One in a Million (UNEDITED)

Chap 21: Punishment

In the last chapter~
-Nick finds Imani
-Imani wishes that she could be really with her mom
-Everyone accidentally falls asleep
-Nick and Ryder take Imani home
-Ryder tells Nick about Imani's past on the way there

Nick's POV

An hour passed when we finally reached her house and for some odd reason it seemed familiar to me.

Odd, I thought.

Ryder pulled up to the house and I went around the back to wake Imani up.

"Imani?" I shook her. No response. "Imani?" I said louder. No answer, she just stirred and waved me off. "Come on, " I laughed. I gave up and just carried her to the door while Ryder knocked.

A short little woman answered the door. She looked exactly like Imani with the hair, face, everything. She yawned and looked up at us. A big smile crossed her face.

"Ryder?" she asked. "Oh my goodness I haven't seen you in years, son. You look good!" she laughed as Ryder went down to hug her.

"It's nice to see you again too ma'am, " he laughed. "This is my best friend Nicolas, " he introduced me.

"Well, nice to meet you Mr. Nicolas, " she glowed. She had the beautiful, twinkling russet eye color. Just like Imani.

Now we know where her smile and eyes came from, I chuckled.

"Nice to meet you too Mrs." I grinned.

"Are they home?" Ryder asked cautiously. Imani's mother glanced at me for a moment. "I told him, ma'am, " Ryder confessed guiltily.

"Oh, I see, " she breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes, they are home but they are sleeping so please hurry and be quiet, " she whispered to me.

We left Ryder at the door as we went up to Imani's room. We were just about to leave we heard a booming voice.

"Naomi?!" the voice thundered. All the color fled from her face. She nodded towards the closet and I ran to it. She exited the room and answered.

"Y-yes sir?" she replied with her head bowed.

"Is Imani home yet?" asked another voice.

"No, she has not returned yet, " she lied.

"That little b*tch!" he cursed.

"That little slut! When she comes home I'm gonna kill her, " the other voice growled.

"Please don't talk that way about your daughter, " she pleaded.

*Whack!*

One of them slapped her hard across the face and she fell to the floor.

"Don't talk back to me, f*cken b*tch, " he snarled. "Don't forget your place, understand?"

"Yes," she cried. The man picked her up and pushed her against a wall.

"Yes, what?" he questioned.

"Y-yes, my love!" she choked.

"That's better, remember I am your husband, Naomi, " he spat.

"Tell us when she arrives, " the other man snapped.

"Yes, brother, " she sighed. They pushed her to the ground again and walked away.

What the hell did I just witness?

When I heard no one around, I ran over to her and picked her up, "A-are you ok? Do you need help?" I panicked.

"Shush, child" she breathed. "I'm gonna be ok, but I'm going to need you to do me a favor. You don't speak of this to anyone, understood?" she questioned, raising her eyebrow. "Not even Ryder, " she added. I sighed and nodded.