Carrie
I am again getting dressed for dinner. Everything's so formal in this house but I love it that way. I love having somebody to dress up for and I love being in this regal environment. I've been around money my whole life and usually, it doesn't impress me, but with Jeremy, I feel like a princess locked away in a hidden castle and the notion becomes exciting with him.
I dress for him every night, for his eyes alone. Tonight I've chosen a short, black cocktail dress. It's velvet, the better to touch me with, and it accentuates my ass perfectly. I throw on some six-inch stilettos to match, and a black velvet choker that has a diamond hanging from it. It was here in the closet for me and at this point, I can only imagine that the diamond hanging from my neck might be real, such is the way with Jeremy. He spoils me in all the right ways.
I make my way carefully down the stairs in my new heels. To my surprise and consternation, there is another guest in the house and I can only imagine, what now?
I lock eyes with Jeremy who takes my hand as I come down the stairs and he doesn't look happy.
"Carrie, this is Detective Peterson, he is the private investigator who your parents have hired. Apparently, he's very expensive."
My eyes open wide as I realize I might be done for. I have been found out and my private sanctuary with Jeremy could potentially dissipate this evening. Fuck. I should've known it wouldn't last. I have been living in some fantasy world and it's starting to come undone. My reality is so depressing compared to this. And I can't imagine leaving Jeremy's side. I look at him anxiously and I know he's read my expression. He sees my panic.
"Hello, Mr. Peterson," I manage to say. "I'm Carrie and I guess you found me."
"I have. It wasn't easy, but I've been looking for you for a while now and it's time to come clean."
"Well, I am an adult and I have every right to be here. I don't want to see my parents."
"You can't be here under the guise of living with some boyfriend. You know your parents have empowered me to use every resource to bring you home."
"You wouldn't dare," I say, trying to test the waters of his conviction.
"I absolutely would. I will tell them everything. Of course, if you have a better price for me then I can assume that I haven't seen you and pretend to keep on looking."
"This is blackmail!" I'm enraged and Jeremy's arm hooks around my waist as I'm about to kill the guy, figuratively of course.
"Whatever you may call it, it is what is. I'm either getting double what your parents have paid me or I'm bringing you home tonight."
"Like hell, you will," Jeremy chimes in. He's not coming to my defense in the way I thought he would. I think he's letting me handle this and it feels good to flex my capabilities a little bit. I can stand up to this guy…I think.
"Listen, sir.” I am confident. "I don't have any personal money anyway, my parents own it all so you won't get a dime out of me."
"Hmm," he looks around the scope of the place. "It looks like your boyfriend here has plenty of coin. Why don't you cash in on that?"
I glance at Jeremy, afraid he would ever think that I'd use him for his money. I never would and I would never give in to this detective even if I had the money.
"I will never pay you for what you want. It's despicable and if I pay you then you will just keep coming back for more."
Jeremy gives me a look like he's proud. "I always knew you were a smart girl."
Before the detective has any idea of what's happened, Jeremy has knocked him unconscious and the man tumbles to the floor.
"Oh my God! Jeremy!" My hands are covering my mouth in surprise. I definitely was not expecting him to do that. I'm afraid to ask my next question. "What are you going to do with him?"
"You know exactly what I'm going to do Carrie." And he pulls a knife from a drawer in the oversized console table that adorns the foyer. He shows me the knife and he's smiling something villainous.
"You cannot be that heartless, Jeremy please. he doesn't deserve to die. Just let him go. He won't come back." I am near hysterics as I realize what's about to be done. "Please stop! Don't do it, Jeremy, please."
He looks at my reproachfully as though he was expecting more. He hands the blade to me and asks, "Do you want to do it?"
"Of course not. No." I recoil to even think of the question. "This is so wrong."
"Is it really?" The tone of his voice has deepened and it's full of a lascivious taunt. "You realize what will happen if we don't do it, right?"
I think upon his question. Do I really want to be found out? Do I want my parents to gain a hold on me and for this all to over? Can I ever even go back to my old life now that I know what it's like to experience Jeremy? My life would be empty without him. It would be nothing. I might as well die. So it's either him, this impertinent investigator, or it's me.
"Do it," I say, my own evil-mindedness surprising me.
"Excellent." He's happy with me, I know. But I've just become an accomplice and I don't know how I will live with myself after this.
"Just don't let him suffer, okay?"
"The carotid artery it is then."
I watch in astonishment and private resignation as I see Jeremy start to pull the man out of the foyer. "It would be far too messy to kill him in here," he says it so casually. "You can go ahead and start without me if you'd like. I prepared Beef Bourguignon." He pauses to look at me in that dark, deceptive way. "Unless of course, you'd rather watch."
I turn on my heel and walk away from him without another word. What has he gotten me into? I slump into a dining room chair and sip on the wine he's set out. I'll need the whole bottle to calm these nerves. I drink, and I sit, and I wait.