Charlie hit Charmaine over and over again. Her lip was busted and her eye was swollen shut. She couldn't see all that well out of either of her eyes. While she balled up in fetal position Charlie tried pulling her clothes off but she was squirming around too much. No matter how much he hit her she wouldn't stop moving. Charmaine reached onto the coffee table trying to find something to hit Charlie with. She got ahold of the lamp and pulled it to the edge of the table. When her grip was tight enough she began to hit Charlie with it.

"AAHHH "he yelled out in pain. Charmaine hit him with everything she could until she stalled enough time to work her way to her feet. When grabbed the pocket knife he dropped on the floor and without  hesitation she stabbed him in the thigh.

She made her way back to malani room and grabbed her up trying not to wake her. She held the pocket knife tightly in her other hand. Neither of them were dressed appropriately,but right now her main priority was to get out the house.

Charmaine locked her self in her room and laid Malani down. She began to move things out the way of her fire escape. All the apartments had one. She never used it though. She heard the door knob jiggling then Charlie voice.

"Get out here you bitch"he yelled banging on the door. She finally gotten the door open and she picked Malani up and rushed down the stairs. They didn't make it too far before Charmaine had to finally wake Malani up. All the pain was getting to her.Charmaine reached in her pockets for her keys. She was thankful she still had them on her.

She limped around the back then cut through the parking lot. She looked around keeping an eye out for Charlie.

"Mommy"Malani whined.
"Not now. Get in"she said out of breath,she held the door open for Malani. She obliged then Charmaine limped around to her side of the car and got in. She couldn't call anyone cause her phone was left in the house and she refused to go back.

"This shit was too easy. We should have been did this" Omarion spoke up.

"It's done now"Kain shrugged his shoulders. He was frustrated Charmaine wasn't picking up.
"I'm about to slide by Charmaine crib. Keep that nigga tied up. Kain pointed to the guy who had been stealing money.

"I got you man "
"I knew you were to pussy to kill me"the guy spat. He had to be the same age as Kain.

Kain laughed him off,but Omarion didn't.  He grabbed his gun sending a bullet straight through his head.

"I knew your ass was going to do that shit"Kain shook hid head. He didn't want him dead just yet.

"Ain't no going back"he shrugged his shoulders. They both made their way upstairs and parted ways.

Kain mom words still lingered in his head on his way over to her place.

Everything about her was different. She had the softest voice he had ever heard. She was humble and was a fighter. She never used what she been through as an excuse.

He just liked her mentality and she was beautiful. She amazed him. Kain seen that her car wasn't in the parking lot at all.

He tried calling again,but he was sent to voicemail.

Charmaine walked back to her car. She tried going to Tiani's house but she wasn't home.

Charmaine wanted to cry from being frustrated about everything,but no tears fell. She wouldn't do it now.

"Not in front of my daughter"

She took a deep breath then started her car back up. She was hoping Kani would be home. He wad the only other person she could go to right now. She was glad his place was only a short six minutes away cause her tank was almost empty.

"Yay!"Malani cheered from the backseat. She recognized the upscale neighborhood they were entering. Charmaine drove straight back. Kain house was actually the very last house and his property was bigger then all the other ones by thirty acres. Charmaine put the code in the gate letting herself in. Kain guard let her cause he knew Charmaine and besides Omarion and Bear and his brother they were the only ones allowed psst the gate without him being there.

Charmaine pulled into the driveway and she took her time getting out the car. Her body was aching. Her vision was getting blurred.

Malani wanted to ask questions but she was told not to twice already.

Kain pulled into his driveway seeing Charmaine car.

"She gon' chew me up" he thought. He killed the engine. He pulled hid slightly sagging pants up as he stepped out the car.

Charmaine leaned against her car with her arms crossed against her chest. He walked behind her snaking his arms around her waist. He was expecting her to jump but she didn't. He leaned close to see if he could get away with a kiss but when he did he noticed the bruises.

"Yo what the fuck. Who did this shit?"He asked examining her face. He pulled her Chanel glasses off.

"Who the fuck did this shit man. Why ain't you call me?"he snapped on her

His hands were still resting around her hips.

She shook her head that was hanging low. "Charmaine "he said. As if it was on key she began to cry.

Kain sighed running his hands down his face.

Malani stepped out of the car and Kain went to greet her.
"Why mommy cry?"she asked.

"She fake crying. Here go in the house "Kain opened the door for her and she ran in going to the movie room. It was one of her favorite places in the house.

Kain walked back outside and helped Charmaine in. When they got to the stairs he picked her up with ease.

"Who did this?" he asked again.
"Charles" she murmured.
"Who the fuck is he?"Kain asked sitting her on the toilet seat.

"My landlord" Kain was furious. No matter how much they denied it Charmaine was his girl and he was pissed someone even thought it was okay to hurt her even if she just associated with Kain.

He grabbed a wet towel and wiped the blood off her face.
"I got you. You hear me?"Kain asked with his finger under her chin.

She slowly nodded her head. He dabbed  perioxide onto her cuts and treated her bruises. Get in the shower" He told her.

Kain put some of the blame on him. If he would have picked her up on time this wouldn't have happened. Then again it doesn't justify what Charles did.

Charmaine began to strip and Kain left the bathroom leaving the door cracked a little. He was ready going to fuck Charles up. He gave him a fair warning not once but twice. Kain was sure he wasn't going to live another day.

After Changing his shirt he went through his drawers to see if she had any left over clothes.

The stuff he found he put it on the bed then made his way down to the movie room where Malani was

         Excuse my errors
Next update will be today💜

Quick question how many of you guys read selfish???

Last but not least this book is a little past halfway done...Soon I'll decide if there will be a sequel.