While last night was wonderful, tonight was a different story. It was one of my father’s political banquets, and my attendance was mandatory. These are by far my least favourite events to attend. And it’s always my mission to get out of there as soon as possible without seeming rude, thereby drawing my father’s anger and my required attendance to several more events like this.
Even the weather had turned, it was absolutely atrocious. Thick grey clouds filled the sky, heavy rain pelting the windows. Filling the gutters in the streets until it lapped the sidewalks.
I’ve been the polite, respectful, perfect daughter all evening, and now I’m exhausted and want to leave. “Ready to go?” I ask Abe.
He nods several times. “Fuck yes. This place is full of the kind of pretentious wankers I’d like to punch in the face with a chair,” he says on an exaggerated exhale.
We say our goodbyes and within two minutes, Abe and I are standing side by side, waiting for the valet to bring my car when the wind blows a freezing sheet of rain in under the cover of the waiting area. My skin covers in gooseflesh immediately, and I violently shiver.
Abe slips his tuxedo jacket off in one smooth motion and has it wrapped around me in another. “Better?” he asks as his hands rub up and down my now covered.
“Much, thank you.” The jacket is so warm inside from his body heat I want to wrap myself in it like a cocoon. And the subtle hit of his cologne on the collar has me shivering for a different reason.
His masculine, woodsy scent with a hint of mint wraps around me like a warm blanket and I think briefly that perhaps I don’t need his jacket anymore. The wind blows another gust of rain into us, making me revaluate returning the jacket, then the valet finally appears with my car.
Abe beats the boy to the passenger door, holding it open. Once I slide inside, he leans down and fastens my seatbelt for me, then closes my door and rounds the hood, only to be stopped by the valet who hands him a blank white envelope.
My gut twists in fear. The warmth flees my body, leaving my teeth chattering.
Abe’s muscular build sets to stone as the boy backs away from him. Abe’s eyes roam the surrounding area, looking for something or someone. He steps around the side of the car, opening his door, but pauses there.
I count the seconds.
One.
Two.
Thr—
“Get out of the fucking car! Get out now!”
He’s rounding the hood coming for me before his words even register in my brain. I’m fumbling with my seatbelt, trying and failing to free myself from the safety strap that refuses to budge.
I’m panicking. My hands are damp with sweat. The strap tightens across my body as I struggle desperately to escape.
Then Abe is there, reefing my door open so hard I think it might come away from the car. A shiny silver blade flies past my vision and for a moment I panic harder. But Abe uses the knife to cut the belt, then wraps one arm around me, pulling me from the vehicle then rushing towards the hotel lobby entrance.
Once I’m safely inside the lobby he pulls his phone out, taps the screen a few times and holds it up to his ear. “Get the bomb squad down here.” He pauses, listens, then speaks again. “Yeah, the address I sent you earlier. Kalista’s Mustang—it’s pulled up at the valet desk.” Another briefer pause. “We’re fine. I’ll check in once I’ve got her in a secure location.”
Bomb squad? My ears are ringing and my head throbs. “Abe, what’s going on?” I ask but my voice is a whisper.
He has me pulled into his chest so tightly it’s becoming hard to take a deep breath, and I need to breathe. I’m not getting enough oxygen.
My head spins in time with the throbbing and I slap at Abe’s chest for him to give me some space, but as soon as he begins loosening his hold my legs give out from beneath me and he’s swooping me up in his arms without hesitation.
He carries me over to the hotel reception desk in six long strides. “Give me the best suite you have available,” he tells the girl blinking up at us from behind the desk.
She nods dumbly, her eyes bugging out of her head as she takes us in. “Uh, yes sir. I’ll just need to—”
Abe cuts her off by flicking a black credit card across the desk at her. “Get the information off the card; I have shit to handle. I want a key to that room in five minutes,” he tells her, then he’s walking away with me still in his arms. He stops at a set of lounges in the middle of the wide-open lobby.
Placing me down gently, he squats in front of me, taking my hands in his. “Everything is fine, I promise. This is all precautionary. Now I need you to sit tight for a minute while I find out what else that punk-arse valet knows,” he says, peering over his shoulder towards the two boys nervously glancing at him from the valet desk.
“Okay,” I whisper again. Why am I whispering?
He slides a hand over my cheek, pressing his thumb to the centre of my bottom lip. “You’ll be able to see me the whole time, and I won’t let you leave my sight either, okay?”
I nod, not wanting to whisper again, and he hold up two fingers. “Two minutes, Lissa.”
Then he straightens and storms out the revolving door and pins one of the boys to the outside wall.
My attention is pulled from him when I feel the lounge dip behind me. A guy I don’t recognise but looks strangely familiar is sitting beside me. I glance around. There are many empty seats available, so why is this stranger sitting next to me?
He’s dressed in a tux, so I assume he’s a guest of my father’s, until he pops a gum bubble in my face. I startle when it pops loudly, the sound echoing around the mostly quiet foyer. The only noise comes from outside, where Abe threatens the Valet’s, but even that is so faint I can hardly hear it.
Holding a hand out towards me in offering, he says, “Hi, I’m Michael.” Then he begins chewing his gum like a cow chews cud.
I sneer in revulsion and refuse his outstretched hand. I can’t even muster the strength to berate him for his lack of manners and the crass delivery of his introduction.
I’m still shaking from whatever just took place outside. Abe’s jacket no longer warms me and with that I turn my back to the guy, deciding the best course of action is to ignore this Michael.
He scoffs behind me, “Fuck me. I heard you were a stuck-up bitch, but refusing an offered hand? That’s next-level shit,” he says to my back.
And then I feel the heat of his body too close to mine. Before I can react, he presses a hand over my mouth, hissing into my ear, “I hope you’ve been enjoying my letters, but it was time for us to meet in person. Have a little chat. It could have been nice and civil, but you ruined any chance of that. So here it is—you need to give Daddy a message. Tell him to stand the fuck down or his beautiful daughter will pay the price, and I’d hate to have to hurt you, Kalista.”
And then, just like that, he’s leaves.
I’m too terrified to turn around and see where he went for fear he’s still sitting on the lounger with me. Bile rises in my throat and I hold it down as tears fill my eyes until I can’t take it anymore. I swallow down the vile acid in my throat and jerk around, making sure he’s really gone.
My entire body slumps when I see the empty spot beside me. The only sign he was ever here, the slight indent still left in the cushion. I swiftly glance around the lobby, I’m alone except for the receptionist busily tapping away on her keyboard as she speaks into a headpiece. Sweet relief sweeps over me and tears spill down my cheeks, streaming from my eyes as heavily as the rain outside. Covering my eyes with my hands. My chest heaves as I struggle to take in a deep breath. But my lungs won’t allow it—quick rapid intakes of air are all I can get.
I look to the front entryway, seeing Abe approaching. When he reaches me, he pulls my hands away from my face. “Fuck, Lissa. It’s okay, sweetness,” he tries to soothe me, then sits beside me and pulls me into his lap. Stroking my back, he croons, “I promise it’s alright now. There’s nothing to worry about. If you’d prefer to go home tonight, we can.”
He presses the side of my face to his chest, and his heartbeat pounds a steady rhythm against my cheek. Squeezing my eyes closed, I focus on the comforting sound, then slowly match my breaths to it.
Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale.
Once I’ve calmed down some, I push against his chest until I’m sitting up, facing him, “There was a guy, while you were outside.” I swallow past the thickness threatening to close my throat and force myself to get the rest of the words out, even as I feel every one of Abe’s muscles locking tight.
I lick my dry lips, and sniffle. “He told me his name was Michael and the letters are from him. That it was time we met.” I sniffle again, my nose dripping like a tap as I speak. “I was rude to him. He got mean and said to tell my father he has to back down or …” I choke on this last part, my body shuddering, terrified, and all of a sudden, tired. So, so tired.
Abe’s eyes are boring into mine, pushing past my walls to the truth behind them, “I think I know what you’re going to say, but—” he closes his eyes and presses his forehead to mine “—I need you to tell me,” he says, and his voice is a strained whisper, only for me to hear.
I steel my spine, taking strength from his touch. “Or I will pay the price,” I finish, feeling as if I’ve just run a marathon.
He grinds his teeth, tension radiates from him. He’s so close I can both hear and feel it throughout my body. Lifting my shaking hand, I stroke his cheek, but I have no more words. Not tonight.