𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐄𝐋 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑 - kiara carrera¹

𝒙𝒙𝒗𝒊𝒊𝒊. 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒃𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒏 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒆𝒔

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING HERE?"

Tatum froze at the shaky voice of Mrs Carrera. She turned around from the desk to face the rich, married couple. The wife was sobbing into her husband's shoulder, and they were both glaring deep into Tatum's soul in the middle of the police station.

"Uh, I'm here to see Kie and JJ," she said, not sure how to approach the two adults. She pointed a gun at the woman's head, the woman lied about it so her daughter didn't hate Tatum, and then she bailed her out of jail after she murdered someone. What was Tatum supposed to say to that? Thank you? Plus, they were Kiara's parents, so she didn't want to come off rude. Though, she had been dodging their fancy lawyers every time they called, so they probably already didn't like her too much. But it wasn't like she didn't want the help - she simply couldn't get it because she'd rather not be beaten to death by her dad.

Mrs Carrera stood straight, pointing an accusing finger at the teenage girl. "You are not going anywhere near my daughter," she spat out of disgust. "This is all your fault. If it weren't for you, our girl wouldn't be a part of this dirty life y'all live."

Tatum raised a brow. "'Y'all'?" she asked. "As in the poor people who live on the cut, that do all your jobs, and get minimum wage for it? Meanwhile, people like you sit on your high horse, and get paid a shit tone for nothing but sipping champagne in a jacuzzi."

The woman got up in her face. Tatum raised her brows in challenge. "I used to feel sorry for you, I did. I seen your brother that day aty restaurant, threatening and egging you on. I even lied about it for you." She pointed the the hallway the lead to the cells. "But now my daughter is in there, because of you. We paid your incredibly expensive bail, and this is how you repay us? By using Kiara and manipulating her into falling in love with you?"

Instead of shouting back at the woman for insulting her, Tatum focused on the last part of her sentence. She looked up with a smile. "She loves me?"

Mrs Carrera scoffed. "Don't play dumb, girl. We know all you want is her money."

Tatum blinked. She blinked again. Five times. "If I wanted money, I'd just rob the wreck again," she said simply.

And just like that, five hundred dollars was in her hand. "Stay away from Kiara, and we give you five hundred every month," Mr Carrera finally spoke up.

Tatum scoffed, throwing the money back at him. "Babes, I could get more than this by cleaning your pony's shit."

"Five grand, then."

The girl shook her head. "I don't want money," she told them honestly. "Kie's my friend. You can't choose her friends; that is manipulative, not me."

Mrs Carrera huffed. "We're not stupid, you know," she stated, crossing her arms. "We see the way you girls look at each other, and it's not right -"

Tatum's mouth parted in mock understanding. "Oh, so you're homophobic."

"No, you're from the cut, she's from figure eight - that's not how it's supposed to be, and you know it," Mrs Carrera snapped harshly.

The girl furrowed her brows and looked at Mr Carrera instead. "I swear, my dad and Uncle Luke used to smoke with you when they were younger," she said smartly, knowing it would piss his wife off. "Doesn't that mean you were once a pouge?"

Mrs Carrera's mouth wobbled. She clearly didn't have something to say back to that. "You're family is a train wreck," she said eventually, calming now. "You are a train wreck. If you cared for our girl at all, you wouldn't let her walk into that dangerous, dirty life."

Tatum frowned, all the smartass humour she once had disappeared. She had never really thought about it.  She always assumed at one day, somehow, she'd get away. Her family would go. Or she and Kie would run away. But no matter what, she would always be a Quinn.

Mrs Carrera smirked, knowing she had won this battle. "You're court date is three weeks," she stated. "We'll help you out all the way - the money, the lawyers, the strategy - you're dad will never have to know. The moment it's over, you will never speak or contact my daughter again. Got it?"

Speechless by the offer, Tatum desperately searched through her mind. She had no idea how to react to this. She wouldn't be herself without Kie. She'd go mad. Kiara was the only person in the world that could tame her. She needed her. She loved her.

"If you loved her, you would leave her," the woman said, like she knew exactly what the girl was thinking. "Kiara is set up for success and a great life, full of money and a rich husband - stable relationship, and plenty of kids." She looked Tatum up and down with disgust. "You're destined for an orange jumpsuit and a life of felons. You'd only drag her down. Do you really want that for Kiara?"

Tatum shook her head. "No."

Mrs Carrera smiled. "Perfect. I'll see you at the trial - my legal team will be in touch." She patted the girl on her shoulder. "And after you get out of this mess, you're going to repay us by crushing our daughter's heart, yes?"

There was nothing else to do. The woman was completely right. Kiara would have the perfect life without her. All Tatum could ever provide her with is drug money and deadly weapons. She nodded sadly. "Yes."

"Great, and not a word of this goes to Kiara," she said, slipping a fifty dollar bill in the strap of her bikini bra, like she was some lowlife stripper.