Chapter 4 Kateřina
Ilook at myself in the mirror, and my eyes squint from the glistening, gorgeous dress that I’m wearing. It shines all over the room, and even though it’s black, I’m sure it shines brighter than any other.
I love the way my hair contrasts with it as it falls loosely over my shoulders. Tonight, I’m wearing it straight. Straight and sleek. Something quiet to contradict my dress’s shine.
Involuntarily, my mind drifts back to him. What a strange man. My fingers brush over my lips, and the taste of the rose floods my mind again—his taste.
God, what did I do? I shouldn’t have allowed him to do it; I should have pulled back. I’m in a relationship with Kry?tof.
But … why can’t I stop thinking about him? Why do I want to see him again? Why do I want more? He’s so infernally sexy that he could make even the saints sin.
I am not a cheater. Never have been and never intend to be. But somehow, being around him makes me feel different. It makes me feel free. It gives me a freedom I never had, because my parents’ prudish rules and strict upbringing always made me feel like I was a mistake.
Follow the rules.
Be right.
Be a good girl.
Be this, be that.
I’ve had enough …
My phone buzzes. I peek at it, wishing I would see an unknown number. I secretly wish it is him, ready to give me that freedom that he gave me the only time I talked to him.
But no, it’s Kry?tof. I pick it up.
“Hey.”
“Hey. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, just getting ready.”
“Where are you going?” His voice slowly changes, becoming solemn and judgmental. Here we go again.
“I have this party I was invited to.”
“A party.” He sighs. “Again?”
“What does that mean?” I raise my voice, unable to hold back my anger.
“Who are you going with?”
I click my tongue while my eyes involuntarily roll back. “Alone, Kry?tof.”
“Are you sure?”
“Excuse me?”
“You’re lying to me, Kate?ina.”
“Don’t start again.”
And then, he starts. When Kry?tof gets mad, nothing can stop the flood of words, the swearing, the endless stream of anger.
I’ve always hated it, and no matter how many times it happens, I can never get used to it.
Once he’s in one of his tantrums, there’s no calming him down.
So, I wait. It’s one of those times that I’m glad we’re on different continents.
Maybe he is one more reason I wanted to leave my hometown.
I throw my phone onto the bed, but his muffled, distant voice still seeps through the speaker, piercing my ears.
Emily rushes into my bedroom. “What the hell is that noise?” she squeals. I shoot her a weary glance and look at my phone. “Oh … him again?”
“Shhh, he’s gonna hear you.”
Determinedly, she walks over to my bed, snatches my phone, and brings it closer to her lips. “Kry?tof? Hey, what’s up?”
“What are you doing?” I mouth, eyes wide.
“Emily, kde sakra je Kate?ina?” he fumes through the phone.
“Where the hell is Kate?ina …” Emily repeats, a wicked smirk lacing her lips.
Good job learning Czech! “Kate?ina is late, and she needs to go to a party to meet new people, expand her fabulous social circle, and maybe even discover the meaning of life. But no, apparently, she’d be better off staying locked in her apartment, doing absolutely nothing, while you sit there sulking and inventing new ways to feel sorry for yourself, right? ”
“What the—?”
“Glad you agree! Bye, Kry?tof.” She hangs up, turns off my phone, and throws it on the bed.
She looks at me, breathless, her brunette hair untamed around her face.
“Are you sure he won’t be taking the next plane here?” I ask, my eyes still wide.
“I will kick his ass!”
We both burst into laughter. What would I do without her? I’m so damn happy and lucky that, among all these crazy people surrounding us, she’s my ally—the voice of reason.
“That’s a worry for another time, girl. Now, go and have some fun.”
I sigh, my expression becoming more solemn. “You know I don’t want to go, don’t you? Especially without you.”
“I know, but until you find something else to earn money from, you have to do this. Plus, the invitation was just for you. You always seem to shine more when I’m not around, anyway.”
“That’s not true!”
“You’re not from around here; you need to blend in. Besides, I’m sure this party will suck, so I’m not really missing out on anything, right?”
“I guess you’re right.” I exhale as the realization of it sits heavy on my chest.
I can’t back down now. I need to be an adult. Besides, this is something I chose.
I pull Emily into my arms. “Thank you, sweetpea.”
“Show them how it’s done!”
I step out of the cab at the photographer’s apartment building, where the party is being hosted, and look up at the tall building ahead. It’s something that makes my breath catch—huge buildings like this don’t exist in my hometown.
The entrance is sleek, framed by glass and steel, with bouncers standing guard. I take a sharp breath, adjust my outfit, and make my way to the door. His apartment is the penthouse. Obvious, huh? Where would a famous and rich photographer live if not there?
After countless floors, I reach the top of the building, and the elevator doors open. “Finally.”
I walk down the long corridor, letting the muffled and loud lounge music guide me to the correct door.
It is ajar. “That’s not creepy at all,” I murmur to myself and grab the knob to push it open. “Here goes nothing.”
I enter the apartment and leave the door open, just like I found it.
A dozen or so people are scattered across the space, some with cameras in hand.
Their eyes occasionally flick toward me as I enter, but they don’t care about me.
They keep talking to each other, their lips moving with disdain as if they are gossiping about the worst person in the world.
I could never get used to this industry.
For a brief moment, I regret it all. I regret being here; I regret wanting to become a model. I am not made for this. How can I be?
“Kate?ina!” Elijah’s voice pierces through the awkwardness surrounding me, snapping me out of my haze.
Elijah Smith. The photographer. All the models would kill to have a picture from him in their portfolios.
He’s the one who saw me at the photoshoot and invited me to this party.
Everyone around me gossiped about how lucky I was to be noticed by someone like him, making me feel awkward under their scornful eyes.
“Hi.” I smile awkwardly.
“Glad you made it.” He pulls me closer to kiss me quickly on the cheek.
Elijah is tall, his pale skin almost sickly in the dim light. He wears an oversized black turtleneck that hangs loosely around his thin frame. His eyes, cold and intense, never leave mine, intimidating me to the core.
“Come on, have a drink.” He pulls me farther into the opulent apartment, leading me to the bar.
“I don’t drink,” I say coyly, taking a seat on the stool before the counter.
“Tonight, you will.” He nods at the barman. “You look gorgeous tonight.” He leans on the bar and checks me out from head to toe.
“Thanks.”
“Why don’t you take off your coat? I’ll leave it in the guest room with the others.”
I shake my head. “I’m fine.” Why do I feel so awkward? It’s almost unsettling, as if I am inside a lion’s den.
“Come on, Kate?ina.” He pulls my coat off without permission. “If you want to succeed in this industry, you need to have balls and be open for new opportunities.”
My skin crawls. “I guess you’re right.”
The barman offers me my drink. It’s a hot-pink cocktail in a martini glass.
Elijah raises his drink. “To new opportunities.”
“To new opportunities,” I repeat hesitantly, mirroring his gesture.
He clinks the glasses and sips, his eyes never leaving mine. “Won’t you at least try it?” I let out a sharp sigh and take a tiny sip of the drink. It stings my lips. I hate it, but I try to hide my disgust. “Great!” He smiles brightly. “So, tell me, Kate?ina. What brings you here?”
“You invited me.”
“I mean here in America. Just business?”
“I’d say ambitions.”
He hums, lowering his eyes to my thighs, and I feel a chill crawl up my spine. “You’re right to have ambitions. I mean, you’ve got the whole package.” His gaze drifts back up to meet mine, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. “But you need to know how to use what you’ve got.”
I gulp. “What do you mean?”
“You’ve got the looks, sure. If you play your cards right, who knows what doors could open for you.”
He steps a little closer, his breath brushing against my ear, and I instinctively pull back. “It’s all about knowing who to charm, how to seduce them. You’d be surprised how far it can get you.” He looks at me and places his palm on my bare thigh. “And you look like a smart girl, Kate?ina.”
“Uhm, I don’t think you’ve—”
His phone rings. “I’ll be back soon.”
What the fuck is wrong with him?! Instantly, I feel my blood boiling and, at the same time, my legs shivering in fear. Quickly, I grab my coat and rush towards the exit. That’s enough for me. I’m out of here.
I realize that my phone is still off, so I turn it on to inform Emily, but there’s no signal in the elevator.
When I reach the bottom and step outside, the signal finally returns, and my phone is flooded with Kry?tof’s endless texts and missed calls.
Shaken, I dial Emily’s number, but Kry?tof is calling. Again. At that moment, I don’t care. All I need is to hear a familiar voice.
“Hey.”
“Where the fuck have you been?”
“Kry?tof, listen—”
“No, you listen, bitch! Who do you think you are, treating me like this? I’ll come there, find you, and kill you and that motherfucker you were fucking with! You, him, and that bitch, your friend!”
“What did you just say?” I snap.
His voice turns even more twisted. “You heard me. I’ll make you regret this.”
My hand shakes as I grip the phone tighter, fury boiling inside me. “You’re fucking insane,” I whisper, though I know he can hear me perfectly. “We’re so over, Kry?tof.”
“Don’t you dare hang up on me!”
I do. I hang up on him and instantly block his number. I’ve had enough. Kry?tof was always foul mouthed, but since I left Czechia and our fights became more intense, this has become a regular occurrence. There’s no way I’ll let him talk to me like this anymore.
“Why did you leave?” Elijah’s voice jolts me back, making me gasp in fear. Gosh, he is creepier than my boyfriend. Ex-boyfriend.
“Something came up.”
“More important than your career?” He strolls closer to me.
A rush of unease floods me, and I take a few steps back, my heels clicking sharply on the concrete. It’s only then that I realize the bouncers are gone, and the street is nearly deserted. I clutch my phone tighter and lock my eyes on him.
“I just want to go.”
“Walking away from your future, Kate?ina?” He grabs my wrist.
I try to pull away, but he holds me tightly, stepping closer. “You think I’ll just let you go?” His voice is low and menacing.
Fear seizes me, but I force myself to stay calm. “Let go of me,” I hiss through clenched teeth.
“What about your ambitions?” He grabs my waist and pulls me closer. I turn around, but somehow, he’s stronger, his arms pulling me against him until my back collides with him.
I feel desperate. Helpless. Terrified. But I can’t stop. I have to keep going.
And then, just as I’m about to scream, a loud noise echoes through the air. The sound is deafening, like a gunshot.
Elijah stumbles back, his grip loosening, and I don’t wait another second. I break free and sprint toward the street. I don’t know where I’m running, but I know I can’t stay.
Breathless and shaken, I crash into someone.
“Are you okay?”
“Cain?”
“I am here now.” He strokes my cheek, his dark gaze locking onto mine.
My heart is pounding so strong that it hurts my chest. “You’re here now,” I repeat, my voice shaking.
Suddenly, my ears start buzzing, and my vision blurs. My fingertips go numb, and my knees give way beneath me. His strong arm circles my waist, holding me up.
“Don’t be afraid, Kate?ina.” His voice is muffled, drowned out by the pounding of my heart.
And then, darkness …