Because I was informed shortly after I pulled it out of the oven that Ray would be here soon and he wanted to take me to dinner. ‘Wear something nice,’ Glen had said to me repeating the words of his boss.
In the closet, I pulled out the blue cocktail dress that had been sitting there for months. Sometimes, Ray would take me out to a really nice dinner and a while back he’d surprised me with a few nice dresses to wear for those occasions. I’d never worn the blue one, though. I couldn’t tell you why.
I straightened my hair and did my makeup.
All the while thinking of how I could use this opportunity to escape. Ray wouldn’t make a scene in a public place, I was pretty sure of that.
I slid on my heels and waited in the bedroom for Ray to get home. It was the place I felt the safest but that wasn’t saying much. If only we weren’t so high up, I could just sneak out of the window.
I heard steps approaching and I jumped off the bed figuring it was best to not look like I was waiting to go to my own funeral. My legs were unsteady as I walked to the bathroom and pretended to be checking my hair.
“You look beautiful,” Ray said and I looked at his reflection in the mirror.
“Thank you,” I told him and plastered on a smile.
He came closer, every step pounded in rhythm with my heartbeat.
My body was stiff as he leaned down and placed a light kiss against the side of my head. Something that had always seemed sweet and welcoming, but now it just made my skin crawl.
“Are you ready?” he asked and I gave him a nod. “I’m taking you to Cecile’s. I know we’ve been talking about trying it for a while now. I figured there’s no time like the present.”
“I can’t wait,” I told him with the feeling of dread clutching tight in my belly.
No time like the present.
The way he said it made me think that there wouldn’t be a future for me to go there later.
-12-
Jessica
The dinner seemed nice and normal if you were looking from the outside. Two people, sitting together on a romantic date. But something was off, that much was clear to me.
I had been too on edge to really eat my food. I hoped I pushed it around on the plate enough to make it looked like I had tasted some of it.
“I’m sorry I’m gone so much,” he said as he took my hand.
His eyes were on the road ahead as he spoke. I assumed we were headed back to the condo now that dinner was done. I knew his bodyguards were in the SUV right behind us. Three of them now, since he’d brought another one back with him when he’d returned to the condo to pick me up. There was no getting away right now. There hadn’t been the entire night. From the moment we left the condo, his fingers had been on my elbow as if he were holding me in place. That move was new and it didn’t go unnoticed to my brain. That had been the first hint that something wasn’t right tonight. But deep down, I think I knew tonight was only going to end one way. I wasn’t sure why he kept up the act but I figured it was best if I kept up mine as long as I could.
Something tickled in the back of my head.
No wait, that move wasn’t new, he’d done it to me once before, but it had been gentler then. The night he asked me out. I remembered how he grabbed my elbow to keep me from walking away before he had a chance to get what he wanted.
Strangely, Ray had played it off through dinner, carrying on conversations like normal and asking how my day was.
I thought I might have my chance, but when I’d told him I was going to the ladies’ room, one of his bodyguards came out of nowhere and stood outside of the windowless space waiting for me.
I was stuck.
I knew it.
And his tone now, though his words were a bit sweet, was nothing that made me think this was a good thing.
It was like he knew. He just fucking knew. Something wasn’t right but other than pushing open the door of the car and praying I survived the tuck and roll, I didn’t see a way out.
Even if I tried that there was no way I could outrun all of them. Or a bullet, which I was sure he wouldn’t hesitate to fire at my head.
“I understand,” I told him, knowing I needed to fill the silence with something.
