Page 28 of Promised To A Menace

There was something about the way he said my name that sent a weird little feeling through me.

And I didn’t fucking like that either.

“Anyway.” I looked away from him before he could read too much into my face.

I pulled up Lha’Kayla’s number, put the call on speaker like his controlling ass demanded, and pressed call.

When the line finally clicked, a smile spread across my face.

“Shakaylen, where the fuck are you?” Lha’Kayla rushed out. “I got your message, and I’ve been trying to call you.”

“Did you talk to Daddy?” I asked, my face twisting at the thought of him.

“Yeah.”

“He said you left with him for another surprise. Where the fuck did y’all go?”

A dry laugh slipped out of me. The fact that this man had taken me to a fucking underground auction, handed me over to settle some old ass debt, and hadn’t bothered to tell my sister or mother the truth was funny as hell to me.

“He took me to a fucking underground auction.”

“What the fuck?” Lha’Kayla damn near yelled through the phone. “Why the hell would he take you there?”

“Because apparently he owed some kind of debt, and the price for him getting out was his first-born daughter.”

The line went quiet for a second.

“You gotta be fucking kidding me.”

“Nope. Not at all.”

I heard her suck her teeth. “So where the fuck are you now?”

“I’m at the guy’s house. He brought me here.”

“Hold on. You at some nigga’s house? Who is he?”

“I haven’t even gotten his name yet.” I rolled my eyes at him.

He was still standing right in front of me, looking entirely too amused by my conversation.

“Hmm.” Lha’Kayla paused. “You got me on speakerphone?”

“Yup. This nigga wouldn’t let me call you unless I put you on speaker.”

“What the fuck?”

“Girl, yes. He’s an asshole.”

I looked up at him, and that damn smirk on his face widened.

“I sure am.” His eyes stayed on mine. “But you know what?”

“I already know.” I waved him off. “You bought me. Nigga, you don’t have to keep reminding me.”

He didn’t say anything else, but the look on his face changed as he stepped closer.

Before I could ask what the hell he was doing, his hand came up and wrapped around my throat.