Prologue

5 Years Ago

Everything is going to be fine.

I shove my hands further down against the leather seat as the car moves steadily in the direction of my worst nightmare. At least, I think that's where I'm going. The lights bathe my face in a multitude of colors. With every bump, it feels like my heart is going to pop out of my chest.

"Why do you look like you're going to throw up? Come on, don't be like that."

I swing my eyes in Hollister's direction and fight with all my might to put a smile on my face. He says this is what I have to do to make him happy. He's been so short with me lately, and no matter what I do, it seems like I can't break him out of his bad mood. I wish I knew what started this to begin with.

Still, I can't make Hollister mad. He's all I have.

I know everyone on the outside says he's a bad guy and that I should stay away from him, but he saved me.

After my father went on his last bender, he came home and started to beat on me. I was sure he was going to kill me. It was only because he passed out before he could finish the job that I'm still alive.

I hightailed it out of that house as soon as I could, with nothing but the clothes on my back and a few dollars I'd saved up from past birthdays in my pocket.

I was alone in the world, with no one to watch over me, sleeping on park benches and begging for handouts. That is before I met Hollister. He took one look at me and knew that he needed to take care of me. He treated me like his baby, his little girl. Except when it came to the nights I made him feel good. The nights he touched me like I was a grown woman. He knew I was only sixteen, but he promised that if I didn't say anything, neither would he. I liked how he touched me. He made me feel wanted. The last thing I would do is tell on him. I want to stay with Hollister for as long as possible, and that means I have to do whatever I can to make him happy.

I just didn't think making him happy would be to have fun with one of his friends.

"I'm just a little scared, Daddy," I whisper, using his nickname because I know he likes it. It always puts a smile on his face. At least usually. This time, I only get a small grimace.

"Scared? What is there for you to be scared of? I already told you. Dave is a friend of mine, and he's going through a really tough time right now. He's lonely. It's right for friends to take care of friends, isn't it?" He shoots me another look, and I nod my head.

"Of course." I pull my bottom lip in my mouth and instantly spit it back out once I get a taste of the waxy lipstick painted on them. I don't usually wear makeup, but Hollister wanted me to look my very best tonight. I barely recognized myself when I looked in the mirror.

I looked so much older than my sixteen years. Maybe that's what Hollister wants.

"I just thought... I mean, I don't really want to have fun with anyone but you. I love you." I reach my hand over and place it on his thigh. The muscles there are rock hard like he's tensed up or something.

"I love you too, Babygirl, but if you really loved me, you wouldn't be giving me this much grief about me trying to help out a friend. You know what?" Abruptly, Hollister pulls the car to the curb and keeps his foot on the brake. "If you don't want to do this and you don't love me like you say, then you can leave. Go back home where you came from. I don't have to be sitting here trying to help you out. I don't have time for your bullshit."

Fear blossomed inside my chest so quickly that it takes me a couple of seconds to get any words out of my mouth. I stutter a few times trying to think of the right thing to say to get him to keep driving. Trying to please this man who took me in off the street. He's never looked at me this wayh before. Now I'm not only scared of what I'm going to have to do with this Dave person but also that Hollister will leave me on my own again.

I can't go through that. Being alone isn't for me.

When Hollister told me he was going to take me somewhere special tonight this isn't what I thought would happen.

"No, no, please don't make me leave. I don't want to go back. I'll be good. I'll be a good girl, I promise." I squeeze his thigh again, hoping that he can feel how sincere I'm being.

"You going to stop with this 'I'm scared' shit?" He squints his eyes at me, and I quickly nod my head. I breathe a sigh of relief when he puts the blinker on and eases his foot of the brake.

With that, he looks down at his watch and sucks his teeth, "See what you did. All this emotional shit has us running late. I swear, sometimes, Babygirl, I'm not sure why I even put up with the shit you put me through." He sighs as he pulls back into traffic, and I shove my hands back against the leather underneath me and wait for us to get to this Dave's house.

I don't know what Hollister is about to make me do, but I'll do whatever I have to make sure I don't lose him, even if it means having fun with one of his friends.