Cristiana
I found it hard to concentrate on what I was here to do.
I kept thinking about Reuben and what he was doing —talking to his family.
He refused to allow me to go with him, and in a way, I was relieved.
I wasn’t enamored of the idea of them spewing nastiness at me.
I wasn’t a coward, but if I could avoid it, I would.
Instead, while he dealt with that, I came to my apartment.
It had been left empty of life for weeks.
I’d been having my mail sent to Reuben’s place at his insistence.
Today, I planned to give it a thorough airing out and to clean it.
Even if I weren’t here, it would be dusty.
In addition, I’d pack more of my things to take back to his flat.
Reuben asked me to give up my apartment and make the move to his flat permanent.
I was more than tempted to do so, even if it was a bold move.
As long as I held onto my place, if something were to happen and we broke up, I had a home to return to.
I shouldn’t think that way, but it was always a tiny insecurity at the back of my mind.
However, he was wearing me down. I was on the verge of saying yes.
Aside from the drama with his family, he and I were solid.
More solid than I’d ever been in the past with a guy.
Plus, he wasn’t trying to own me. Reuben was dominant but not a dictator. Unlike someone I could name.
Thinking that made me shudder. I pushed that thought away. I hadn’t told Reuben about that part of my past. Maybe it was because I was afraid it would make him think twice about me. Perhaps he’d wonder if I had caused the unsettling behavior.
I was halfway done with my cleaning. My apartment was small, so I’d be done in less than an hour.
Suddenly, the ringing of my cell phone made me jump.
Hurrying to get it out of my pocket, I anxiously looked at the caller ID.
I wanted it to be Reuben. A slight feeling of letdown hit me when I saw it wasn’t, but I answered anyway.
“Hola, Hello, Mamá,” I said cheerfully. If I didn’t, she’d automatically believe something was wrong.
“Hola, Cristiana. It’s so good to hear your voice. It’s been too long since we talked. Did you forget your family?” Mamá asked mournfully.
I smiled. I was used to the drama that came with having a Hispanic mother who wanted to be involved in every aspect of her children’s lives. It was because she loved us, but it still could be over the top.
“No, I haven’t forgotten you. We talked a week ago, remember?”
“Psh, that’s too long. And having you live so far away makes it worse. When are you coming home?”
“Mamá, I’ve told you. Nashville is my home now. I’m not returning, except for holidays and special occasions. Or when I want to surprise all of you. It doesn’t mean I don’t love you. I do. But I adore living here.”
I heard her sniff. She was no doubt bringing out the waterworks. Moments later, I was proven right. When she replied, I detected the tears in her voice.
“I don’t know what we did wrong to drive you away. Whatever it is, we can fix it. Please, come back.” She sniffled.
“No one did anything to drive me away. I needed a change, and I wanted to experience life in a new place.”
I left unsaid that I wanted to experience not having my brothers, brother-in-law, or my papá trying to determine who was appropriate for me to be with as a boyfriend.
I was no longer a teenager, but an adult.
Plus, their choices of men they set me up with because they felt the guys were right for me never came close.
It wasn’t like I could tell them the kind of man I wanted had to have a kinky side to him.
“Well, if I can’t convince you to move back where you belong, the least you can do is come for a family weekend.
In ten days, we’re having a party and inviting lots of friends and family to celebrate our anniversary.
You must attend. Please come on Friday and stay the weekend. Surely, you can do that.”
Her tears were forgotten. I inhaled, then as I blew it out, I answered her. “I’ll be there. I planned to see you for your anniversary anyway. I hate to cut this short, Mamá, but I’m in the middle of something. May I call you back?”
“It’s alright. We’ll talk when you come for the weekend. See you then. Love you,” she chirped. All tears were gone. I loved her, but I knew she commanded her tears at will.
“I love you too. Goodbye,” I said before she disconnected the call.
Putting my cell down on the kitchen counter, I got back to cleaning.
However, I kept running her words through my head.
I wanted to take Reuben home to be introduced to my family.
But after the disaster my introduction to his caused, I wasn’t sure if I should.
It was true that my family would know nothing of Lustz, but the men in my family would put him through the wringer.
I shouldn’t make him face that so soon after the ordeal with his family.
I wouldn’t hide it from him. He’d demand to know where I was going for the weekend, and I refused to lie. Knowing Reuben, he’d want to go with me. I’d tell him about it, but stress that there was no expectation that he attend with me.
About ten minutes later, I was scrubbing the bathroom when my doorbell rang.
The only one who knew I was here was Reuben.
Why hadn’t he called or texted to tell me he was done and on his way here?
Damn, my phone was in the kitchen. That was why.
Dropping the rag I held, I hurried to the door.
I unlocked it, smiling as I opened it to let him in. I was anxious to hear how it went.
“How did it…” My smile and words died away as it registered who was on the doorstep.
Moments after it did, I scrambled to shut and lock the door.
Unfortunately, those moments of delay meant I wasn’t fast enough.
I tried to shove the door closed and kick the shoe stuck between the door and the framing out of the way, but without success.
I stumbled back and almost fell when a mighty shove sent the door swinging inward.
Terror hit me. I backed away, but he was inside and had the door slammed shut behind him.
The greedy expression on Fisher’s face made my stomach churn. I knew that look well. How could I have been so stupid? Why hadn’t I checked before opening the door? Berating myself at the moment did no good, so I quit. At the same time, I stopped backing away from him.
“Fisher, you need to get out of here,” I demanded.
“Ah, my beautiful Cristiana, you know you don’t want me to leave. This game of yours has gone on long enough. While I love to play, this is ridiculous,” he said sternly.
“It isn’t a game! I warned you multiple times to leave me alone, yet you kept ignoring me. I left because it was the only way to get away from you.”
“That’s a goddamn lie! You did it to test me.
To ensure I could provide you with everything you need.
I told you, I can. I’m the man for you. I’m done waiting, Cristiana.
I’m here to claim what is mine. You’ve cost me more than you know.
There will be no more games or running. Pack your shit.
You’re coming home with me,” Fisher snapped.
The gleam in his eyes told me he was worse than when I left home months ago.
His obsession or insanity or whatever it was had grown worse.
There was no way to reason with him. My heart thudded against my breastbone.
I had no weapons here, and my phone was on the other side of the room.
To get to it, I’d have to get past Fisher.
I was stupid for not putting it back in my pocket earlier.
He moved like a cat stalking a mouse. I took another step back.
His eyes ran up and down my body. The lust in them made me queasy.
I did not doubt that if I let him get his hands on me, Fisher would rape me.
My only hope was that either Reuben would come to pick me up or a neighbor might be home despite it being the middle of the workday.
There was no telling how long Reuben would be with his family.
There was a lot to work out. Attracting a neighbor’s attention was the best bet.
Twirling around, I ran for my bedroom. It had a lock on it. If I locked myself in there, I might be able to hold him off until help arrived or escape.
“Don’t run from me,” Fisher growled.
The sound of his footsteps hitting the floor behind me as he chased me made me want to glance back to see how close he was, but I knew that would be a mistake.
I put every ounce of power into my legs.
When I reached my bedroom, I hooked the door with one hand and was already pushing it shut without turning around, as I flung my back into it to slam the thing shut.
My other hand fumbled to find the doorknob and the lock behind my back.
Seconds counted. The door shuddered as Fisher slammed into it.
By some miracle, I was able to keep it shut long enough to find and flip the lock.
“Open this fucking door right this minute, Cristiana! I’m not playing with you.
Open this door, or I’ll kick it in, and when I do, you’ll be punished.
Is that what you want? You want to be punished.
If that’s it, all you have to do is ask, sweetheart.
” His angry tone changed to a partially crooning one. The man was nuts.
My gaze darted around the room. There was nothing in here other than a bedside lamp to use as a club. Rushing over to it, I yanked the cord out of the socket, then I took the lamp into the bathroom. I locked that door as well.
I tried to shut out Fisher’s demands and pounding on the door to formulate a plan. While thinking, I did the one thing that came to mind. I screamed at the top of my lungs.
“Help! Please, help me! I’m in apartment 3D. Call the police! A man is in my home!” I kept screaming it over and over, praying someone heard me and called the cops.
I might’ve stayed there and waited for assistance to arrive if it weren’t for the cracking sound from the other room. It sounded like a bull had crashed through a wall. Fisher had kicked in the bedroom door. Waiting for the cavalry to arrive wasn’t an option. I had to save myself.
Yanking the electrical cord out of the base of the lamp, I ran to the window above the toilet.
It was decent-sized and opened out to the outside.
Mounted to the wall between the bottom of the window and the top of the toilet tank was a safety grab bar—the kind designed to support a significant amount of weight.
I always thought it was a stupid place to put one.
Today, it might just save me. If not, I’d rather fall to my death than allow Fisher to touch me.
With trembling hands, I knotted one end of the cord around the bar.
The other, I looped around my hand twice.
Pushing the window open, I stood on the toilet lid, turned, and threw one leg, followed by the other, out the window.
Then, I wiggled my body backward, so my legs dangled out the opening first. It wasn’t easy.
I scraped the hell out of my arms and stomach when my shirt worked itself up.
Fisher was hammering on the bathroom door.
I saw it rattling on its hinges. It wasn’t about to last much longer.
“I’ll teach you a lesson you’ll never forget,” he hissed.
The deadly intent in his voice told me it was now or never.
That galvanized me to work harder and faster.
When my lower half was hanging in the air outside the window, I lowered myself using my hands on the sill.
My upper body strength wouldn’t last long.
I was still ten or more feet above ground.
It was terrifying to let go of the windowsill and only hang onto the cord, but I had no choice.
I held my breath then let go of the sill.
I cried out in pain as the cord cut into my hand, and my arm felt like it had been ripped out of the socket.
“Ahhh!”
As I dangled there, I fought to block the pain.
Glancing down, I was still several feet from the ground.
There was no way to go up, so the only option was to go down.
The way the cord cut into my hand, I’d better do it soon.
Taking a deep breath, I pried my fingers loose and let go of the lamp cord.
I screamed more as I shot to the ground.
When I hit it, the wind was knocked out of me. Searing pain shot throughout my body. I’d landed on the landscaping below, and part of it was rocks. They bit into me. As I lay there trying to regain my breath, I eyed my window above, watching for Fisher’s hated face to pop out.
When I thought I could breathe, I rolled over to get to my feet. The agonizing pain that ripped through me caused me to scream, and then my vision dimmed. I tried to stay conscious, but it was too much for me.
As full darkness fell, I moaned one word, “Reuben.”