CHAPTER 44
“The meeting went well.” Janos throws a plastic bag on the bed and unlocks the cuff on my wrist. “Get ready. We’re leaving in half an hour.”
He shoves the bag into my arms, and I bring it to the bathroom, where I freshen up and find that he has gotten me new clothes. Tight jeans, a feminine blouse, and a pair of sneakers. He has even gotten me makeup, which I use a little of.
I feel like a new person when I turn in front of the mirror and take it all in. After ten days in Janos’s shirts, it feels strange to wear normal clothes. But I like it. The outfit looks good on me, enhancing my curves as well as hiding the scars. The makeup brightens my face, and it gives me a boost of confidence, making me feel new and fresh in an odd sort of way. I get the feeling that the clothes and makeup are more for my sake than Gabor’s. Gabor never did care how I looked, only that the setting was prim and proper.
The thought of the man who is my living nightmare squashes my newfound confidence. Tremors rattle through my body as I go to the hall and wait for Janos—wait for him to take me back to the hell he freed me from.
My mouth twists when I see the hoodie in his hand as he enters the hall. I’m not sure why I detest it so much. Maybe because it represents the things I had to do to get here, or because it’s plain ugly. Either way, I comply anyway when he holds it up for me to stick my arms through.
“Keep your head down until we’re in the car.” He pulls the hood up and pushes my hair into it. “We don’t want anyone finding out you’re here before we get there.”
Janos has donned his black suit, and shivers skitter down my damp skin as I feel the cool professionalism roll off him as he leads me down the street with a firm grip on my arm. I feel like a pig up for slaughter, and my mind runs rampant with ugly memories when he shoves me into the back of an SUV with tinted windows. It’s probably the same car he picked me up in when I got detained at the airport a year ago. It seems like a lifetime ago, and I can’t wrap my head around how I went from being a desperate victim, who would do anything to escape, to a willing participant, who would do anything to stay. I don’t know if I’m broken, brainwashed, or have actually found a place where I belong. Neither do I know if it matters.
We cross the Margaret Bridge and drive into the Buda hills along winding roads, through luscious greenery, and past expensive houses that grow more luxurious as we go. The view is breathtaking as we ascend the hills. But I know the beauty is a lie and keep my attention on the river that stretches out below us, a calm constant at the center of the city.
Janos breaks me from my thoughts. “I’m gonna negotiate the price.” He meets my gaze in the rearview mirror. “Money is not a problem, but if I’m too eager, taking the first bid, I risk he’ll back down.”
I simply nod, not knowing what else to say.
A minute later, he drives up in front of a tall iron gate. “Lose the hoodie,” he says before rolling down the window and speaking into an intercom.
The gate slides open, and fear becomes a vise around my chest as we continue down a long avenue leading to a huge mansion. Like everything else in my nightmare, luxury and flashy beauty are a cover for the muck hiding beneath the surface.
I fight to rein in my anxiety, but all I manage is to keep the contents of my stomach down when Janos opens the door for me. My face must be pale as a sheet, and my hand trembles as I grab the door to support myself as I climb out.
“Don’t look at Gabor unless someone tells you to. You’re nothing but a commodity to him, and it’s best if you act the part.” Any trace of compassion disappears in the blink of an eye as Janos grabs my arm and steers me toward the house.
Two suit-clad men meet us at the stone steps before the front door, and Janos greets them like they’re good friends. They let us pass without question, and I’m quick to lower my gaze to the shining marble floors when Janos leads us into the building and down a long, wide corridor.
My legs are shaking like leaves as we stop at the end of the hallway and Janos knocks on a door. His grip on my arm might well be the only thing holding me up.
Keeping my head down, I only see shiny leather shoes when the door opens, but the feeling of the man before me is as oppressive as ever. The hairs on my neck stand on end, and icy shivers shoot down my spine. All my instincts beg me to bolt, and it takes everything I have to stay in place.
“What do we have here?” Gabor’s voice holds the same foreboding enthusiasm as the last night he used me. “Such a lovely surprise.” Besides the dark glee, his voice doesn’t give away much, but I sense the surprise hidden in there.
Gabor holds out a hand, inviting us inside as he steps to the side. The room is a huge office. Tall windows stretch along one side, creating a whole wall of glass that lets the bright summer light in, enhancing the fa?ade of deceit.
Janos shoves me inside with a harshness as deceptive as the sun and places me with my back to the light. Then he makes himself comfortable in one of the armchairs while Gabor goes to lean against a heavy desk on my other side.
Most men would remain standing like Gabor, using their size to intimidate. But not Janos. His air of authority is so acute that his tall, bulky size almost seems redundant. Sitting down only enhances his confidence, making the effect that much more powerful.
I realize this must be why Gabor holds him in such high regard—at least part of it. Gabor respects this kind of unwavering command, and I think he might even fear Janos a bit himself. His finger that discreetly taps the desk seems to reflect a nervousness I haven’t spotted in him before. He knows he doesn’t stand a chance against Janos—not physically or intellectually.
Suddenly, it hits me: the only reason Janos hasn’t taken over Gabor’s criminal empire is because he’s loyal.
But not loyal enough to let Gabor have me.
Fear spikes in my veins as I remember what Janos will do if Gabor refuses to negotiate. I try my darndest to hide my trepidation, clutching my hands and staring at the floor, but I know I look as brave as a lamb facing a hungry wolf. But maybe it’s for the best. Gabor doesn’t know Janos is on my side, and a display of confidence might provoke him.