"Miss, I'd love it if you could explain everything to us in detail". Skyler sat in the room with her, urging her to talk. Vincent sat outside with Miguel, much to his dislike. He wanted to be in the room with his mate, to look at her scared face and let her know everything was fine.
"I was eight. My parents were murdered. I escaped and started living in the street. I was scared. It was rough. I'll go to bakeries and restaurants to beg for crumbs of food. Sometimes, I'll beg rich gentlemen on the streets for a dollar. That's how I survived. I found this group of stray kids. Some of them were orphans, some of them ran away from home. They became my friends. Along the line, they made me join them in stealing". She paused to look at Skyler who nodded at her to continue.
"On one fateful day we were caught. They managed to escape. I was 10 then. I couldn't escape. I was beaten by this group of older kids. Then he...he came to my rescue".
"By the he, you mean Mr Grimm?" The detective asked. Alice nodded.
"He got me treated, took me home. On the way, I thought it was gonna be a bed of roses but it wasn't. He was a drug addict, a toxic smoker, and a drinker. He had this girlfriend whom he loved so much. But, shortly after I arrived, she left him to marry a rich man. He blamed me for it. Said his girlfriend thought I was his child that he had been hiding away and that she couldn't continue with him. He would come home drunk and beat me up. He forced me to get the tattoo on my arm. At a point, he started..." She gulped. The pain is evident in her eyes.
"He started raping me". She dropped the bomb and Skyler heard Vincent's growl from outside the room. Obviously, he was listening in on the conversation.
"He made me swear I wouldn't say anything. He had his way with me almost every night. At 15, I got pregnant. He had me abort the child. I was in serious pain. Slowly, I embraced depression. Then I met Grandma. Mrs Aloysius. I would go to her place sometimes when I had the opportunity. During one of those times, Miss Blackstone came to drop Miguel off for Grandma. He was an interesting kid. I bonded immediately with him. When it was time to go, he wouldn't leave me. Grandma asked Miss B to employ me as her nanny. That's how I started taking care of Miguel. I would wait for the bus to drop him off and stay with him till Miss Blackstone returned from work. My father never stopped abusing me. I started harming myself when I was engulfed with self-blame and guilt. It was with the money Miss B paid me that I saved up, went to see a therapist, and was placed on antidepressants. But whenever I was out of it, the depression would creep back. So that's how we got here". Alice finished.
"So how did you meet Mr Quinn here and what happened today at the mall".
"I'm Miss Blackstone's fiance and I had to look after Miguel while she was away at work. Like the girl has said, she and Miguel are inseparable. She had to come along". Skyler cut in, saving the girl the stress.
"Yes. So while we were shopping, we decided to stop over at the arcade. Mr Quinn went to get us tickets, and out of the blue, my father appeared and I had no other choice but to follow him".
"You could have called the attention of Mr. Quinn". Alice shook her head.
"My father's a very dangerous man. No telling what he could have done to Mr. Quinn". Skyler snorted at the girl's response.
"Obviously, Mr. Quinn and his men overpowered him". The detective said.
"Now to you Mr Quinn. Why would Miss Blackstone leave the child with you and not his grandmother?"
"It was an arrangement. Grandma said yes". The detective looked at him skeptically.
"Where's this child?"
"Outside, with my bodyguard".
"I'd love to see him and ask him some questions". The detective spoke, not breaking eye contact with Skyler.
"The boy is only four". Skyler argued.
"I want to see him". The man insisted.
Skyler was already irritated. He and his men could have dealt with the bastard of the man and threatened him never to come near Alice in his life but the mall security had already called the cops cause of the crowd that had gathered.
"Vincent, bring in Miguel". Skyler spoke both out loud and through the mind link. The earlier because he didn't want to give off the fact that he was a werewolf as the man was human so he had to act like he was making a call, phone to ear.
The door opened and Vincent walked in with Miguel. The detective stared at the boy and then back at Skyler, over and over again. His mouth opened and closed again.
"Mr. Quinn, you never told me the boy was your son".
"Because I don't see its importance in this case".
The detective was lost for words.
"Take the boy away Vincent. We'll be with you soon".
Vincent nodded and left with the boy but gave Alice a soft stare. This, the detective noticed.
"Is there anything going on between your bodyguard and this girl. Cause that will be paedophilic. More like child abuse". Skyler was fully irritated now.
"They have a chemistry. One you can't understand". He gave the detective an angry look.
"Now! Can we get back to what's on the ground?" Skyler slammed his hand on the desk and a crack appeared. The detective flinched.
"That'll be all Mr Quinn. I'll send some men to his house so they can gather some evidence and then Mr Grimm will be taken to court and then jailed. In the meantime, Alice will remain in your custody and Miss Blackstone's". The detective gulped and Skyler grabbed Alice's hands and gently led her out.
He paused at the door and spoke.
"I'll send money for the replacement of your desk".
With that, he walked out. Vincent hugged Alice close the minute they had stepped out of the office. Skyler carried Miguel and they all headed home silently, each to their thoughts.
The only person who spoke was Miguel, constantly throwing a question here and there that Alice or Skyler would answer.
"Can I see Mama once we get home?"
Skyler loved the way he referred to his house as 'home' but he wasn't sure if Fira had woken up. If she did, he would have been contacted.
Once they got home, he asked them to have a bath and come down for lunch. He went to his bedroom as well and checked on Fira. She wasn't awake so he had his bath and went downstairs.
While they were having lunch, he heard a voice, one he had been longing to hear.
"Skyler?" The voice was angry.
"Skyler Quinn?"
"In here my love". Skyler responded loudly, smirking.
"Mama?" Miguel jumped down from the stool excitedly.
Fira walked into the kitchen, hair everywhere and face very angry. She landed a loud slap on Skyler's cheek.
"Mama?"
"Miss B?"
"Ma'am?"
Miguel, Alice, and Claudia cried out at the same time.
"How dare you?" She seethed with rage. "How dare you lay your filthy hand on my son?"
"Our son you mean". Skyler smirked at her.
"He is not your son. He is my son. And I'm taking him. Miguel come here baby". The boy ran to his mother.
"Alice. C'mon get off that stool let's leave". She motioned and Alice looked sadly at Skyler but got off nonetheless.
"You can't take my son away". Skyler tried his best to contain his rage.
"Watch me". She dragged the boy and headed out. Just as she reached the door, she felt dizzy, her head spun and so did the rest of the world.
Skyler shot out of the chair to catch her. She collapsed in his arms.