Chapter 19
GIANNA
We’re driving so fast that the blurry landscape outside the window is making me dizzy.
But I keep my eyes on it anyway, because it’s the sea and the beach, both things I love, and the light purple colors of sunset are making it look like one of those beautiful impressionistic paintings.
I wanted to get out of that old, dusty house, but I didn’t know how much until just now.
Who knows when I’ll be outside next? Who knows if we’ll even survive this ride at the speed we’re going.
But the sunset is not golden, finally. Maybe things are changing.
We’re not talking. I’m not looking at him.
And the heavy rock music blaring from the speakers makes it hard to think.
Good. I don’t want to think. I don’t want to imagine what’s happening to my sister.
Or where I’ll end up at the end of this ride.
I’ll run. I’ll get help. I know that. Don’t know how, but I will.
But I don’t want to think about that too much either.
The landscape changes as we reach the highway, it’s mostly grey now, especially as all light slowly fades from the sky and night falls. Now all the lights are beautiful long lines of brightness in the dark and hope is returning to my chest.
I turn off the radio and face him. “Where are you taking me?”
He glances at me, which is a bad idea given the speed we’re moving at.
He’s weaving through traffic like he does this for a living, driving as fast as he did the night he rescued me from that guy in the alley.
The night we met. The night all this was set in motion. I wish I’d never gone out that night.
“Atlantic City,” he says. “Ever been?”
No, but I wanted to go.
Of course I won’t say that.
“Why?”
“Because I want to have some fun and I think you do too.”
“Not with you.”
I look back out my window at the lights. They’re growing brighter now and there’s more of them. More cars too, forcing him to finally slow down.
“We’re almost there,” he says and glances at me again. “I bet we’ll even find a nice dress for you to wear. Seeing as you rejected everything I packed for you.”
I will finally get a sip of alcohol. Vodka. Neat. And keep them coming. That’s what I’ll have.
“I don’t want anything from you.”
“Yeah, so you keep saying,” he says. “But you’re getting everything anyway.”
I have no idea what he really means by that, but it sure feels good hearing it. Makes my chest all fuzzy and warm, which his gaze on my face was already doing. Warming me like the sun even in the dead of night.
But I’ll run anyway.
As soon as I can.
I never should’ve gone out that night when we met.
We never should’ve met. I know that now.
And I won’t betray my family again.