachment to my skin.

"How've you been?" He asked in a tight voice that suspiciously sounded like an accusation. I sucked on my teeth and gave a shrug, raising my eyebrows at him.

I didn't open my mouth to say anything and that seemed to irk my father, but I didn't care in the slightest bit.

"How's River?" He added with a glinting look and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"She's fine." I huffed. I looked at my feet.

"That she is." My father said with a small, dark chuckle and I did a double take and locked eyes with him.

What?!

"What are you getting at?" I gritted out through clenched teeth.

My father put up his hands huffing, "I was only saying she's pretty son—"

"That better be all you meant and don't call me son." I snapped.

For about a whole minute he said nothing before letting out an aggressive, "I hope you're not trying to get an attitude with me." His voice was thick with a barely contained malice.

"Why are you here?" I shot back at him earning a scowl. His jaw clenched and he let out a huff, running a hand through his greying hair disheveling it in the process.

"It's about your mother..." he began and I scoffed. I stood from my seat and walked towards the kitchen pausing when my father shouted for me to stop. I gritted my teeth and slowly turned back to him.

He was really trying to bring up Mom? Mom: who he avoided like a rabid beast? My mother: Who he never checked on? Who he just knocked up and gave back to his little brother? My fucking mother: who he just abandoned after the death of his brother—whom I thought was my father—and left her to deal alone with me.

Me.

Everyone thinks I'm so bad?

I'm this way because of him.

I looked into my father's amber eyes. And in our ambers embers of resentment burned wildly.

Look at this man in front of me, this cowardice, pathetic scum of a man. He's the one everyone should hate. Him.

"Miss me with the bullshit." I quipped feeling a humorless laugh bubble past my lips.

"What?" He growled.

"You didn't give a damn about her—" I began and my father leapt to his feet.

"I loved your mother. You have no idea what it's like to—" he tried but now it was my turn to interrupt.

"Shut the fuck up! You didn't love her! If you did, where the fuck were you?! I was the one with her the whole time! I was the one taking care of her! Where were you?! You left us! You left us! You didn't love her! You didn't care about her!" I exploded and turned my gaze to the ground as I tried to control my anger. Meanwhile my father was going on a verbal tirade but I blocked him out for a while.

"... Look at me dammit!" I finally caught on to what he was yelling. Only because now he was right in front of me, having marched over.

I looked up to meet his eyes saying, "Watch it." He frowned and pushed me in my chest, but it wasn't enough to make me fall. My breathing became more ragged.

"Why Daimen? Why'd you kick her out? Why didn't you get her help?!" He yelled and I felt myself becoming close to my breaking point again. At least I was only getting the tail end of whatever soap box he'd been spewing.

"Stop." I said and he just glared at me; his breathing fast.

"Oh you don't want to hear it? Too bad, fucking listen. It's your fault she was out on the streets! It's your fault you kicked her out! It's your fault she was alone! It's your fucking fault she took too much! It's your fault she's dead!" He paused for a second taking a breath.

No... Mommy... A little voice whimpered in my head and I felt sick.

"I didn't even get to tell her how much I loved her!" He spat and I backed up this time almost falling as remorse rushed through me.

"I know! I know! Just good old Daimen! Always fucking up!" I said loudly and felt myself about to break. It was quiet. Everything around seemed to have stopped as if the world was trying its best to ignore us.

I started to shake as I tried to stop myself from slipping over the edge. It was all too much.

"You're not doing this now." My dad suddenly said in a lower voice and I felt his hand grip my arm as he tried to do something.

"Let go." I snapped and yanked away from him.

"Learn some respect." He growled and pushed me back.

"Fuck y—" I started and he shoved me into the wall. My shoes scuffed against the ground as I tripped. My back landed against the wall with a bang and I glared at him my fists clenching.

"Now dammit. Just stop." He spat and I locked my hands behind my head and closed my eyes as I tried to control my breathing. My head laid against the wall.

"That's it, just breathe." He said and I calmed down... a little.

"Get out of my house." I growled out with my eyes still closed and I heard my father snort.

"I just wanted to talk." He said.

"Bullshit! You came here to start shit and fuck up my fucking day! Now how about you get your bitch ass outta my house?" I spat finally opening my eyes to glare at him.

Wham!

I rubbed my jaw where he'd struck and launched myself at him.

"You ungrateful ass child!" My dad yelled and I punched him in his nose satisfaction rushing through me as he bled.

"Says you! You didn't even have the balls to raise your own kid! After my d—your brother died, you could've at least fessed up. I get you were playing the fake uncle role, but how many times did you actually check up on me and Mom? I could count them on one fucking hand! Well look at me now Dad!" I snarled as I pushed him away from me.

He frowned and I clenched my jaw. My heart beat steadily in my chest, the sound drumming in my ears.

It had been a few hours after I'd fought with my father and I was still pissed. I couldn't believe that asshole came to my place and started shit like that. I mean I knew he wanted to talk to me, but I wasn't really expecting that. Hell, I hated him so much.

My knuckles cracked as I pushed them together and made my way down the hallway of my house. What pissed me off more was that he'd mentioned River. He needed to keep my girl's name out of his filthy mouth.

But what was making my heart bleed was the other person he'd mentioned repeatedly.

I groaned as her face flashed through my mind and sent a vase flying through the air were it hit the wall with a crash.

It hit me hard again, the pain, the regret, all washed over me and I slumped to the ground not caring if the shards of the broken lamp pierced my skin.

"It was my fault..." I said in a broken voice and I let my tears fall.

"I killed her... I killed her..." I felt my throat clog up with emotion and I locked my hands behind my head as soft sobs raked my body.

I killed my mom.

I crouched down and doubled over and my forehead pressed into the hard floor. I squeezed my eyes tightly shut and let myself succumb to the feeling.

My phone was abruptly blaring and I numbly took it out my watery eyes making out the blurry contact name.

My Princess

I hesitantly stared for a few moments before clicking the red button. Her name disappeared along with the ringing and I went back to the floor.

It then buzzed and I glanced toward it.

My Princess: I love you. Oh and I have a surprise. Be there soon💕

I read the text and soon I wasn't just crying because of my mother.

River

As soon as the door opened to his house, I knew something was wrong. And the hollow look on Slay's face confirmed it. I walked inside shutting the door softly behind me.

I grabbed his hand and led him to the living room. I paused just before the couch.

"What happened?" I asked softly as my hand laid against his cheek. His dull eyes looked at me and he just shook his head, kneeling down, and wrapped his arms around my waist and wrenched me into a hug. His head laid against my stomach and he sobbed softly.

His body trembled against mine and I felt my heart implode. My fingers absentmindedly combed through his hair as I plotted against whoever had broken my man.

"He said it was my fault... he's right... I killed my mom." Daimen croaked and I sucked in a breath.

"That wasn't your fault." I said and pulled him to his feet. I brushed under his eyes and I kissed his lips ignoring the tears. "You didn't kill her." I breathed and he let out a shaking sigh.

I was about to say more before a banging at the front door made me freeze.

We went to the door suspiciously and Slay opened it to find his... dad.

I frowned immediately.

Mr. Princeton looked crazy. Not at all like the humble high-school principal I used to know.

"Listen son—" he started and Daimen cut him off.

"You have no right to call yourself my dad. Stay the hell away from me." Daimen spat.

I gasped as Mr. Princeston abruptly barreled into Daimen and the two went down with a thud. The front door closed as their bodies hit it. They delivered their share of punches and I honestly didn't know what to do.

"Stop!" I yelled as his father got the upper hand and started choking him.

Daimen struggled underneath him and managed to break free of the hold. He scowled and shoved off his father before standing and taking in some angry, heaving breaths.

Their enraged amber eyes locked on each other.

"Whether you like it on not, I'm your dad. I want us to be a family." Mr. Princeston huffed.

"Oh really? Because the choking really screamed 'fatherly love;' just fucking leave." Slay snapped.

His father went to say something more but Daimen cut him off. "Get out!" He said taking a step towards him and as he stepped back his father looked to me seeming to realize I was there for the first time.

"He's just like me, ya know? Just worse." Mr. Princeston said shooting his son a sneer and I scowled.

"You're not even in the same class. Now leave like he said." I quipped stepping over to Daimen and hugging onto his arm in an effort to distract him from his father.

"You heard him. Leave. Before you see a part of me you don't want to." I snapped as his father just stood there.

He'd made my Daimen cry and if he didn't get out of my sight soon I wouldn't be responsible for what I'd do to him.

His dad gave me a long look, a shadow passing over his face and suddenly he looked horrified. I frowned wondering why he abruptly seemed as though he'd seen a ghost, his amber eyes gazing into mine, chilling me to the bone. He took a step back a rattling breath filling his chest before he let out a small weeping sound. Then he rushed out of the house as if a demon was chasing him.

"What the hell was that?" I breathed.

I realized Slay was giving me an almost similar look.

"What?" I asked feeling suddenly self-cautious.

"That's pretty much what my mother said to him the last time he'd been over here. Like you basically quoted her to a 't.'" Daimen said with a soft sigh.

I gave a slow nod, not sure of what to say.

"So what's the surprise?" Daimen asked and for a moment I was confused.

"Well my family's having a reunion and... I wanted you to come—but you don't have to. I mean with all this happening..." I started and Daimen cupped my face in his hands making me stop.

He smiled softly and kissed my lips. I wrapped my arms around him. "Of course I'll go." He said as we broke the kiss. He hugged me to him and peppered my face in kisses. I smiled and grabbed his face before pulling him in for a passionate kiss which quickly turned into a much-needed make-out session.

*****

I watched as Daimen stood there awkwardly as my cousin badgered him about who knows what.

The family reunion was going well. I'd got my fair questions about Daimen. Most of them coming from my nosey cousins.

Slay ran a hand through his hair and shot me a look before snapping his eyes back to Angela.

"That's a nice young man you've got there." A voice said from behind me and I whirled around to see my grandmother and behind her was my grandfather.

"Granny! Grandpa!" I said excitedly and hugged both of them.

"Oh, yeah, he's great." I said pulling away from them and my granny gave me a knowing look.

"Why isn't he with his family?" Grandpa asked and I sighed.

"He's only got his dad and they're not exactly on good terms right now." I said softly and my granny covered her mouth and gasped.

"He found out who his daddy was huh?" My grandfather said and I gave him a look.

"How'd you know?" I asked him and he huffed.

"Well hell, he acts just like his daddy. His brother, Kimberly's husband, was the mellow minded one." Granddad said with a solemn look.

"Plus the boy favors him more, and he's got his eyes. Though the Princeston's all seem to come out looking like models... You're gonna have some adorable babies; how many? Five? Six?" Granny said and my mouth gaped as a blush rushed to my cheeks. I tried to speak but only a hoarse sound escaped.

"Damn Sheila; you're scaring the poor girl. Now listen baby you do whatever in your own time." Granddad said and I gave a stiff nod.

"So he hasn't talked to his father since when?" My granny asked and I shrugged.

"They got into a fight so I'm not sure." I said, finally finding my voice, leaving out the fact that the fight was quite recent.

"That's horrible." She said and I gave a nod.

"What's horrible?" Daimen said coming to stand beside me and I jumped before he laid his arm over my shoulders.

"How a strapping man like yourself isn't a model." My granny said quickly and I let out a sigh.

"Okay..." Daimen said sounding confused.

"River, can I talk to you for a second?" Daimen asked and I nodded and with a wave to my grandparents he led me away. We walked down the hall towards the guest rooms when he stopped. He looked around before sighing.

"What's up with your cousin?" He asked me and I tilted my head.

"What?" I asked and he huffed and gave me a look.

"She asked if I was into older women." Daimen said and I chocked on nothing. After my fit of coughing I looked up at him in shock.

"She what?" I said and a hot flood rushed through me.

"She asked if I was your boyfriend and I said it wasn't any of her business then she got all... flirty." Daimen said, an unnerved look in his eyes.

"She touched my..." Daimen motioned downward and I felt my face grow hot.

That bitch.

"Oh hell no." I grumbled and started back to the others.

"Wait, River. You can't just go in there guns blazing." Daimen said grabbing my hand and pulling me back.

"Aww, you're jealous." He said and I frowned at him.

"I am not." I shot back and Daimen looked me up and down.

"It's hot." He said smirking a little and I rolled my eyes.

"She pretty much assaulted you-"

"And you care." Daimen said. I frowned at him.

"Shut up." I snapped.

"Just follow my lead." I said and tugged him back towards the room. Daimen chuckled.

"Yes ma'am." He said and I felt a smile tug at my lips.

I waltzed back into the room and paused at the doorway.

I looked around and that stupid rush went through me again as I saw my cousin. She was drinking something and trying to look all pretty while doing it. She flipped her pretty ebony hair and batted her "seductive" brown eyes. I was about to go over when Daimen wrapped his arms around me.

"Not so fast Princess. If you really want your point across, tilt your head a little." Daimen said softly and I frowned in annoyance, but did what he said.

I tensed as I felt his breath against my skin and my stomach churned as he kissed my neck. My eyes closed and I let out a sigh. A smile made its way to my face as he moved up to just below my earlobe and I heard him chuckle softly.

"Point made." He whispered in my ear and I opened my eyes to see Angela scowling at us. I giggled and Daimen loosened his hold on me.

"Can I get a kiss?" Daimen asked and I shrugged as he turned me to him.

"Okay, but make it quick." I said and Daimen smiled before leaning in and pressing his lips to mine.

His hands went down to the small of my back and he hugged me to him as he deepened the kiss. My body pretty much melted against him as I kissed him back. I was faintly aware of the fact that I should pull away already before it got too heated, but I was lost in the kiss. I kissed him back hungrily and held onto the tie he wore.

A clearing of a throat made me pull away. My cheeks heated up as I saw a lot of my family looking at me. I dropped the hold on my boyfriend's tie. I glanced as Daimen who was watching me with a look of admiration not caring about the stares. I bit my bottom lip and giggled softly and pulled away from him, going to the food table and beginning to make a plate. Slay followed me like a lost puppy.

His arms wrapped around my waist as I piled my grandmother's famous mashed potatoes onto my plate. He leaned down to my ear and chills ran down my spine as he whispered huskily, "Just wait until we get home."

He gently kissed just below my ear before finishing, "I can't wait to get this dress off of you." My breath hitched. He let me go and proceeded to make a plate for himself like nothing had happened.

I watched him before letting out a breath and trying to calm myself.