Chapter 8 Natasha
NATASHA
What the hell was that about?
I watched Toxin backtrack, taking his musky scent with him. I reached out and closed my door, then locked it for good measure. The last thing I needed was him coming back. The last thing I needed were his lips against mine. The man was a dick. An absolute asshole.
But I want to kiss him.
That didn’t make any sense, though. I didn’t like him.
If anything, I wanted to slap the living shit out of him.
I backed up until my legs hit the edge of the bed.
I fell against the mattress, still staring at the door.
My fingertips came up to my lips. The heat of his breath had been unlike anything I’d ever experienced.
I cupped my hands together. I linked my fingers to keep them from trembling.
I didn’t like the electricity slowly working its way down my spine.
Making me shiver as my mind tried to make sense of the night and what had just happened.
Ivan’s going to find me.
The mafia had been my only protection. Phillip had been my only protection.
I was more than willing to let Mr. Williams have his way with me tonight because I knew the guards would gun him down.
I knew they would’ve found me and protected me.
Like they always had. But now, Ivan would surely find me.
Especially now that I was no longer under the protection of the mafia.
I knew Ivan. I knew how his mind worked.
He wouldn’t stop until he found me again.
It wouldn’t shock me if, after all this time, he’d still been looking for me.
Looking for his “property,” as he so called me sometimes.
His willing little slave.
Someone knocked on the door and I jumped up.
I hissed at the pain in my feet as a shadow moved underneath the doorway.
The knock came again, and my heart seized in my chest. Was it Toxin?
No, he’d just come barreling in. Because he didn’t give a shit about privacy.
That much he’d proven tonight. Was it another one of the guys?
Come to take a look at the cheap girl I apparently was?
“Hey, Brynn. Just leave those clothes in the hallway. She’s probably cleaning up.”
I narrowed my eyes as Toxin’s voice wafted through the door.
“I just want to talk to her,” the female said.
“I know. And tomorrow, you can. But right now? She’s been through a lot. Let her sleep.”
“You think maybe she saw Diesel?”
“I didn’t see Diesel. So, I doubt she did.”
“Then, how can she help us? Why did you bring her back here? We have to find my husband. Please, Toxin.”
“I know, Brynn. I know. And we will. I know she’ll cooperate with us. Talk with us. Just—give her time. It’s been a hell of a night. Set the clothes down and let’s get you some water.”
The tone of his voice was soft. Soothing, almost. Why hadn’t he spoken to me like that?
It sounded so nice. So lovely. So… kind.
Tears rose behind my eyes. The only person who ever spoken to me with that kind of kindness was Phillip.
And now, he’d surely be gunning for my death, too.
Unless he wanted to meet that same death with me.
I hate my life.
I sat back down on the bed and wiggled my way out of my clothes.
I tossed my panties to the side and put my dress in the trash can.
Then, I took off my bra. The night had been so insane that I’d completely forgotten about my tip money.
About my phone. About my keys. It all came spilling out onto the floor.
And as I stared at my phone—surrounded by almost three thousand dollars’ worth of tips—I thought about calling Phillip.
Would the mafia take me back if I surrendered?
Slowly, I reached for my phone. I picked it up, then pressed down onto the screen. I scrolled to Phillip’s number. I hovered my finger over it. One touch, and this might all be over. One touch, and they might come find me and give me a second chance.
One touch, and they might snipe you from two thousand yards away.
I put the phone beside me in bed and gathered up my money.
I picked up the keys to my moped and snickered at them.
No doubt, that thing was probably torched.
Stripped down for evidence before being doused in gasoline.
I tossed the keys into the garbage, too.
They were worthless now. And after stuffing my money into the bedside drawer, I tucked my phone underneath the pillow.
I needed a story before I called Phillip.
I limped into the bathroom and turned on the hot water.
I sat on the edge of the tub, sighing as the steam wrapped me up.
I closed my eyes. I flexed my feet. It’d take them days to heal.
Days to really look better again. I sat myself down in the bottom of the shower and cleaned myself off.
I washed my skin with the only bar of soap I could find.
I used the cheap shampoo and conditioner to wash my hair.
Twice over, actually. Then, I carefully washed off my feet.
Hissing as the pain coursed through my veins.
I watched the dirt swirl down the drain.
My makeup dripped along my cheekbones. I splashed water in my face, watching the black of my mascara and the tan of my foundation swirl around in the water.
I sat there, allowing the hot water to pelt against me until there was nothing left.
Until no dirt swirled and no makeup tainted the water.
Until I felt somewhat whole again.
Will I ever feel truly whole again?
I turned the shower off and slipped out of the tub.
As I walked on my bare heels, I reached for a towel.
One that smelled like must. I wrinkled my nose and wrapped it around me, trying to ignore how many other people might have used this towel.
And after wrapping another one around my head, I went and sat back on the edge of the bed.
Giving myself a moment to breathe.
I closed my eyes and cracked my neck. I stretched my hands high into the sky.
Holy shit, a shower hadn’t felt that good in a very long time.
Months, easily. A quake worked its way through my body.
One that involuntarily shook my head. A lopsided smile crossed my cheeks before I flopped back onto the bed.
My back, bouncing against the mattress. I closed my eyes.
I went over everything that had happened tonight.
Including the first time I had laid eyes on Toxin.
Who would’ve known he was such an asshole?
My eyes fluttered open and I sighed. Stuck between a rock and a hard place.
That always seemed to be my plight. I debated on whether or not to tell my new captors about Ivan.
About what I’d run from and what I was scared of coming into contact with.
Would they care? Would they protect me from him if he ever turned up?
I didn’t know. Toxin didn’t really strike me as the kind of person that gave a shit either way.
I slowly sat up and stripped myself of the towels.
I tossed them to the floor, figuring I could bother with them in the morning.
I mean, they already had a smell to them.
Not like letting them air-dry would make a difference.
But as I started looking around for something to put on that wasn’t my outfit from tonight, something caught my ear.
Voices, coming from down the hallway.
I furrowed my brow as the sound grew. I pushed myself up off the bed and made my way for the door. I opened it and peeked my head out, completely forgetting about the clothes that had been left for me. And when I looked down, I saw them. Multiple articles of clothing just for me.
I quickly picked them up but left my door ajar.
Curiosity got the best of me. So, as I dried off and got dressed, I listened.
I listened to Toxin’s voice as it rumbled down the hallway.
I listened as multiple grown men talked over one another at once.
After slipping into a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt, I hobbled back over to the door.
I poked my head out. I looked both ways before slipping out into the hallway, creeping closer to their conversation.
And as I perched at the corner of the main hallway, I heard their voices loud and clear.
Talking about things that made my skin prickle with goosebumps.