Chapter 18

Waking when it’s dark, the smell of Connick is all around me when I open my eyes. I can hear his light breathing next to me. Slowly and quietly, I manage to sit up, placing my legs off the bed and onto the floor. Waiting a few more seconds while listening, to make sure his breathing hasn’t changed, I stand and walk to his door naked knowing my clothes are in the bedroom next door. As I turn the handle, a phone lights up on the floor where our clothes dropped. I know it’s a massive invasion of privacy, but a part of me is screaming to check it, to see what he’s hiding. That part that wants to know the most wins out, and I drop to the floor and reach for his phone, picking it up. I walk back to the door and walking out. Some light filters through as I walk to the spare room to grab my clothes, but before I reach it I open his phone to a message that makes me drop it.

Job is done.

Below that is a photo of a very dead Rob. Running further into the room, I grab my clothes and slip them on as fast as possible. I check my pockets for my keys but they aren’t there. I start to look around, pulling the bed across to see if anything is under there. Feeling frustrated and slightly terrified, I don’t even notice when someone turns on the light.

Then I hear a jingle.

Turning my head while being down on all fours, I notice a very naked and very sexy Connick with a set of keys dangling from his fingers. His body is toned in every aspect, his hips have that V that I always want to lick, and his biceps are triple the size my arms. And now he’s looking at me like I’m about to escape his dungeon.

I was, I so fucking was.

“These, Milanka?”

“You had him killed?” It spurts from my mouth, and I instantly cover it. He looks around the room and sees his cell on the floor.

“You were snooping, Milanka?”

Shaking my head, even though I’m lying, I continue to stare at him with wide eyes.

“He wanted to hurt you, Milanka. No one is allowed to do that, but me.”

“You want to… hurt me?”

He steps in then offers me his hand to stand. I look at it like it’s poison, and wonder how I got back into a situation that’s now so similar to my last.

Why do they feel the need to hurt me?

Even though he hasn’t, he sounds like he wants to, and I’m hoping right now he doesn’t. Placing my hand in his, he pulls me up and into his naked body. I jump back fast putting distance between us straight away.

“I haven’t decided yet, Milanka. Don’t make up my mind for me by touching and searching things that aren’t there for you.”

I take his words seriously, why wouldn’t I? There is, after all, a picture of a dead man on his phone.

“I need to go,” I tell him, looking down at the keys in his hand.

“No. Tonight you don’t get to run. Get those clothes off and get back into my bed.”

Those words feel like pressure, like manipulation.

Then he speaks, “Stop running, Milanka. It gives your enemies power over you. You don’t want me to have the power, do you? I won’t hurt you… tonight.”

A chill runs down my spine, and despite what he’s just said, I don’t think he will hurt me. He walks away with my keys firmly grasped in his hand, and I know I have to follow him back to his bedroom and somehow fall asleep next to him.

My hands start shaking, and I look around wondering if I can just jump from the window in here and maybe make a run for it. When I look down, I see it’s too high, and no way am I jumping and possibly breaking my leg. Clamping my hands together, I walk back to the room with him. It’s still dark, but I know he can see me.

“Undress, Milanka.”

Shutting the door behind me, I do what he says. Then once I’m naked again, I walk to the side of the bed I crawled out of, lift the sheet and slide back in. He doesn’t touch me at first, lets me lay there and think about why I’m still here. Then he moves, his hand touching my hip and pulling me to him. His head is in between my neck and shoulders, and he’s falling asleep. While I lay here tense, wondering if he’s going to kill me as well.

***

Waking, the night before rushes back to me and I sit up quickly. The sheet falls away from me and I jump up and get dressed. He isn’t in the room, so I look around to make sure my keys aren’t in here, and when I can’t find them, I make my way down the stairs to where I know he’ll be. I spot him straight away, pouring coffee. He’s dressed in nothing but a pair of slacks that hang from his hips, showing the top of his ass. He turns to look at me, then slides a cup of coffee my way.

“You can’t run, Milanka. Tell me you won’t run, and I’ll give your keys back.”

Looking down at the coffee and then back to him. “Why me?” I ask him the same thing that was running through my head all night.

“Why not you?” he asks in return.

“I’m no one. I’m sure you could have any woman who would do as you asked and not care about what you do. So, why me?”

He sips his coffee, then places it back on the counter, leaning back on it, crossing his arms as he looks at me. “Don’t give me that girl, Milanka. We both know you’re not that girl. The ‘why me’ girl.”

He knows me well, that scares me even more.

“Did you know me before the coffee shop?” I ask, crossing my arms, mimicking the way he’s standing.

“Yes.”

I had thought about it. I thought maybe it was all in my head, it’s obviously not.

“How long have you been watching me?”

He shakes his head. “Milanka, when we get serious, those questions will be answered. Right now, they can wait.”

I huff at him. Seriously! Where does he think this is going to go? Nowhere, that’s where.

“You think we aren’t going any further, Milanka?”

My hands lift and I scrunch at my hair. “Stop saying my name after every sentence you use.”

He smirks as he watches me.

“And no. Where the fuck is there to go? Down the fucking road to hell? What do you think I am? Your soul to take? Possibly a hellhound?” My voice is raised, and I’m angry.

“You read too many paranormal books, Milanka. Stop thinking of me as Satan.”

“You aren’t? Could have fooled me.” My laugh is fake but it rises loudly.

“Tonight, Milanka… because I know you don’t work today… we will have a normal dinner and pretend to have a normal night. After that, I’ll answer a few… yes, only a few, of your questions. So, pick wisely, because I won’t answer anymore.”

I hold my hand out to him and he places my keys in my palm, after he picks them up from the counter behind him.

“Tonight, Milanka. Don’t run! I will find you, and I’ll keep you… forever.”

Nodding my head, I take the keys and don’t look back as I march out the door.

Fuck this! I’m so running from this psycho.

After a quick drive, I arrive back to my house and sit on the floor, staring at nothing. Wondering how I always end up with the guy that just isn’t right for me. The guy that wants to use me and keep me like his damn toy. I thought he was different, I even started having stronger feelings for him. Not sure exactly what kind of feelings they are, but deeper than I’ve had for anyone in a long time, I know that.

Getting lost in my head, I sit on the tiled floor for well over an hour before I finally move, and even then only because I hear a knock at my door. Walking to it, I open it slightly to see no one there, but on the ground in front of me are lilies sitting there like the last time. Running out to the street, I see him—he stops and stares at me smiling wide.

I knew it was him, it’s always him. He used to give me lilies every weekend after one of his parties when he made me sleep with his friends. Now they’re showing up on my doorstep when he shouldn’t even know where I live. I give him the finger and run back inside locking the door.

Should I call the police?

Even if I did call them could anything even be done about it?

What can I say, he gave me flowers and kidnapped me once?

Then they would ask more questions like… Why didn’t you come in when it happened? How do you know him? What is he to you?

Questions that I can’t answer, or am too afraid to answer because what if that stupid dream is real? It feels so real to me. That means he knows my secrets as well, even if I never shared them with him. It’s a risk to take, one I’m not sure I want to when I could just carry my knife around with me and stab him if he tries again. Hopefully.

At least Connick isn’t as crazy as him, I hope. Going into my bedroom, I contemplate packing again, but decide against it. I have to stay and see this through. I need to start thinking about the right questions to ask Connick tonight, ones that won’t go unanswered. As I’m changing, I hear a knock on my door again. This time, though, I hear crying and know it’s not Derrick. So, I pull the door open all the way. Serena stands there with one kid on her hip and the other attached to her leg.

“Serena?” I ask in question.

She smiles through her tears and offers me the baby. Looking at the baby, I wonder if I have to take it. I’ve never ever held a child before, so I have no idea what to do. Taking the baby, I grip it under its arms and hold it out from me. It smiles at me, and Serena walks in with the other child.

“Not to be rude, but how do you know where I live?”

She walks to my only couch and sits the other child on it, while I hold this baby out, who’s smiling at me. Pulling it into my body, its hand goes to my hair that’s still down and immediately it starts pulling. I flip my hair to the side, then its hands go to my mouth and begins pulling at my lips. Pulling it away, I wonder if I can place the baby on the floor. They crawl, don’t they?

“You gave it to Von, who gave it to me.”

I nod my head and take a breath. “Where can I put the baby?” I ask still holding it out.

“She crawls… on the floor is fine.”

Placing the baby on the floor, I watch as it starts to crawl toward its mom then turns back and crawls to me, banging on my bare feet.

“I want to leave him. He never helps. And he’s such a prick to me.”

I blanch at her words. “Von?” I ask in question, and she nods her head. “You don’t love him?”

“I do, I really do. But I need a man who’s going to be there. Not just when he wants in my bed, then look what happens.” She sweeps her hand around to the babies.

“What are you going to do?”

She starts pacing, and the baby at my feet starts tapping me. “That’s why I’m here. I don’t want to do this to you because I think we’ve become friends, and Lord I need some women friends right now who don’t want to fuck Von. But, I’m quitting. And you know what that means for you.”

I do, that means I get more shifts to fill for her until a replacement is found.

“Quitting?”

“I can’t do it anymore. Two years is long enough.”

Reaching down, I pick the baby up, and it starts pulling at my shirt covering my breasts, holding my top down. I look up to her.

“I do have one last favor, I promise.” I nod my head. “Can you watch the kids? I need to go tell him.” I’m sure my eyes shine in fear. “They’re easy, I swear. Cartoons on and they’re angels. Pretty please? Tops… thirty minutes.”

“I’ve never even held a kid till a few minutes ago, Serena.”

“And you did great. Please, Milanka?” she begs me with her hands.

“Thirty minutes?” I ask her.

She nods, smiling, then runs to the door, opens it, and pulls a bag inside that was obviously sitting just outside. Placing it on the counter, she opens it and pulls out a small snack box, walking it to the child on the couch. Serena turns the television on and the child stays still.

Wow! What a miracle.

She kisses the kids and runs for the door, leaving me with them.

Kids!