Into the Sunlight Ch. 01

Rory just stood. Soon, Sierra drove up with the children. School was out early today and she picked all of them up. She entered followed by an excited group of young ones.

"Camirra!" Tyrianna and Ashleigh shouted. They rushed to their older sister and froze mid stride. Sierra was speechless as well as evidence of her niece's maltreatment looked back at her. She called Cameron.

Soon, Darius' home was filled to the brim. His Mom and dad walked in with Dee's mom. Camirra cried. Her grandmother sat on the couch in front of her. She held both of her hands. "This is not your fault Camirra Lace. You are home now. You are safe. Charles won't hurt you again." She hugged her grandmother.

Her phone rang. She looked at it. It was her husband.

Charles was furious. The bitch didn't come home. Jeanie called and said she didn't see her come in. He called his friend Blackie at her job, and he told him that she left work hours ago. He had no idea where she went. Blackie wasn't about to tell him she was with her sister. Although he gave her a hard time at work, he hated the way Charles treated her. Today when her sister showed up, it was her one chance to escape. She took it. He was certain Charles would find out where she went, but it would not be because of him.

Charles waited. Answer the phone. You stupid bitch. He fumed.

Camirra dropped the phone and Darius answered.

"Bitch, I don't know where you are but I'm beating that ass when you get home." Charles threatened.

That was enough, "Listen to me you son of a bitch. I told you if you hurt my baby, I would be after your ass. Run mother fucker because your days are numbered." Darius hang up

"Daddy, don't he'll hurt you. He said..." She paused.

"I need to call him. I need to explain." She cried.

Cynthia took her phone. As a doctor, she saw victims of domestic violence often. They always blamed themselves. But this time it was personal. Camirra was her baby and some man beat her.

"You don't have to call him, or speak to him again." She moved beside her grandmother, "Baby, I promise you. He will never touch you again. We won't let Charles near you. I promise." Cynthia swore.

Jasmine came and applied cold cream to her bruises. They would fade, but the mental scars would take time to heal. Camirra needed to talk with someone. They'd find someone tomorrow.

Fuck, she went home. Her old man is crazy. Shit, I got to go. He will kill me. Charles panicked.

Dialing his boss' number, he told him he was relocating. His boss told him to give him a few days and he'd make sure he had a new post. He'd triple his pay if he waited." Charles wanted the money

Mrs. Love knew what her husband was doing. He believed Charles would go after Camirra, and she needed time to feel safe with her family. He was giving her family time.

Charles couldn't sleep. That bitch went home and he knew she lied to her folks. How in the hell did she get home that fast? Her car was still at the office. He knew he drove by there. Someone had to help her. She had another man. The bitch was cheating in him; fucking around behind his back. Her Dad might come, but he wouldn't kill him. He was too soft now. Besides, if Darius Granger did show up, his body would be carried back home, and that bitch would know it was her fault.

Soon Camirra slept in her father's guest room. Rory for the first time since they were kids stayed in the room with her sister. Rory watched Camirra sleep. She'd wait and around two she was driving back. He could bully her sister, but that bastard did not scare her. Charles Finch was going to pay.

Around two am, Rory was up and dressed. As she started to exit via the backdoor, a light popped on. "No, Rory, I can't let you do it. I can't risk you Rory. Go back upstairs." Darius ordered.

"Daddy, did you see her face? Do you know what he did to her? She lost a baby because he beat her, Daddy. He beat her because she was too scared to fight back. He needs to pay." Rory sobbed.

Darius faced his daughter. Rory was so much like him. If someone hurt Derrick or Sierra he'd kill them. Hell, he almost did. He recalled his attack on Cameron.

"He will pay baby, but right now Camirra needs you here with her. I promise you, I will take care of that bastard." Darius sighed, "He won't get away with it."

Rory's body shook with unadulterated fury. Darius held her clos. When they were babies, he often sang to them, so he began to hum. She calmed, yet her body still shook. "Daddy, I stopped talking to her. She picked him, and after he had me arrested, I walked out of her life. She is hurt because I failed to protect her. I knew something was wrong; I knew." She cried, her body wracked with soft sobs.

For the first time, since Camirra came home and chose to leave with Charles, Darius cried in front if his daughter. "If anyone failed, baby, it was me." Darius whispered.

Camirra awoke and found Rory gone. She was afraid. She found her dad and sister crying in the kitchen "Please don't cry for me. This is not your fault. I knew how he was, but he promised me that if I married him he would change. He was worse, but Daddy you warned me and I didn't listen. I should have listened."

Darius pulled both of his daughters into his safe embrace.

"Daddy, I'm sorry. You warned me, and I should have listened." Camirra whispered.

"No baby. Don't. You are not to blame for what he did. I never liked him, didn't trust him. I should have done more. ". Darius whispered, lifting her chin. "How long has he been mistreating you."

Camirra inhaled. "The first time, we were dating. We were at the movies and I spoke to to a friend. Charles was upset, and after we left the theater he shoved me. He apologized and begged me to forgive him. He swore it was his love for me that made him infuriated when I talked to other men. I forgave him. I kept it secret. He didn't hit me until after we had been married a few months. I wanted to come home, but so much was said. I made my choice so I had to deal with it.

She faced Rory, "I'm sorry I let the police arrest you. But I really felt like I had no choice. He was my husband. It was the two of us against the world. I knew if I sided with you, I'd be beaten and selfishly, I took his side. I'm sorry Rory. I cut you out of my life because I had to, not because I wanted to." She sobbed.

Rory hugged her sister. "I never should have walked away from you. If I hadn't, then you would not have felt so alone. "

"No, Rory. I made a bad choice, but you came for me and helped me get away. I'm going to be OK now.". Camirra noticed that her sister was fully dressed. She also knew that is Rory made up her mind, she would take action against her husband.

"Rory, where were your are going?" Camirra asked.

"He can't get away with this, Camirra. He needs to know that." Rory explained.

Derreon woke up. He joined his dad and sisters. As a young teen, he was a handsome young man. And like the other males in the family, he was very protective of his sisters.

"Rory, I want to go with you. Dad can stay here and take care of Mom and Camirra. We need to get that fool." He added.

Rory smiled. Her baby brother was ready to defend them whenever the need arose. But this was one she wouldn't involve him in.

"Nah, bruh." Rory explained, "I'm handling that fool."

Darius cleared his throat. "No, no one is confronting Charles. That's what he expects. Camirra is safe now. He won't get near her again. Now we are not going after him, but if he comes here, all bets are off."

Derreon wanted to protest. His Dad was turning soft. He heard the stores about how badass he when he was younger, but now, he wanted to play it safe.

"You three, go back to bed. That's an order" Darius decreed.

Hugging their dad once more, the three complied. However, Rory still wanted to get her hands on her brother in law.

Having learned about Camirra's attack, Derrick took action. He called a friend and wanted to know what the options were. It was simple. Camirra was divorcing that bastard.

Also, after procuring a restraining order against Charles, they hired a detective to watch the ex-husband. If he moved, they wanted to know. Until Camirra was divorced, she was still in danger. Each day the detective reported to Darius, Derrick, Jason, or Cameron. He had Charles watched from all angles, but was concerned with his level of deceitfulness. From what his people told him, Charles was crafty.

*****

About a week passed, Charles reported to work. His boss, Mr. Love, acted as if nothing was wrong. He was pissed. No call from his wife. He knew she was aware that he called. Maybe Daddy dearest forbade her to call, but still she was his wife. She didn't call. All night, he waited, and no call from his wife. A few weeks passed, and Charles was growing even more impatient.

The shit hit the fan when the sheriff's deputy stopped by. He had two letters for him. Charles saw that one was from the head office, and one was from the County Circuit Court. He opened the second one and saw red. She gat papers on him. He had to stay away from her. Then he opened the second one. He was terminated. He would be given two weeks pay but he needed to leave the security offices by noon, Friday.

He lost his job because of that bitch, and she wanted to leave him. No, Charles glared at the officer. He was going to see his wife. Soon, a deputy asked him to gather his things, he'd escort him off of the premises. He was furious. Does that dumb bitch think I'll let her leave me? I'm her damn husband. I tell her what to do.

Charles was pissed. Blackie didn't tell him everything. He learned from some of her so called friends that she left with her sister. He knew it. The bitch had planned this shit.

After he was off of the company property, he had nothing else to lose. Camirra caused all of these problems and she would pay. He needed to think though. Her Dad and stepmom were military. She'd been gone almost over a month and neither one contacted him. He knew they were waiting for his ass to show up. He had to think.

It didn't matter what her Dad did or said; Camirra would pay for this betrayal. He made her a promise when they married five years ago. Now, he would keep his word. Charles had one thought and one thought only, right now. He was dealing with his wife and if anyone got in the way, what happened to them was their own fault.

The investigator notified Derrick that he'd been let go from his job and escorted out. Charles drove away, and the team lost him. Derrick called Darius, Jason, and the rest of the family immediately. Darius alerted Cynthia and his girls. They needed to take precautions to be safe. As a precaution, Derreon, Ashleigh, and Tyrianna would come to his house after school. Cynthia left work early and Rory and Camirra would join her at the house. They made sure the security system was activated. Unless he was extremely crafty, Charles was not getting in.

Charles left work driving. Three hours later he was in town. He drove past his father in laws house and noticed it look empty. Parking two blocks away, Charles walked back to the house. Scaling the seven foot fence that surrounded the property, he got inside.

Charles noted that motion detectors and cameras covered the yard. No problem, he'd cut the wires and he did. With surveillance disabled, all he had to do was wait.

He waited in the back yard. First he saw the wife come home. She was one fine piece of ass. Next the kid, followed by two more little girls that were a bit older.

No sign of his bitch of a wife or her damn sister.

Charles waited. The boy and two girls came out back. They talked. Charles listened. They said Camirra was home and safe now. He should go to jail. The boy puffed up and said, he'd jack him up if he ever got the chance.

Charles snickered. The kid was a punk. Soon the mom called and all three went inside.

He waited growing angrier by the minute, then she showed. The bruises were fading. She wore no make up. Her sister talked with her and Camirra smiled. His wife had a beautiful smile. She never smiled for him any more.

They left and he checked the patio doors. Just as he hoped, the door was unlocked. The kids left it open. Charles snuck inside the home.

He waited. Darius came home. Her mom and step dad were with him. Hiding in a broom closet, he fumed. "I talked to my lawyer today. They are serving Charles with our divorce papers tomorrow." Camirra explained.

"Good, I promise you. He won't hurt you again. Now, Derrick has a PI searching for him. We know he left town, but not where he is hiding. Cameron and I went by the precinct. They know. But until he is found, I don't want any of you going anywhere by yourselves. Especially you and Rory, Camirra, from now on, one of us men will be with you." Darius explained. Jason held his youngest daughter close.

Camirra looked around. Her family was amazing and because of her they were now in danger. "I'm sorry, I can call him and..."

"Camirra, you re home. You are safe now." Jason added and Camirra relaxed

None of them suspected that the object of their fury was right under their noses. Each second, Charles grew more and more upset. Then she spoke, "Uncle Derrick took me to see a lawyer. He filled a motion and I have a restraining order against him. The lawyer is handling the divorce. He said or would take time but Charles will be notified soon."

The bitch thought she could divorce him. He almost bust out of the closet. Cynthia prepared dinner and every one went to the dining room.

Charles couldn't see them but he could hear. he listened, then one of the girls needed napkins. She walked to the closet. Charles smiled. It was time to make his presence known.

As Ashley opened the door, her pointed his 350 magnum in her face. The girl started to scream. He hissed.

"You make a sound and I will kill you right here." Ashleigh froze.

Grabbing her, and placing the gun at her temple. Charles joined the family in the dining room. Camirra screamed. "Charles, no!"

"Shut up. You think you can leave me. You belong to me. Now your family has to pay. " He sneered. "I told you that your will never leave me, Camirra. What did I tell you would happen if you left?"

Camirra shook. She was terrified. He warned her. If she ever tried to leave him, he'd kill her family first and then her. He'd never see a jail because he'd take his own life. "Charles, I'm sorry. I knew better. My family had nothing to do with this... " He cocked his gun. Ashleigh whimpered.

Everyone was scared, except Darius. He was ticked off. "Put the gun down and face me like a man." He ordered.

Charles faced him. "What you think I'm stupid. I ain't dumb. This is not my fault, blame your bitch of a daughter caused this. She brought this on you."

Darius stood, as did Jason. "Let her go." Both men demanded.

"Camirra knows what I want, your daughter for my wife." Charles stated.

Camirra moved. Charles grabbed at her slinging Ashleigh aside; as he reached for Camirra, Darius attacked. His gun fired and both men slumped. Cynthia retrieved her revolver from the faux safe. Everyone screamed as Charles laughed and stopped. Aiming his weapon at Camirra he went to fire when a second gun went off knocking him down completely.

Cynthia placed the gun on the table and moved to Charles, kicking the one he had away from his body. Her main concern was Darius. He was not moving.

"Daddy, I'm sorry." Camirra sobbed as they heard sirens in the distant. The police came and called for ambulances. Darius was lifted as was Charles. Both men were in serious condition.

Camirra, Rory and Dee went to the hospital. Jason took the three kids to Marge and Marvin. He told them what happened and called Derrick and Cameron. He then headed to the police station where Cynthia was taken.

Charles was in surgery as was Darius. The police came and asked for statement. Camirra needed to know that Cyn was OK. Jason was with her and Derrick called his friend to meet her down there.

Cynthia gave her statement and was held for the night. The lawyer told her it would be OK. It was a clear case of self defense. She had the right to protect her family.

The next morning, she bonded out. Cynthia went straight to the hospital. The doctors repaired the damage, and Darius was stable.

As for Charles, he was still critical. The DA waited. He really had no interest in pursuing a case against Cynthia. Charles however, he would prosecute. Breaking and entering, a attempted murder, kidnappings, were just a few of the charge that could be brought against him. However, the public was outraged. This man almost killed and someone need to face charges.

No, he would not charge her. Then the activist and media showed up. The media was out in high numbers. He had to at least present a case to the grand jury. But surely they would see this for what it was simple self defense.

Days went by as Charles fought for his life. Camirra was torn. He was her husband, but he tried to take away her family. If she had stayed at home, then this never would have happened. Charles was right. This was her fault.

His family needed to be notified. They hated her, but she knew she had to call. She contacted his sister. The woman came and Camirra knew that she blamed her. His mother said nothing. Camirra stood before Mrs. Irma and spoke not a word. Irma looked at her, and she knew. If her son was shot in cold blood, then someone needed to go to jail, but knowing her son, it was more to the story. Her daughter insisted that, Charles was lured here by his bitch of a wife to be executed.

Doing some digging, the sister learned of Cynthia's military background. In fury, she demanded that Cynthia be charged with attempted murder and be held accountable. Her brother did not deserve to be shot. He was only trying to talk to his wife.

~~~~~~THE END OF PART ONE.~~~~~

So, I hope you enjoyed chapter one of the story. This story will be written in installments. Chapter 2 is actually completed and will be posted soon. Please vote and share your thoughts.

IR2R