24. Veronica
CHAPTER 24
Veronica
The fear hasn’t left my body since I saw Edith outside the cafe. I’ve been paranoid to the max since that day. I haven't left my apartment for the whole two weeks following the incident of Leo talking to her.
I had to run to the store for something essential that would have cost a fortune through a delivery app. And when I was at the store, I was constantly checking over my shoulder to see if Dr. Bennett or police officers were going to come for me.
Besides that, I stayed hidden from whoever could be out there looking for me. Takeout had been my best friend; every meal I ate was delivered to my doorstep. The only other time I left my apartment was to go to Chloe’s because she insisted on having a girl’s night while Myles was with Leo.
The panic has been eating away at me as I wonder if she saw me. When her gaze found the window, I looked away quickly, but was I quick enough?
What are the chances, if she did see me, that Edith would have recognized me with the changes I’ve made? I know the brunette is more prominent in my hair, but not enough to make me look like my old self.
I’ve been okay with barricading myself in my apartment; it’s been my own little solitary confinement, except with lights, a nice bed, and a bigger space. It’s honestly been nice.
And the fact that no one has been banging on my door to arrest me or take me back to the asylum is a good sign. Edith didn’t see me. She couldn’t have, because if she did, I’m sure Henry Bennett would be kicking down my apartment door.
A long breath leaves me as I stare at my ceiling; the silence buzzing around my apartment has become deafening. I believe I'm in the clear since no one has been knocking at my door. I should be able to walk freely out of my apartment and into the real world.
When I am about to rip the covers off, I hear my phone go off. Angling my head to the nightstand it lays on while charging, I watch the lit screen turn black.
Sighing, I sit up and grab the device. There is a text notification from Leo. Interesting. We haven’t spoken since he talked with Edith. I haven’t been alone with him since he let himself into my apartment that one day.
I glance over to my chair, imagining him sitting there and looking at me with those dark eyes. My body shivers at the memory, but I force myself out of it and open the message.
Are you going to hide in your apartment forever?
He’s been keeping tabs on me to see if I’ve left? I’m not sure if that should comfort me or worry me.
I might.
Then you're trading one cell for another.
My eyes look over the top of my phone, staring into the living room from my bed. I didn’t look at this situation in the way he has. I joked about it being my little solitary, but those memories of being sent to a real one never crossed my mind while I was a hermit crab.
I had been locked up in that asylum for two years, and here I am, secluding myself from the world and locking myself up in the apartment.
You’re just upset I haven’t left so you can play out your plan of “revenge.”
Nothing happens after I hit send. It takes a moment for those bubbles to pop up, and when they are dancing on my screen, I hear the faint sound of a door opening and shutting in the hall. My phone dings, and I look down.
Are you forgetting I don’t need you to leave your apartment in order to do that?
My eyes widen, and I toss the phone beside me and jump from my bed. I rush into the living room, my feet slipping on the hardwood as I make my way to the front door. As I slam my back against it as soon as Leo goes to open it, I hear a soft chuckle come from his end.
“You think you’re strong enough to keep me out?” he asks, his tone turning dark. Who the hell is this man?
I grit my teeth and dig the heels of my feet into the floor, hoping to add some leverage. I’m not strong enough to keep the door shut, and he doesn’t even have to try hard.
He pushes against the door once more, and I quickly lose my traction as my feet slip from under me, causing me to fall to the floor.
I turn my head to see the door slowly open behind me. Knowing I’m losing this fight, I remove myself from the floor to stand by the kitchen counter, where I have a butcher block of knives.
Leo enters, eyes finding mine immediately as he shuts the door. He locks it behind him, pocketing the key. I need to get that from him because I don’t want him showing up at my apartment again when I’m not here.
“You gave up so easily, Veronica.” He tsks, shaking his head.
“What do you want?” I grip the edge of the countertop, allowing my eyes to slowly travel over his body.
Tattoos cover his arm; some look newer than others, given how dark the ink is. Seeing them only makes me want to explore them.
Explore him .
Squeezing my eyes shut, I inhale a deep breath and then say, “I know you aren’t here to check on my well-being.”
“I figured we could talk.” He bats his eyes, and an innocent smile tugs at his lips.
“About what? About how you humiliated me, making me clean up after you? On my hands and knees, licking the floor like a fucking dog?” My face begins to heat, the fire flowing throughout the rest of my body.
“Oh, come on, Vee.” He takes a steady step toward me. “We both know you weren’t humiliated. You wanted to do what you were told. No need to make up excuses for the dirty things you're into.”
He’s right. It didn’t humiliate me. I enjoyed it so much that I’d do it again.
“We can talk about that later if you want. Maybe even do it again.” As if he read my mind, he lets out a small chuckle and shakes his head. “But I wanted to talk about Edith.”
My hold on the counter tightens, and I divert my gaze from him. “It doesn’t matter. It’s not like she saw me since it’s been two weeks, and I’m still here.”
“She did see you.” I snap my eyes at him, finding he is closer to where I stand.
“What?” My voice is above a whisper when I ask, “What did she say?”
“She didn’t have to say anything. After she saw you in the window, the look on her face told me. Then she warned me to be careful.”
“Edith knows, and yet I’m not back in the asylum? Why hasn’t she said anything?”
“I don’t know.” He shrugs.
“You don’t know?” I snort. “You could have dragged me out of the cafe to her. You had a chance to get me locked back up, and you didn’t take it.”
“And cause a scene?” Leo approaches me, lifting his hand to trace a finger along my jaw. “Sending you back to the asylum isn’t part of the plan, Vee. I have much worse things planned for you.”
I swallow hard as his finger trails up my jaw and pinches a piece of my hair. “What are you going to do? Make my life a living hell?”
“It’s a start,” he responds, tugging at the strand of my hair. “As much as I love seeing the brown come through, you might need to touch this up. You are becoming more recognizable.” He looks from the hair to my eyes. My brown eyes. I didn’t have time to put the contacts in from when I woke up to when he forced himself into my place. “These fucking eyes.”
“Whatever you’re planning to do, just do it.”
“Where’s the fun in getting it over so soon?”
Somehow, his hand had slipped behind my head, where he tangled his fingers into my hair. My head falls back, and his lips meet my jaw. His mouth wanders up my skin, peppering kisses as he moves to my ear. “I’m looking forward to taking things slow.”
My heart is racing, but I try to keep my breathing calm until I hear metal sliding against wood. I go stiff against his body as the knife scrapes against the marble countertop. Our bodies are touching; I know he can feel how hard my heart is beating.
Leo lifts his face from the side of mine, staring down into my eyes. He loosens his hand in my hair, but not enough for me to run from him. I keep my eyes on him even while he raises the knife and traces the spot where his fingers were touching my jaw.
“You love knives.” His gaze drops to the blade as it glides lightly down my face, making its way to my chest. “You told me that they are your favorite weapons.”
“They are.” I keep my voice steady as I speak.
“Is that why you used one on me?” The tip of the blade wanders over my breast and to my stomach. “Using the weapon you love on the person you were supposed to love?”
“Leo—” I gasp at the sudden chill in my stomach. He slid the metal under my shirt, coasting the sharp edge over my body.
“Maybe I want to use it on you.” His eyes slowly rise to mine.
“You want to hurt me with it?” I question, my voice cracking a bit.
He takes a moment to think about it, inspecting my face for the fear he attempts to pull from me. “Only in a way you’ll like.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve used knives to hurt people. To kill people.” He lowers the knife from my stomach, running it over my sleep shorts until he flattens it against my clit. “Have you ever used it for pleasure?”
I wet my lips, not looking away as he supplies more pressure. “Maybe the ways I was using knives were bringing me pleasure.”
He hums, leaning in closer until his lips hover over mine. “Then let’s see if it can bring you pleasure in another way.”
In one swift movement, the knife slices through the thin fabric of my pajama shorts. I gasp, my body flooding with heat as he stares down at me with a beautiful, wicked grin.