A/N : SM owns everything except the plot.
Not going to go with a beta with this one, so you'll see a lot more mistakes than usual. Sorry for that.
Be warned of possible violence and drug use in future chapters.
So if you don't have problems with what I just said...let us proceed.
If I hadn't been too keen on an early arrival at Jessica's party, I wouldn't have to walk back a block from here to my car. It was stupid of me to have parked so far away from Jess' building, but there was no use fretting about it now. My stubbornness to prove it was possible for me not to be late was what had caused my hurried parking.
It was after midnight and the streets were almost empty. And now I have to walk in these damn high heels!
I contemplated going back up her apartment and stay the night, but Mike's presence made that an unwelcome option. They would fuck and the paper-thin walls that separated the living room from the bedroom would not be enough to prevent me from hearing them have sex. I shuddered at that thought.
The night air was cool, and I had the sudden urge to bum a smoke. My dress was flimsy and the tiny coat I paired it with wasn't enough to keep me warm. I flicked open my purse and fished out a cigarette, lighting it. The nicotine did its wonders and warmed me, and I felt calmer… relaxed.
The single beep of my phone alerted me to a message. James. It was the same old, boring text I would receive every night - Hi or Hello, sweetie. Are you going to bed? – and somehow the words grated on my nerves more than ever. My irritation made me not reply and I put my phone back inside my purse. As I trudged the distance to my car, the guilt appeared – the guilt of not feeling any remorse. I wished I had informed James about this party instead of the lie I had told him about a research group meeting I was supposed to attend. That way when I needed him to pick me up – especially in times when I was no longer in the mood to drive a couple of miles back home…in times like these – it would be easy for me to just ask him.
Stop it, Bella! You don't want him here, and that's why you made it a point not to bring him. Period!
I sighed. Sooner or later…
He was good to me, and it was one of the things I hated about him. Funny how cruel that thought was. However, in the deep recess of my brain, I was certain that was how I felt. My inner thoughts, more times than I wanted to, didn't necessarily show in my actions and in my words. I wasn't that brave. Dissatisfaction had been like a stubborn thorn in my life, and no matter what I did, I couldn't shake it off. My relationship with James was no exception.
You're an ungrateful bitch, Bella! Admit it. The least you could do is admit even that small fact to yourself!
Nobody could top the way he worried and took care of me, but somehow I couldn't find gratification in his love.
I berated myself until I felt a headache coming. I was halfway to my destination when my phone rang. There was no doubt in my mind it was James. I ignored it; too mentally worn out to engage in a conversation with him.
There were still a few establishments open, but this was not the best neighborhood to be in during this time of the night, so I needed to be quick in getting to my car. Did I also mention I was in another city approximately forty minutes away from Seattle? Yes, I was. If someone saw me here, my dad would kill me!
My red Audi was a few feet away from me when I remembered the cigarette between my fingers. The smell of smoke would linger inside the car and James or anyone of my father's minions would easily pick up on it. Another long drag of my smoke and I flicked it away. There was no need for anyone other than my close friends to know about my nasty habit.
My head was bent down in search for the car keys in my purse when I heard something. The sound was too low for me to decipher what it was, but it was enough to cause me to turn around.
The dark streets illuminated by what seemed like the only working street light in this block made it impossible for me to see what it was that caused that sound. It was when I saw what looked like a body slumped on the concrete ground that fear ran through me. My mouth opened to scream but nothing came out.
I stood frozen. The sound of my heartbeat loud and booming in my ears was all I could hear. I took in mouthfuls of air in an attempt to calm myself.
Just when I gathered enough courage to move, I felt something…someone.
He stood in front of me. The flare of his nostrils and the narrow slits of his eyes were visible where I stood. He oozed with confidence and danger. The ferocity in his gaze made me want to run, but at the same time held me in place.
Be brave…be brave…be brave.
I refused to falter under his gaze. His anger was palpable, but my stubbornness kicked in at that precise moment and I didn't give into my fear. So even if I was scared to death, I didn't cower. When he raised his gun at me, I stood tight and stiff, but held his steely gaze. My hands shook, and I clenched my fists in an attempt to steady them.
This man had my life on his hands, and the seconds ticked by as I waited for his decision. My life had never been anything great, but I never even thought it would end like this – death on a cold, empty street. How lame! That was how my life was, and even in death, I was still a cliché. Although the time was most inappropriate, the sudden bitterness I felt coursed through me. I would die like the pathetic mess I was.
I closed my eyes to block whatever it was that would come and wished he would just get it over and done with.
The shot I had expected never came. Instead, a string of curses could be heard from him before his gloved hand was tight around my arm.
"Where are you taking me?" I asked. "Please…please…I won't say anything."
He kept walking. He was a tall man, and his strides were long. That meant I had to quicken my steps to keep up with him.
"I promise you," I begged. He continued to ignore me, pulling me aside to enter a narrow street. "Do you want money? I can get you some…just let me go! Please!"
"Shut up!" he hissed. He dragged me forward into the darkest corner of the narrow path, and before I knew what he was doing, I was shoved inside a car. "Don't you dare move!"
His voice, so smooth yet so menacing, immobilized me in my seat. He slid inside the car and gunned the engine. He didn't glance my way, and I tried to calculate my chances of getting away from him.
"Try it and you'll be sorry." It seemed he knew what I planned. The cool and calm exterior he presented made him seem more dangerous.
"What did you do? Is he…she alive? Oh God, did you kill him?" The words were out my mouth before I could stop myself. I held my breath and waited for him to answer.
Nothing.
"What are you going to do with me?" My voice trembled and there was no chance in hell he didn't notice it.
All he did was give me a quick glance in answer before his eyes were back on the road. The car went faster and faster, and I felt nauseous. It was my first instinct to snap at him for his speeding, but I opted not to say anything. The tight set of his jaw alerted me to his mood, and it would be of no good to me if I pissed him off. My seatbelt wasn't buckled and I moved to rectify that – not that it would matter any way, since I would die because of him.
The minutes stretched to an hour. It was when I realized we were no longer in Tacoma that a renewed fear settled inside me. There were only a few cars in the distance, and due to our speed, I wasn't sure where we were. I need to get away from him!
The expensive car and his tailored clothes, not to mention the attractive face, made him not look like a murderer, but that also didn't mean he was not dangerous. A killer was still a killer, no matter what they looked like.
We were going over the speed of 100mph. It would be rough, but I would take my chances. The door handle was tight in my hand, taunting me to take the opportunity to open and jump out when he slowed even a little bit. I waited and waited.
I could feel my chest tighten in anticipation. My palms were sweaty, and even though the air conditioner was in full blast, I could feel beads of sweat form on my forehead. My nausea came back full force, but I willed it away.
Then the car screeched to a stop. It was so unexpected; I sat motionless…stunned. My throat suddenly dried at the possible scenarios.
Shit, shit. He would shoot me now!
"Get out!"
"What?" I stuttered. My expression might have shown my confusion because the scowl on his face deepened.
"I could easily find you, so you better not breathe a word of this to anyone. "
His threat was clear. I nodded, reluctant but the hope I didn't want to cling to slowly trickled in and grew inside me.
"Now get the fuck out!"
I was quick to scramble out the car. The sound of the car door as I slammed it shut resonated through the quite night. I stood silent, waiting for him and his next instructions. It was dark and there was no way for me to read his expression. His gaze was heavy on me; I could feel his eyes rake all over me. I tried not to shudder in fear, still defiant not to show how frightened I was.
Then he gunned the car, leaving me at the side of the road of nowhere. He was gone, but a nagging feeling inside told me I would see him again.
Whadja think? I would love to hear from you.
P.S For those who are wondering about Buried in Words...the chapters will be reposted asap. BiW is still my priority.