“Did you have a lovely night?”
“I did,” I said to him and forced a smile as I turned his way. “Thank you.”
That was all that was said on the way home.
When we got there, he came around to my side and I froze when he opened the door. It was like my ass was glued to the seat, my body sensing that something not-so-good was about to come.
But it didn’t matter because he reached down and helped me out by grabbing my elbow.
The fucking elbow thing again.
And he held onto it like he was directing me where to go, despite the fact that I went this way every day.
“Hello, Miss Grace,” I said as we reached the elevator and stepped in behind her.
It was a big elevator but it felt suddenly crowded with all of us in there.
“Hello, Jessica,” she replied in her cheerful tone. “Did you go to dinner?”
“We did,” I replied, my face and tone tight as I tried my hardest to appear normal. I hoped she’d been around me enough to tell that something was wrong.
She slyly eyed me then looked down to where Ray had a hold of my elbow. She might have been old but she didn’t miss a thing.
His grip tightened and I locked my knees so I wouldn’t crumble with the shot of pain that ran through me. It was a clear sign that he’d noticed what was going on. No, Ray wasn’t stupid either.
I suddenly feared for Miss Grace’s life. I hoped that I hadn’t put her in danger by trying to subtly reach out. I had no idea why I did, it wasn’t like she was really able to help me out here. One old lady with an over-sized purse up against four big men with guns, definitely not a fair fight.
“Have a good night, dear,” she replied as the elevator came to a stop on her floor, but there was nothing in her tone that said she thought I actually would.
Then I was alone and out of options.
One more floor up and the doors opened to reveal the condo. The condo that I’d called home for the last few months. The one that, up until a few days ago, had held hope and the idea of a future. A condo that I had recently decorated with pops of color that had matched how I felt on the inside at that time.
Now, the color taunted me like some kind of carnival nightmare. You know, the kind where there were crazy clowns following you and some kind of strange half goat, half man chasing you with knives for horns or something.
“I need a drink of water,” I said in a lame excuse to try and escape him.
He let me go, but followed me into the kitchen.
I pulled out a bottle of water and as I gulped down the cool liquid, I tried to map out where the closest weapons were. Why couldn’t I remember where anything was? It was like my mind had just gone blank.
“You must think I’m a stupid man,” he said and his tone sent a shiver skating down my spine.
I was caught, that much was clear.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
His eyes were wild as they burned a hole through me.
He knew.
He knew what I’d done.
“But you do,” he said as he stepped closer to me. He was crowding me with purpose. I could honestly say that it had me shaking inside even more. “The thing is, I wouldn’t have gotten to where I was by being stupid. How much do you know?”
“Nothing, I swear!” I pleaded.
Maybe if I could get to his gun before he could…
