Baby Bitch (Bitches and Queens)

by Rachael James

  “We don’t have to worry. She’ll be with Sam, and he wouldn’t let her get away with anything,” Willow said.

  “He had better damn well not,” Hannah gritted through her teeth.

  Chapter 18

  “Hello, Hollywood,” Sam teased when she walked into his home still wearing her oversized sunglasses. “Did you keep the paparazzi off your trail?”

  “Can I talk to you alone for a minute?” McKenna whispered.

  Sam’s jovial grin flattened to a frown. “All right,” he answered warily as he strolled past the front room that was crammed with giggling, teenage dancers and into the kitchen. He leaned calmly against the oak sink island. “So what’s going on?”

  McKenna let out a ragged breath and slowly removed the shades. “It’s not as bad as it looks,” she muttered.

  “Jesus Fucking Christ,” Sam hissed. “What in the hell happened to you?”

  “I was riding on the back of Trevor’s motorcycle, and he had accident,” McKenna explained miserably as she stared down at the floor.

  Sam walked over and reached for her hands. He held them wide and then shot back sarcastically, “You fell off the back of a motorcycle and didn’t get a single scratch but your face looks like it was beaten with a two by four. That’s amazing.”

  McKenna’s lips started to tremble. “Please, Sam. I didn’t know where else to go. My face hurts like hell, and if Mommy sees me like this, she will have a fit.”

  Well—at least that was something we agree upon. Although Sam wasn’t quite sure having a fit was an accurate description for what Hannah’s reaction would be when she learned about this. He was thinking something more along the lines of flying off into a murderous rage. And to think only moments ago he believed his days of worrying about Hannah landing herself in prison were long over.

  “I just need to stay here a few days,” McKenna pleaded.

  “And you think that will go away in two days?” Sam asked as he gestured towards her swollen, black eye. Pushing away from the counter, he grabbed a bottle of ibuprofen and a glass of water. Next, he filled a plastic baggie with crushed ice from the refrigerator and then handed it to her.

  “Please Sam,” McKenna cried. “I just need you to call her and tell her that I’m here and everything is okay.”

  “You want me to lie to her?”

  “No. I just don’t want you to tell her the truth.”

  “If I let you stay here, if I go along with this story, I want you to promise me something.”

  “Anything,” McKenna rushed.

  “I want you to promise me that you will never see him again,” Sam declared firmly.

  “Sam… I… I can’t even think straight right now,” McKenna sputtered.

  “Promise me, McKenna,” Sam warned icily. “Either way, I am going to call her. It’s up to you to decide what I am going to say.”

  “I promise,” McKenna groaned.

  “Good. I’ll deal with her while you play with the ballerinas.”

  “What? Are you serious? I’m not going out there. I don’t know anyone but Abby,” McKenna pouted.

  “My house. My rules. Now go play,” Sam proclaimed firmly.

  Once she had, Sam let out a quiet growl, silently wishing for the day when he would cross paths with Trevor Dean. For Trevor’s sake, he hoped he ran into him before Hannah did. She might look like innocent angel on the outside, but she could fight like a bloodthirsty ninja. Sam knew from personal experience. If Hannah ever got her hands on Trevor, there wouldn’t be anything left of him.

  Hannah answered her phone by saying, “Is McKenna there?”

  “She got here a few minutes ago. Abby invited half the dance company over for a slumber party, and she’s in there with the other girls.”

  “Oh,” Hannah said, sounding genuinely surprised. “What about Trevor? Did he come inside with her?”

  “No,” Sam said flatly.

  “Good. I don’t want her to see him this weekend.”

  “Trust me, I won’t let that happen.”

  The entire left side of her face was throbbing. She was terribly confused and surrounded by whirling and twirling fourteen year olds. McKenna felt it was safe to say she had never been more miserable. She spent most of the evening sulking on the sofa. The ibuprofen barely touched the pain. Kate came every half an hour with a fresh bag of ice, which was really sweet, but it wasn’t the same as having her parents close by.

  Being eighteen, she thought she should be able to handle this stuff on her own, but deep down, she wanted Hannah to tell her that everything was going to be okay. She was almost tempted to call her just because she wanted to hear her voice, but McKenna knew she couldn’t do it without breaking down. On top of everything else, she was beginning to feel very guilty— as if she had done something wrong. But hadn’t she? She knew Trevor’s background, she knew the things he did—for heaven sake she was in a car with him just this evening while he was carrying a kilo of cocaine—but she hadn’t mentioned a word to her parents. And now, she had to deal with this mess alone.

  She just wished he would stop calling her. By the eighth try, she had finally had enough. Reaching for her phone, she went upstairs to Abby’s room for a little privacy. Someone had left the light on in her bathroom, so McKenna didn’t bother to turn on the overhead light. She sat down on the end of the bed, pulled the ridiculous sunglasses off her face, and hissed into the line, “What do you want?”

  “Doll face, I’ve been calling you all night. Why haven’t you picked up your phone?”

  “Hmm, Trevor, let me think about that for a minute.”

  “We need to talk about what happened.”

  “I think you’ve already said enough.”

  “What in the hell were you thinking?” Trevor asked angrily.

  “What was I thinking? What were you thinking when you punched me in the face?”

  “What did you think was going to happen? You hit me first,” Trevor exclaimed.

  “So what. That didn’t give you any right to lay me out on the…” McKenna suddenly stopped when she heard a quiet scamper. Turning around with dread, she discovered that she wasn’t alone. A semi-dressed Tinker Bell was standing just outside the bathroom door, looking as horrified as she did. “…I’ve got to go.”

  “When can I see you again?”

  “I… I… I don’t know. Just don’t call back tonight,” McKenna answered and then ended the call.

  “I thought this room was empty,” she grumbled as she reached for her sunglasses.

  “I was changing my clothes,” the girl answered defensively.

  “Did you overhear my conversation?”

  The girl shook her head in denial. “I thought I locked the door. Could you turn around, please?”

  “Huh?” McKenna questioned blankly, only becoming aware that she had been staring at the slender, tall, brunette girl who was clutching the shirt to her chest as if was the last life jacket on a sinking ship.

  McKenna rolled her eyes, or at least tried to, but with her left eye swollen shut, the effect wasn’t the same. “God Tink, they’re only breasts. It’s not like I haven’t seen them a thousand times before. I have two moms, you know.”

  “Please,” the girl pleaded desperately.

  McKenna smirked at her shyness, but did as she asked.

  Once she turned around, the girl whispered, “My name is Natasha.”

  “Whatever Tink,” McKenna shrugged. “Speaking of, and I am no means an expert on the world of ballet, but why did they cast the tallest girl in the dance company as Tinker Bell? Wasn’t she supposed to be a tiny, little fairy?”

  “They wanted me to play Peter, but I didn’t want to.”

  “Why? Because he is a boy?”

  “Something like that,” Natasha muttered.

  “I can’t blame you. I would never play a boy’s part either. Sam didn’t do your makeup. If you don’t mind me asking, who did?”

  “I did.”

  “Really?” McKenna qu
estioned with surprise as she turned back around. Natasha was bent over, putting on her shoes. The back of her shirt had crept up to reveal skin. What McKenna saw made her loudly exclaim, “Oh My God.”

  Instantly, Natasha stood up straight. Dismayed, she yelped, “What?”

  “You have a tattoo,” McKenna explained.

  “What?” she sputtered. “Yeah, it’s no big deal.”

  “You’re only fourteen years old.”

  “I’m sixteen,” Natasha corrected.

  “That doesn’t make it any better. Do your parents know about that?”

  “My mom helped me come up with the design.”

  “Really?” McKenna questioned, perplexed, while thinking Natasha’s mom wasn’t anything like either of hers.

  A little after two o’clock in the morning, most of the ballerinas had drifted off to sleep. Since she was oldest, McKenna claimed the sofa, but it didn’t help her sleep. She was laying with her back facing away from them when she heard Abby and Natasha start whispering.

  “I really like your dad. He’s super cool about stuff,” Natasha confessed.

  No, he’s not, McKenna thought to herself. Sure, Sam was helping her out now, but that didn’t make up for everything else.

  “No, he’s not,” Abby whispered. “He’s super strict about everything. He won’t even let me wear a bikini to the pool.”

  That’s not true. Sam had never said that Abby couldn’t wear a bikini. He had only said that if she did, he would wear one too. McKenna couldn’t blame her for not wanting him to. He really did have killer legs. Undoubtedly, the only pair of legs that looked better in a two-piece belonged to Hannah. Now if they were considering tits, Willow would win hands-down. Unfortunately, McKenna hadn’t inherited that gene from her. Now that she was thinking about it, she realized that she didn’t inherit very much from her, unlike Kenyon. God, he is so selfish.

  “At this rate, I’ll be an adult before I ever kiss a boy,” Abby admitted miserably.

  “You’ve never been kissed?” Natasha questioned, sounding surprised.

  Of course, she had never been kissed. She’s only fourteen.

  “No, and now I’m afraid everyone else will be so experienced that I will look stupid,” Abby said.

  “It’s nothing to be afraid about,” Natasha answered.

  “I guess not, but I don’t even know what to do with my tongue.”

  “Do you want me to show you?”

  What! McKenna’s eyes widened with shock until she remembered how much that hurt. Wasn’t this the same girl that was freaked out about, heaven forbid, showing her bra? And how in the heck was she going to show her? As discreetly as possible, she rolled over so that she could see them. Her jaw hung open. Oh my, what would Sam think if he saw his baby French-kissing another girl?

  Chapter 19

  “What?” McKenna grumbled into the phone after Trevor called for the twelfth straight time in row.

  “I need to see you.”

  “Trevor, that isn’t going to happen. Not now.”

  “You’re sitting over there with your fucking family listening to their bullshit poison. We need to talk.”

  “Whatever,” McKenna snapped. “Say what you will about my family, but at least none of them has ever punched me in the face.”

  “Look McKenna, I know what happened was wrong, but you’ve got to understand…”

  “I don’t have to understand shit.”

  “What the fuck did you think was going to happen?” Trevor gritted through his teeth. “You disrespected me in front of a crowd of Devils Kin. If I hadn’t done what I did, they would have torn you up. Do you honestly believe I wanted to hurt you?”

  McKenna’s emotions began churning tumultuously. It was so easy to stay angry when she wasn’t talking to him, but now she began to doubt. Was he telling the truth? Obviously, her family would say absolutely not, but they had lied to her for years. She no longer knew who or what to believe. A ragged breath escaped her lips and then she whispered, “I don’t know what to think.”

  “That is why I have to see you,” Trevor insisted. “Please, just give me a chance to explain.”

  “I can’t see you again,” McKenna denied. “I promised Sam.”

  “You don’t owe that man shit,” Trevor declared. “What the fuck has he ever done for you except tell lies and pretend to be something he’s not? He doesn’t love you. Fuck, he wishes you had never been born.”

  McKenna’s lips began to quiver. Tears burned like hot ashes in the back of her throat. “That’s not true,” she whimpered.

  “All right, then tell me his daughter’s name,” Trevor challenged.

  McKenna gasped and then held her hand over her mouth.

  “Say it,” Trevor demanded cruelly.

  “Abigail,” McKenna cried. “His daughter’s name is Abigail.”

  “That is a fucking lie. He has two daughters but only loves one.”

  “Trevor, please stop,” McKenna pleaded.

  “No, not while you are with them. Not until I can see you again. Not until I can make you understand that you don’t owe him a damn thing.”

  “I… I can’t. I’m staying at his house, and he is watching everything I do,” McKenna rushed.

  “I just want to talk, McKenna. I can come over tonight after he has gone to bed or early tomorrow before he wakes up.”

  Sam woke up early the next morning with an acute sensation that something was wrong. Glancing over, he saw Kate sleeping soundly. He toyed with the idea of rolling over and going back to sleep, but decided since he was up, he might as well check on Abby. After pulling on a pair of sweatpants and an old T-shirt, he walked down the hall to her room. Everything appeared normal and he was just about to shut the door behind him when he realized what was missing—McKenna.

  “Fuck,” Sam growled under his breath and took the steps two at a time, stopping only to reach for his keys and wallet on his way out. He started the engine as he waited for the garage door to open. Once it reached the halfway point, he saw the bastard leaning against his motorcycle and McKenna standing beside him.

  “Oh fuck no,” Sam shouted as he pushed open the car door and flew out.

  “Hey, I’m just here…” Trevor started to explain.

  The first punch broke Trevor’s nose and sent his blood gushing to the concrete drive. As he was kneeling over, Sam reached for his shoulders and then kneed him in the crotch.

  “SAM... SAM... STOP!” McKenna screamed hysterically.

  “I hear you like to hit girls,” Sam spat sarcastically and then drilled the left side of his face with his fist. “God, I wish I was in my heels so you know how it felt to have your ass kicked by one.”

  After a few seconds, Trevor got his bearings. He started to swing, but Sam kicked his feet out from under him. Once he was on the ground, Sam jumped on top of him and starting punching him with both fists.

  Hearing the commotion, Kate sprang from the door and was quickly followed closely behind by Abigail.

  “Sam, stop!” Kate screamed.

  “Dad,” Abigail called out.

  Sam leaned down and whispered into Trevor’s ear, “Listen here, you little fucker, if you ever try to see her again, I’ll fucking kill you. Now get the fuck off my property before I change my mind and decide to go ahead and do it now.”

  Once Trevor had ridden away with the wind, Sam turned around and found the trio of females steadily watching him. Kate’s eyes were the most comfortable to meet at the moment. She didn’t appear to be particularly surprised. In fact, he half-expected her to ask him what he wanted for breakfast instead of discussing what had just happened. Next, he glanced over at Abigail. His little girl looked positively stunned. Considering he had never been what anyone would ever describe as butch, he really wasn’t surprised by her reaction. Finally, he looked at McKenna. Unlike the other two, she was furious.

  “How could you?” McKenna demanded.

  “You promised me,” Sam spat back.

 
“Trevor only wanted to talk,” McKenna cried.

  “Yeah,” Sam snorted sarcastically. “He wanted to convince you to let him beat the shit out of you again.”

  “That’s not true,” McKenna hissed.

  “It is true, McKenna, because guys like that never change. If he hit you once, he will do it again.”

  “You don’t understand. It was a misunderstanding.”

  “You don’t honestly believe him. You can’t be that stupid,” Sam groaned.

  “Trevor has never lied to me,” McKenna screamed.

  “No, he just used your face as a personal punching bag,” Sam smirked and then waved his arms with frustration.

  “He loves me.”

  “Newsflash, McKenna, you don’t purposefully hurt people you love,” Sam shouted.

  McKenna stormed past him. By the front door, she turned back around and spat, “I guess you would know all about that.”

  Kenyon arrived later that morning to bring McKenna home. As soon as he walked through the door, he felt the weird tension in the air. He figured McKenna was probably just being herself, a little bitch, and had outstayed her welcome. No doubt, they were all more than ready for her to leave.

  He waited for her with Abby in the front room. When she did finally manage to come downstairs, she seemed in no hurry to go home.

  “Come on,” Kenyon grumbled.

  “I’m not going home,” McKenna declared.

  Kenyon rolled his eyes impatiently. “That’s not going to work. Mom wants you to come home.”

  “I don’t care what she wants. I am staying here,” McKenna exclaimed.

  “You have to be the one to tell her because I’m not going to get into the middle of that shit. And what’s with the sunglasses?” Kenyon asked as he reached up and snatched them off her face.

  “Kenyon, don’t,” McKenna yelped.

  Catching sight of her shiner, Kenyon stepped back and whispered, “Oh my God.”

  “Kenyon, you don’t understand. It was an accident,” McKenna cried.

  Kenyon turned away. He reached into pocket, pulled out his phone, and dialed his mother’s number.

  “Kenyon, what are you doing?” McKenna rushed.