Him
The streets of Belgrade are serene. Quite the opposite of what my head is right now.
It’s still too early for crowds but the few that walk the streets are occupied with their own errands. Too busy to notice my unease as I stray down the roads, still not ready to come face to face with the man who still haunts my worst nightmares.
The beauty surrounding this place is extraordinary. So tranquil that I wish to have been visiting for reasons other than rescuing her. The overwhelm and the anxiety – anger and fear – the contradiction inside my head...
I have to make sure this goes right.
At about ten past eight, I finally message him – I’m here.
At about quarter to eight a limousine pulls over the park gates. My shoulders rise in anticipation as I suck-in a deep breath through the teeth, clenching and unclenching my jaws. Even the thought of the man makes my fist flex. How bad I would want to rip him to shreds and have the pieces for dinner, if only I get past my own demons.
As soon as I step in, the chauffer locks the doors and pulls pitch-black shutters to the windows. I try my smart watch, my phone. None of them working.
Exactly how I had expected. Stupid gadgets.
But that’s where he’s wrong... I’m trained exactly for these situations. I close my eyes mapping the direction the moment we hit the road.
The ride goes on for about forty minutes to the south west, before the car takes a dust path going left. Ten minutes in and we are getting inside some kind of check point, another two before crossing the main gates.
Coded. On standby to be sent the moment I step out.
And as expected the moment I actually do step out, two guards’ step in, immediately taking away my coat jacket. They proceed to scan all they can, to no avail. Because of course who would expect it to be in my mouth.
How basic? Did he expect me to try something basic? Perhaps, he forgot we share the same fucking DNA.
When they’re content, I am met with a six-foot something stature who returns me the jacket.
Dark eyes and hair, broad shoulders and a sheepish grin, “Welcome, sir. Sorry but that is standard protocol here.” His sharp face is bright with a rehearsed greeting. “I’m Vukasin... You can call me Vuk. King is waiting in the dining area. I have been told to take you to him directly.”
Something about the guy has me bothered. I correct my narrowed eyes and exhale before walking off with him.
Every nook and corner are making me jolt like she’ll jump out and into my arms the moment she sees me. But obviously with in the monster’s den, that’s not even close to being a possibility.
I try to capture everything we walk by several passageways, before turning a left. And there my steps halt for obvious reasons. Cream silk blinds draped graciously covering all the windows and a chamber adjoining the other end. A prison. With glass walls so the audience outside can watch the show.
It takes every ounce of effort in me to silence the scream that was about to escape, just as I squeeze my fist shut to silence the fury for some time. Some more time...
“Your Master seems to enjoy making quite a show.” The words slip past the clenched jaws.
“Yes, he has one of these everywhere. In his mansions, on his ships...” He seems to open his mouth to speak more, but thankfully something dawns to him and he instantly shuts up.
Good! Because otherwise Divit would have to clean up before time.
I keep glaring, daring him to speak more about it but he takes the hint and we exit the area through one of the doors to the extreme left.
A few more passageways and we arrive at the dining area. The huge table sitting right in the middle is enough for seating at least twenty-four people and is traditionally decorated. The décor in fact is quite pleasing to the eye. A feast is spread in the middle; all kinds of local delicacies along with his native foods line up in the entire stretch of dark wood.
“Take a seat. I’ll go look for Boss.” Vuk exits leaving me all alone, with cameras monitoring my every move. I wonder if the no show was deliberate.
I make sure to put on a show. Calm and relaxed. Just like Dad must’ve told him. I’ve made sure he knows how done I am; and how willing to submit to his demands. Pressing a little on the implant in my teeth, I alert the others of my whereabouts. All the while making sure that the cameras see me looking for a cigarette before I light it up between my lips.
Where is she? I tap my fingers on the table, clenching and unclenching as I wait for the asshole.
Would she be here? Or would she have been moved when I agreed on paying him a visit? Even with the cigarette, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to keep control.
Relax and focus!My brain is literally chanting at this point.
I need to see her before I lose it. Self-control kicks back as I hear approaching footsteps at the exit from where Vuk left.
His voice fills in the room before him, and all the nightmares flush right back in my head.
The visits... the parties... the women... the helplessness. My screams... her screams. All merged in one!
“Where’s my boy? Oh, there he is.” I turn to look at the him walking straight to me, “Hello, son. Welcome to your new home!”
The words burn a hole in my heart as the monster from my nightmares enters with a wide grin on his face. A rather victorious one. The two people he wanted to shatter are in pieces on the floor for him.
I only puff my cigarette in response, although I lack the courage to look him in the eye while doing it. My muffin is still his captive. But it’s undeniable how much I love it when the act catches his attention and he doesn’t seem pleased by it. Orthodox as always.
“Finally, you’ve come to terms with your duties. And I must say son... you did good.” He speaks while walking to the head of the table, “By coming to me directly that is.”
My mouth goes dry at about what I’m about to say next. “Well, I’m here now... Could you...?”
He tsks cutting in instantly, “See that’s where I don’t get it. I mean you’re here, but what are you really here for? Because if it’s about that girl again, it would mean that I haven’t put out what I should have.”
He starts again, but then the cigarette in my hand catches his attention again.
Glaring at me he orders, “Put that out son. Its rude to puff right in your father’s face. You can do that all you want the moment I leave. But here – no – no one’s supposed to do that in front of me. The faster you learn your manners, the better.”
“Do you really care about manners? Because last I remember, you... father,” I say mockingly, “were the one shoving cunts in my face...” A sardonic smile spreads on my face before I could even think of the repercussions. “Is that what fathers are supposed to make their fourteen-year-olds do?”
The scornful look on his face is straight dismissal of my rhetoric question.
“Do you realize that you’re sitting in my territory questioning me, while your... oh! pardon me... my keep – your ex – is still in my protection? I assumed you to be clever but looks like the woman still has a hold on you.”
The vicious bastard! Of course, it had to end with a threat.
“Where is she?” I speak before grinding and stubbing the remaining cigarette in the ashtray before me.
The laughter he returns is definitely close to what the devil must sound like. “She’s safe wherever she is. And I don’t think she wants to see you.”
My eyes narrow at the insinuation. I don’t care whatever he has threatened her about. I need to see her, for the sake of my sanity.
“I don’t care what she wants or doesn’t, bring her. My business with her isn’t over. I need to speak to her only once. And only then expect anything from me.”
He narrows his eyes down at me, “You still believe you’re in a position to make that bargain?” His nostrils flare at my glare, “Although I agree, you need the closure. In fact, I want you to witness it yourself, what she has become.”
With a click of a button, Vuk appears beside him.
“Bring Rose. And don’t you dare touch the chain on her.” He implies tauntingly, “That belongs to me... Only I am supposed to touch it.”
Bile rises in my throat at the thought of him touching her. The urge to kill him this very instant is getting more intense by the minute.
But the urge suppresses itself to the sound of approaching footsteps. Two people... of which only one seems steady; the other seems hardly catching up. The fuck have they done to her!
My heart race picks up when Vuk finally arrives. But she’s nowhere to be seen.
“You can come in, Rosa.” King orders.
A faint scent of roses fills the air as her divine presence makes its way inside from behind Vuk.
My heart stops for a second. Relief and something else filling every corner of my head at the very thought of seeing her alive and walking.
The number of times my mind has deviated for the last thirty days to the thought that this man would have her killed is insane. And to be honest, whenever a new video appeared, a demented part of me silently felt at ease that at the very least, she is living...breathing.
But the look on her face is something else. Impassive and cold.
She doesn’t even look in my direction and I can’t help but wonder what this dog must’ve said or done to convince her to be a robot rather than the girl full of life as I always knew her to be.
She blankly stares at the floor while the bastard, King grins with pride like he’s showing off his latest pet.
“Chin up Czarina. Come sit...” he tugs on her leash, signaling her to walk over to him.
My hands are trembling with sheer rage, as I force myself to sit unanimated waiting for the right moment. Can’t ruin my chance to rescue her, even if that means watching her play his slave. Even if it shatters my fucking heart into a million pieces. Even if all I want to do right now is grab her hand and vanish into another dimension so that no one could ever hurt her again.
But it’s becoming increasingly hard to bear as she walks beside him and starts folding herself in a kneel. On the fucking floor!
I clench my fist so hard it feels like I might break my own bones, teeth gritting into dust.
“Rosa... not on the floor sweetheart. You’re my czarina, not my slave.” The collar on her neck and the chain on her leash tells me otherwise.
The moment he points to his lap, is my call to walk the fuck out. I cannot take one single moment of this now. He cannot just abuse her blatantly in front of me.
It feels sick to watch her walk over to him, her unvaryingly flat expression giving a nano bit of hesitation, before he tugs her chain making her sit on his fucking lap.
No more!
I start getting up, but Divit’s voice stops me. “Don’t you fucking move! We’re so close. Bear a little more brother. For her sake. Please!”
The way my muscles tense for breaking every single bone in this monster’s body for making her think she can do that. If I didn’t have other plans, he would be a mush of bones and flesh at the very moment such an atrocity left his ugly tongue.
It takes every bit of strength in me to stop me from getting up and fulfilling my imaginations right here right now.
I sense him reading my thoughts as I glare at him before getting up and starting my way out.
“You wanted to talk to her son... Why quit now?” He calls out behind me, “Do you know Czarina... he thinks you want to leave.” I turn back to see him caressing her arm while putting the stray lock of hair behind her ear. That’s a way only I am entitled to touch her.
But who am I to even think that. All that’s left of her is the shell. And it’s all because of me... Me alone. She’s dead and I could do nothing to rescue her on time.
Call me selfish... But I’ll steal that shell. Even if it’s all that’s left of her.
“Won’t you look at him, Rosa? Tell him what you want.” His tone is thick with warnings, and I don’t want any more hints to know whatever’s going on.
Her hesitation, that visible gulp when she lifts her eyes is more of the confirmation I need.
Her eyes meet mine and in that very moment I realize, she might be hesitant but the spark in her eyes every time it met mine... is lost.
The love I had gotten used to seeing is nowhere to be seen.
In its place is something I used to see years ago.
She wants to get rid of me. Even though that doesn’t mean she wants to stay with this monster. And even if she would want to, would I let her? Hell No!
I want to apologize for not being able to be here on time to save her soul. Regardless, I’ll have to accept the fact that I might have reset the gameboard back to day one. Only this time there’s no more playing.
I might have just lost her. But I still will be fucking leaving with her.