Inez
His condo was always nice.
It always smelled nice, too. Like an expensive version of vanilla and tobacco or something.
Soon as you entered his building, the different scents invaded your nostrils.
There was one when you came inside, another when you went into the elevator, then one once you got off the elevator and walked to his door.
Soon as he opened the door, that was when the vanilla and tobacco invaded your nostrils. The brown and cream interior was throughout the condo. Once you entered the foyer, there were African paintings and sculptures, and a shag brown carpet that shoes weren’t allowed on.
No shoes.
I always felt self-conscious having to kick my sneakers off and expose that I had no socks on. It never bothered him because he always made me shower before I got into bed with him.
His body against mine should have felt good. Any woman in my position would have been elated to be in this man’s condo, in his bed, and have his semen leaking down the inside of their legs.
Except, I was always numb because he took care of me.
Took care of me the way Rylan used to take care of me. I was always finding men who wanted to take care of me in that way. They would make me feel good, so in return they could make themselves feel even better.
I never felt how rough he was with me during, but I always paid for it the next morning. My body felt like he had tossed me around the state of New York and then put me back into the bed. My mind never allowed me to remember, but that was just a coping mechanism.
It felt better not to remember anything. There was nothing in my life worth trying to remember, so I walked around looking for anything to make me forget.
My eyes popped open when I heard a loud crash coming from the living room. I looked over at the expensive alarm clock, and it was well after three in the afternoon. Kevin never allowed me to stay this long.
He looked disgusted with me after he finished doing whatever he wanted to me. I always held my breath and waited for the insults to roll out about how I was a good for nothing junkie and I smelled.
Which couldn’t have been true.
He made me sit in the tub, and sometimes he would bathe me himself. I learned early on that there was something off with Kevin. There was something off with most people in the world, including me.
But there was really something wrong with Kevin.
I removed the sheet from my body and winced as I climbed out of the bed. As I held onto the mattress, I closed my eyes when I saw the blood on the sheets. It explained the extreme soreness between my legs.
“Jesus.”
I continued to the door, carefully opening it so that it didn’t make a sound. Whoeever was speaking was angry with the way they raised their voice. I couldn’t make out what they were saying, but the tone told me everything that I needed to know.
CRASH!
Another broken glass caused me to duck like someone had tossed it at me. I held onto the walls, knowing Kevin would have a cow about someone touching his precious custom wallpaper.
I continued to creep down the hallway as I listened to the heated exchange. “Why in the fuck are you here and accusing me of some bullshit? A fucking serial killer, nigga? Be serious.” Kevin was fifty shades of hot with the tone he spoke in.
The other person didn’t reply. It was an uncomfortable pause before I heard a familiar voice. “Nigga, you think tossing your glass is supposed to do something? A lot of shit not adding up, Kevin.”
The sound of the glass touching his prized wooden credenza sounded throughout the quiet apartment. “I give you the blessing to date my daughter, and this is what the fuck I get? Accusing her father of being a damn serial killer.”
I tripped on the runner in the hall, knocking into the table with family pictures on it.
It was the same picture that I always saw; the beautiful Spanish newscaster who came onto the news every morning.
At least I thought she was Spanish. She was younger, obviously, and she was in a cap and gown holding a degree in her hand.
Her smile was so bright that it could compete with the sun.
Kevin stood next to her, proud as the day his balls had finally dropped, and he was able to produce her.
Their back and forth had stopped.
I held my breath, closing my eyes briefly because this was a conversation that I wasn’t supposed to hear. “We know you’re the Redhook Killer. You sensed we were closing in on you and decided to try and pin it on me first, huh?” Kevin’s voice boomed through the apartment.
My heart dropped.
The Red Hook Killer was in the same condo as me, and my legs started to fail me. They couldn’t become weak now, not in this moment. How was it that I always managed to get myself into these situations? The only relief I felt was that Kevin was here, and he was FBI, so I was safe.
I think.
“What in the fuc—” I could hear the other man yell out, as a struggle ensued.
I was so scared that I was physically trying to grip the wall with my nails, as I walked closer. Common sense should have told me to run and hide. Nope, my legs, no matter how weak, continued to take me down the long ass hallway until I rounded the corner.
“Forty?” I whispered.
He stood there with a bloody knife in his hand while Kevin was on the floor holding his side. “Inez… go… he’s going to kill you next!” Kevin hollered.
It was either fight or flight mode, and before my legs locked in, I stood there looking at Forty. I hated the day after coming down from a high. Everything moved slower and was foggier than usual. It always felt like I was walking slowly through the smoke until I found clarity.
“Nez—” He tried to step forward while holding the knife in his hand. I backed up, bumping into the bar, and quickly rounded the corner into the kitchen and out the second entrance until I was at the front door.
My hands were slippery with sweat as I worked hard to undo the locks, while looking behind me.
I could hear movement from the living room, as my heart was about to give out. If I didn’t get this damn door opened, I was going to be next.
“Inez, come the fuck on—”
I didn’t hear anything else he said because once the last latch unhooked, I sprinted out the door. I ran so hard that my feet started to burn against the commercial carpet.
Tripping, I fell onto my hands, picked myself up quickly and ran around the corner toward the elevator. The apartment door closed, and I couldn’t tell if he was coming behind me or closed it to finish the job on Kevin.
Either way, I hooked a left and bolted down the stairs to get the hell away from this building. Forty was trying to kill me, and Kevin saved me by telling me to get the hell out of there.
I needed to get to Goo.