Free Black 21: (Golden Hills Legacy of Black 21 Book 1) by Nancy Glynn

him only, to let his Christian way of life go.
    Daisy circled
into a U-turn and headed back to the homeless man. Maybe he could give her some
answers.
    She scanned the
same street he was on but nothing. Where did he go?
    It was only
eight o’clock, but the streets were vacant. Street lights flipped on,
illuminating her way back. She turned the radio on to take some of the eerie
silence away and wished she didn’t.
    Every channel
she turned on played the same song. A song her father used to listen to when
she was little by the Rolling Stones. “What the...” She tried turning the radio
off and it wouldn’t let her.
    The song
replayed over and over.
    She played along.
“Your name is Jack Red! Did I guess right? Leave me alone!" She grabbed
her phone and tried to text Christian but no service, throwing it to the seat
in disgust.
    Fear gripped
her heart, merging into her veins like hot wax. The street lamps flickered off
and on, a game he seemed to be enjoying. She blew the red lights since no cars
were out. Was there a curfew?
    “I’ll never be
yours! Do you hear me? Never!”
    The song drove
her mad. It pierced her brain like tiny, stabbing needles.
    “Please!” she
cried, grabbing her head. It felt like she was lost in a maze, seeing the same
streets again and again.
    She grabbed her
cross and began to pray “Our Father who art in heaven...”
    The radio shut
off and the street lamps stayed on, allowing her to find her way home.
     
    ***
     
    As soon as she
got in her room, she called Christian and told him what happened. The house was
empty except for a note left for her to say they went to some church function.
She knew what kind of church.
    “I’m coming
over, Daisy,” Christian stated.
    “No, I’m
fine...really. I just wanted to hear your voice.”
    “He’s messing
with you...with us. You know that, right?”
    “I know.”
    “My father is
at that mass. I can bring you here.”
    “I’m taking a
shower. If I still feel spooked, I’ll call, okay?”
    “Okay. I hope you
do." He hung up.
    She turned on
the hot water to scald the day’s events away, feeling like a sauna behind the
flowery curtain. Steam rose from her skin as she scrubbed it hard to cleanse
herself of something she didn’t understand.
    After getting
her pajamas on, she headed toward her bed. A faint knock on her door froze her
to her spot. Feeling her heart thud in her chest, she forced herself to move
closer to the door to listen. No sound. She cracked the door open.
    “Hello, Cousin
Daisy." Dane’s hand rested on the doorframe, looking down into her face.
He wore a lopsided grin, almost seeming buzzed.
    “Dane, please.
I just want to go to bed." She tried to close the door, but he stuck his
foot inside her room, stopping it.
    His eyes rove
down her body. His features contorted into something not human. “So do I.”
    She kneed him
in the groin, bringing him to the floor. She ran back in her room to grab her
phone.
    “You
bitch!" He yanked her hair before she could reach it, making her scream.
He cradled her face then. “I’m sorry, Daisy,” he whispered. “Forgive me. Wait
for my birthday next year. We can be a team. Forget about Christian." He
pushed her down on the bed and straddled her. “I will give you everything
you’ve ever wanted! You can teach here. The kids need you. We could raise
Jack’s baby...please,” he begged, his face hovered over hers, sour alcohol
oozing from his breath.
    “Get off of me
now,” she demanded in a low tone. “I love Christian,” she cried. Tears slid
down her face and into her wet tangled hair. “I know that may sound crazy, but
I do.”
    He scoffed.
“The beast is too strong for Christian. It’s taking over him the closer he gets
to his birthday, Daisy. He’ll toss you aside after Jack gets you pregnant, mark
my words,” he hissed. Then in a softer tone he said, “At least with me, you’ll
always be with family. My parents love you and would welcome you as their
daughter." He