Kate
“Since we’re leaving tomorrow, I’d really like to take a shower. I want to feel clean while we’re traveling.” I lie in bed with Matteo stroking my nappy hair. I can’t tell you the last time it was properly washed. The last few times, he washed it in a pot while in bed.
“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.” Matteo plants a kiss to the top of my head.
“Please, I’d like to feel somewhat normal when I go out in public for the first time. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like you to shower with me. Maybe we could have some fun.” Matteo’s muscles tense up against my body. I’ve piqued his interest.
“What do you have in mind?” His voice is all of a sudden raspy and dripping with desire.
“Well, first I would put you under the scorching hot water. Then I would lather you up from head to toe making sure every part of your body has been caressed and cleaned the way it deserves. I would then observe those parts that need a little extra attention and make sure they are feeling as good as the rest of you…”
“Stop and let me go get the shower warm and some towels for us. You wait right here.” Matteo jumps out of bed and heads to the bathroom.
Earlier, Matteo brought me a gourmet steak dinner with red potatoes and asparagus topped off with a red rose. We ate by candle light even though it’s still light outside. I even found myself laughing at a few of his jokes. When he’s not so busy being the king of jerks, he can be pretty charming. Too bad he’s so damned evil.
I lay back in the bed and stretch my arms and legs in preparation for our upcoming shower escapades. This is a pivotal moment in my life, and I’m not going to waste a second wondering if I’ve made the right decision. There is no other choice. This is what I have to do for my baby and for Tony.
Matteo leans down next to the bed, takes my arm, and plants soft feathery kisses up and down my arm. “When we get to the island, I’m going to make you my wife. There’s no way in hell, I’m going to have another bastard child. We’ll make this official and let this baby know that it’s loved and wanted.”
I smile at Matteo and pull him into my arms. I remind myself that this is what I’ve got to do. This man claims he loves me. Whether he does or not is irrelevant.
“Are you ready for that shower?” Matteo pulls back and the glimmer in his eyes makes the green stand out almost as much as Tony’s.
“Yes! I can’t wait to wash my hair.” I jump out of bed and before I can dart into the bathroom, Matteo takes me in his arms and brings his lips to mine. His tongue pushes into my mouth and flutters against mine. His mouth is sweet from the cheesecake we had for dessert. I lean in just a little further and close the gap between us. Heat radiates from his body, and his erection throbs against my leg. He pulls back, takes my arm, and guides me into the bathroom.
The stall is barely big enough to fit the two of us, but will work. It has doors instead of a curtain, but is really only made for one person. Matteo steps inside first to test the water. When he’s satisfied it’s the right temperature, he pulls me inside.
I shudder as the warm water touches my skin. I allow it to spray my face and drown me in its cleanliness. Sponge baths can never replace the real thing. The water beating down on my sore muscles is like heaven. I’d stay here forever if I could, but there isn’t an endless supply of hot water, and Matteo obviously has other plans for us.
Matteo doesn’t waste a minute before reaching for one of my breasts. He cups it in his hand and uses his tongue to harden my nipple into an erect peak. His hot breath, along with the warm water cascading over it, causes my sex to clench, pulsate, and beg for its own attention. Matteo pays the same attention to the other side, stoking the fire that’s roaring to life within. He leaves a trail of kisses down my stomach sending goose bumps to attack my arms. I’m still waiting for him to reach the land of no return.
Just as his tongue finds its way to the bundle of nerves screaming for more stimulation, my resolve sets in. I steady my legs and grab onto the handle bar on the shower door. With as much force as I can muster, I knee Matteo in the jaw. His head flies back, jolting his entire body. Before he has a chance to realize what’s happened, I kick him as hard as I can in the junk. He leans over to grab the jewels that I’m sure are throbbing out of control. I give another knee to his head. It flips back and his face is bloody. It’s hard to tell where the source is, but it looks like maybe it’s coming from his nose.
Matteo grunts. “You fucking bitch!” He reaches out for me trying to get my legs, but his vision is impaired by the combination of blood and water in his eyes.
Matteo swats at his face and I take the opportunity to give another swift kick in the balls before jumping out of the shower. “Did you really believe for one minute I could ever fall in love with someone as dreadful as you? I’d rather be fucking dead than spend one more moment at your side, and I’m sure as hell never going off to some remote island with you.”
I grab one the towels off the counter and wrap it around me as I run out of the bathroom, through the bedroom, and into the unknown room beyond. I look both ways as I run to what I presume is the front door. I grab the brass handle and attempt to open it, but there are so many locks holding it in place. I unhook the chain, the two deadbolts, and get to the last one on the handle when his arm wraps around my neck cutting off my air supply. I attempt to gasp and choke in whatever air I can get, but it’s futile. Matteo’s hold is too tight. I close my eyes for a brief moment to center myself and focus on the training I’ve received. I count to ten knowing I can hold my breath for at least a minute more if I don’t struggle.
“You didn’t think you’d get away from me that easily, did you? You’re carrying my child. I won’t let you go until I have that baby in my arms. Then, you’ll never see it again. They’ll find your body floating up to shore on some South Pacific Island, unless the sharks eat you first.” His voice gurgles, presumably from the blood seeping into the back of his throat.
Chills run down my spine. I reach ten in my head and know what I have to do. I take my elbow and use as much strength as possible and force it into his gut as I simultaneously stomp on his foot.
“Fuck! Agh.” His arms loosen around my neck, and I take the opportunity to slide out, and use my elbow to hit him in the face again. Matteo instantly grabs his nose.
“The baby isn’t yours! It’s Tony’s.” It feels good to get that out. I turn back and look at the monster who is now on the floor holding his nose. I can’t believe the amount of blood pouring onto the ground. Right now, I’ve never been happier that I took those self-defense classes. I was cursing the instructor the three days a week I attended. My body was covered with bruises, but every second I spent there was worth it.
I run into the kitchen to find the first object I can use to defend myself. I open and close the drawers and the cabinets. Most of them are empty. There are minimal items—enough for Matteo to feed me. Finally, I find a cast iron pan. This will definitely work.
I don’t have to turn around to know Matteo is right behind me. His warm breath coats the back of my neck, making the hairs stand up. I use my body weight and plunge back first into him forcing his body against the wall. He grabs my hair and yanks my head back. I scream out and tell myself that I can work through the pain. His nails dig into my jaw and holds my face so he can look me into the eyes. His pupils have turn into slits. They’re black and hardened. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen that amount of evil in his eyes. I’m scared, but I hold onto the pan tight. It would be easy to let it go and give into the pain, but I can’t. My life depends on it.
“You. Will. Not. Get. Away. From. Me.” He hisses in my ear.
I use my barefoot and crunch my heel into his foot as I twist my body and hit him upside the head with the pan.
“Arggg!” He cries out, but doesn’t let go of my head.
I hit him again with the pan, and his eyes roll back. His grip loosens and I’m able to pull away as his lifeless body falls to the floor. I drop the pan and back away. Tears fall from my eyes as a sob escapes from my mouth. I attempt to move toward the door, but my body protests and is stalled in place.
“Why?” I scream from the top of my lungs, and give into the self-pity that threatens to consume me. I have this chance to run out of here and escape this nightmare once and for all and I can’t seem to take my eyes off the green-eyed monster and run out the door. Instead, I slowly walk backward across the floor never taking my eyes off the lump of the man lying before me.
When my back finally touches the route to safety, I slowly push my back up against it. The green-eyed monster hasn’t moved. I’m not sure he’s even breathing. I may have killed a man, and I don’t know that I care. I don’t know what I feel other than numb. I reach for the towel I left on the floor when I got away from the green-eyed monster the last time. I wrap it around my body, covering up as much as possible, and wipe away the tears flowing uncontrollably like a river down my face. I open the door and look both ways down the hallway. Without another thought, I enter it and take off in a sprint to the nearest stairwell or elevator.
“Help me! Somebody help me!” I don’t know what made my body decide to start working again, but it has. My heart takes off as I frantically search for anyone who can get me out of here and escape from this hell I’ve been living in for almost two months.
The hall is dark and the floor is cemented. It’s hard to tell between an apartment and a door leading to someplace else. Finally, I come across a stairwell. I’m not sure where to go, but figure down is the best option. Then I can get out of this building and figure out where I’m at. Surely I can find help by the train station.
I run down several flights of stairs screaming for help. No one answers. As I get closer to the bottom, a door opens and a man in black enters. I stop running and hesitate before going any further. I hold my breath trying to assess whether or not this man is safe. I close my eyes and without seeing the face on the man, I know who’s standing a flight below me.
“Tony! Tony! Help me!” I run the final few steps down as he takes two steps at a time and meets me halfway.
He pulls me into his arms and squeezes me tighter than ever, letting me know I’m safe and he won’t let anything happen. I bury my head in his shoulder and sob uncontrollably. All the emotions, fears, and anguish pour out as his body absorbs everything.
“Shhh, baby. Don’t cry. It’s going to be okay.” Tony kisses the top of my head.
A door opens in the stairwell above me. I gasp and look up expecting to find the green-eyed monster. Relief takes over my body at the sight of Jasper looking down upon us.
“I’ve got her,” Tony yells up to his friend.
“Is she okay?” Jasper calls out.
I nod and look into Tony’s eyes. They’re more brilliant green than I remember. In this instant, I feel like Dorothy staring at the Emerald City.
“Where is he?” Tony doesn’t have to tell me who he’s talking about. I can read it loud and clear in his face. He wants to find the green-eyed monster and rip him to shreds.
“Up there.” I point up the stairwell. “I don’t know how far up or which one I was in. I just ran.”
Tony pulls me closer. “It’s okay. We’ll find him.”
“I—I think he’s dead. I killed him.” I think Tony’s heart skipped a beat at my confession.
“He’s up a few flights. She doesn’t know where. I’m going to get her to a hospital.” Tony pulls away, takes off his shirt, and puts it over me. Between the shirt and the towel, I’m fairly covered. He picks me up and carries me the remaining steps, and outside the building. I squeeze my eyes shut at the sight of the light. It was pretty dark in my room, and the sun is a shock to my system.
Several men approach us and I assume they work with Jasper. They notify us that 9-1-1 was already called. Tony puts me down, but keeps his arms wrapped around me. I watch some of the men file into the building, but two stay out and wait with us.
Seconds seem like hours, and the ambulance finally arrives. I protest and let everyone know I’m okay, but Tony insists I get checked out. Unwillingly, I allow the medics to take me with them. Tony is by my side the entire way holding my hand as they load me onto the gurney and drive to the hospital. Tears, trickle down my face as I try to figure out how to tell him that I’m pregnant and it might not be his. I know I should tell him before we get to the hospital, but I just want these last few precious moments to be with the love of my life without anything else getting between us.