In pain, Raymond held his jaw and spat out. “There it is! Always using your fists to solve your problems. You’re no better than Dennis was.”
Next to Imani’s father, Garrett was the most controlled man she’d ever met. However, from the way his face hardened, she couldn’t help but wonder who Dennis was?
Garrett ground out. “Don’t ever mention his name to me again, or I promise I’ll kill you with my bare hands.”
“Why? Why should you be pissed at our foster father? I’m the one you promised to get out but left for two years!”
“You ungrateful, bastard! I’m supposed to pay for the fact you’re two years younger than me? What could I do, break you out? It was me, nobody else, but me who came back for you. A twenty-year old kid working two jobs to take care of us. In some twisted way, you made me believe the nightmare that was our childhood was my fault. I carried you your entire life. I’m done feeling guilty for things that weren’t in my control.”
Raymond’s face twisted in such a way that he almost looked deranged. “It must be nice to be able to relieve yourself of guilt. Two YEARS, Garrett! You want to pretend that you had it so bad because he beat you? He beat me too. But, Dennis didn’t show you he loved you in the same way he showed me.”
Garrett’s face blanched. His knees went weak, and he had to hold onto the wall.
Raymond got up from off the ground; spittle spewed from his mouth. “You left me in that hell-hole for two fuckin’ years to be raped over and over again!”
Imani gasped.
Garrett’s throat felt thick. His voice was hoarse when he spoke. “Raymond, I didn’t know. I-I . . . Had I known I would have done everything I could to get you out of that house.”
“I survived. I don’t need your regret, or your weak ass shoulda, woulda, coulda's. I’ve got fifty million dollars of your money to comfort me.” He turned to Imani. “If you want to know why I hate him, that’s why.”
Hurting for the childhood that was taken from him and the violations he suffered, Imani spoke softly. “I’m so sorry that happened to you, but you can’t honestly blame Garret for that. It wasn’t his fault, Raymond.”
Raymond was beyond hearing reason. He had hated Garrett for years. Those feelings went too deep, and they weren’t about to change now. “I’ve had more heart-to-heart conversations today than necessary. You two stay here and rest.” He sneered as he said the last word. “I’m not waiting around to get crushed by this building.” Raymond pushed past Garrett, which wasn’t hard to do after all that he had just learned.
Imani wrapped her arms around Garrett. She held him tight. It had taken a moment before he seemed to realize she was holding him. Slowly, he raised his hands placing them around her full waist then buried his face in the soft curve of her neck. Imani ran her hands up and down his back. She sighed into his chest. “No matter what he said, Garrett, it wasn’t your fault.”
After taking a moment to collect himself, Garrett pulled away. He cleared his throat. “We should get moving.” Before he could finish his words, a chilling screech permeated the air. The voice was unmistakable. It was Raymond.
Chapter 26
Garrett and Imani rushed toward the sound of Raymond’s voice. On a dime, Garrett suddenly stopped, but Imani bumped into the back of him. Fortunately, he had quick reflexes because if it had not been for Garrett, she would have been in the same predicament as Raymond—hanging on for dear life to a metal pipe hanging out of the edge of a stair. The rest of the stairs were missing. It was déjà vu all over again like with Seth and Lucinda.
There was no time to waste, Garrett dropped down to his knees and reached out a hand to help Raymond. Ray was panicking and wiggling around like a fish. Imani knew he was terrified, but if he didn’t get it together, he would probably fall.
Garrett spoke calmly but felt anything but. His heart was racing. “Ray. I need you to focus. Reach one hand up to me. I’ll grab it and pull you up.”
Raymond wasn’t listening and seemed to be panicking even more. “If I let go, I’m going to fall!”
A helpless feeling was starting to take over Garrett. “I can’t reach you from here. Listen. I promise you, if you reach your hand up to me, I’ll grab it. I won’t let you down this time.”
Imani felt powerless too. She couldn’t just stand around and do nothing. She spotted her cell phone on the ground next to Garrett and picked it up. She hoped that maybe they had passed a fire extinguisher or something on the way down. If she could find one, they could use the hose and drop it to Raymond, then pull him up. Imani took off, leaving Garrett to try and convince Raymond to let him help.
The light on her cell phone was dimming. Imani was losing hope, but suddenly she cried out.
