Chapter 39
I have never thought what I live for. My life has always been a smooth sailing.
I asked no questions, just conformed and followed.
Whenever I had a choice to make, it was taken away from me and I didn’t have to think what I should do for too long.
But I do think about it these days. What do I do now?
I sat on my bed, holding an ice pack to my swollen cheek, staring at the door. I couldn’t feel my left arm, or half of my face.
Everyone left and I never got to see Bell again. He probably took her away back when we were in the guest room.
Eric suddenly took an interest in Mortimer, and I was curious about what’s going on in his head. I wanted to pry it open, like a jewelry box, to get all the answers.
My gaze landed on a pink box on my nightstand. The ice pack turned into a water balloon, so I threw it in the trash and picked up the leather box.
I sat down on the bed and opened it. Inside was a classic watch. They evoked the spirit of an era long past. They had a round dial and a slim silver strap decorated with a scattering of diamonds.
I closed the box.
This was way too expensive. The pawn shop might not have ten grand in cash on hand, much less sixty.
They’d come in handy for an escape, but not for mom’s treatment .
I still had time. I could search the house once again. I knew he still had that necklace, but I couldn’t find it.
If I could find it, we’d sell the watch at the pawn shop, and I’d cash the necklace in another city, where my parents and I’d have moved.
What did Eric want from Mortimer? Did he decide to help me, after all? It clearly wasn’t that simple.
Eric didn’t help anyone. He wanted something from Mortimer and I was worried sick for Bell.
My eyes fell on the clock. It was two in the morning.
I kicked my heels aside like a spoiled brat. I could feel the blood gradually flowing back to my feet.
I tried to unzip my dress, but all attempts made me sweat and get even angrier.
I was so mad. Annoyed with myself. Angry with my own feelings.
So mad at myself for looking at that damn door.
I turned off the light and went to bed.
A knock on the door woke me up.
“Oh, come in already,” I croaked.
I opened my eyes slowly. It seemed like only a couple of minutes passed since I’d closed them.
“Um... the boss told me to bring you a dress and tell you that you’ll be going to Mortimer’s soon.”
I jumped to my feet. All of a sudden, I was wide awake again.
Norman hung the dress and froze, looking like he wanted to say something.
I frowned.
“What?” I snapped.
“Why did you sleep in a dress?”
“Because I couldn’t take it off.”
I signed audibly and walked up to him, turning my back to the man .
“Unzip it.”
Once Norman left, I got ready quicker than a pit crew could change tires on a race car.
I put on another white dress and black heels, the shoes hiding a bunch of band-aids on my feet.
I was about to leave when I turned back and saw the pink box.
I walked up to it and put the watch on, hiding it under the sleeve of my dress.
Running downstairs before the agreed time, I saw Norman and asked him to help zip my dress up.
I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact there were no normal dresses that would allow me to deal with the damned zipper myself.
And why did I have to wear these stupid dresses all the time? The era when women were ostracized for wearing pants was long gone. He definitely had some kind of a fetish for dresses. Especially the white ones.
“What’re you doing?”
His voice sent pleasant shivers down my spine and that made me angry.
“Nothing. Let’s go,” I blurted out.
I threw on my wool coat and walked out, completely ignoring him.
A warm smell of leather greeted me as I got into the dark blue car.
I turned to the window.
Where were they? Why was it taking so long? Why aren’t they coming out yet?
I rolled the ring with my thumb.
Eric got in the car, Norman following close behind.
Norman was lifting the black divider, and I saw his broken nose in the rear mirror.
I was about to ask what the hell happened, but decided to keep my mouth shut. It all didn’t matter anyway .
The ride went on in silence, allowing me to think over all the options for how Bell and I were going to escape tonight.
I didn’t stop rolling the ring since the car started.
Eric rested his warm hand on mine.
“Don’t even think of saving her.”
I pulled my hand away, ignoring his gaze.
“I wasn’t going to save anyone. I’m just worried about her.”
I turned back to the window, looking at the woods outside.
“If you try to escape, he’ll first kill her, and then finish you.”
I swallowed hard.
My heart was beating out my chest.
“Why did you save me yesterday?”
I turned my head to look at him.
“Did you want me to stay out of it?”
“You could have said you did it ’cause I was your whore.”
“Would that answer satisfy you?”
“Are there other options?”
“There are.”
I frowned and turned back to the window.
“I don’t want to hear about them,” I said under my breath.
I was looking out the window when I got a strange feeling. I could feel him staring at me.
I turned and met his gaze.
“Roncalli, huh?”
He smiled.
“You didn’t attack your university. Do you even know who did?”
I saw him clench and relax his jaw. It obviously hit a nerve with him, but the topic wasn’t a joke to me, either.
“Yes.”
“Is he dead?”
“Not yet.”
Not yet .
So it’s Mortimer? That’s why he needed him all of a sudden.
He wanted revenge. Knowing Eric, he likes to get even. It’s his hobby, a pastime, his leisure.
If he killed Mortimer, what would happen to Bell?
He would never let her go.
“What did you show Hector on your phone?”
“A picture of his daughter standing next to me.”
He always knew where to hit people to make them do his bidding.
“Do you have a weakness?”
He looked me in the eye for a while before he replied:
“Just one.”
Why only one? What could it be? His business? People? His family? Was anyone in his family still around?
“Is it your family?”
“No.”
He said it like I’d just insulted him. As if having a family means being vulnerable, like it’s a flaw.
Of course. It’s her. That girl. She’s his weak spot.
I swallowed a heavy lump and kept rolling my ring with my left thumb.
I wanted to learn more about her. I wanted to know her name, what she liked, what she did.
I longed to know what she had that I didn’t.
“I believe you didn’t attack the university.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Are you apologizing?”
“No. I’d rather swallow my tongue, than apologize to you.”
I blurted it out without thinking.
I saw his body tense up at my words.
My heart picked up the pace.
I looked down at my hands .
I expected him to grab me by the throat, snap back or threaten me.
He reached his hand out to my face and carefully tucked a strand of hair away to take a look at my bruise.
His touch made my body blossom.
“You’ve hidden it well.”
“Eric.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t come yesterday. I had urgent matters to attend to. Were you waiting for me?”
My heartbeat picked up and I looked away.
“No.”
I turned away from him and kept looking out the window.
I shouldn’t have spoken to him first. The ride should have been silent.