“My friend who you met the other day has a construction business. If you need anything I can let him know.”
You and your friends can all burn in hell.
“Thanks. But I’ll be fine.”
I drift my gaze over to hers, and the moment our eyes meet, she looks down. She’s avoiding eye contact, and it’s not doing anything but driving me insane.
“I’ve been thinking of upgrading my deck. Last time it was done was before I purchased the house.”
I don’t give a single shit about your plans. I want her.
“You should,” I say, and pick up another piece of wood from the floor and throw it to the other side.
His phone starts ringing, and he fishes it out of his pocket.
“Oh shit. Sorry I gotta take this. I’ll be right back,” he says, and pointing to Katya, he continues, “Do me a favor please, keep an eye out for her.”
I nod once and watch as he leaves the garage and disappears into the night. The moment I’m alone with her, I turn around swiftly and make my way over to her.
I only stop when I’m standing inches away from her. I hug her waist and pull her over to me.
“What the fuck did he do to you?” I ask her, and she shakes her head before looking down.
I lift her chin up and look her dead in the eye.
“I can’t stand being away from you anymore. Let me in. Let your sadness be mine and let me relieve you of everything you’re suffering from,” I tell her honestly, and she shudders in my arms, making me hold her even tighter than before.
I lean forward and place a kiss on her forehead. She’s so small, so fragile. Her heart is beating so loudly in the deadly quiet space that I can practically hear it.
When I hear Logan’s footsteps coming back, I release her and step away from her. She hugs herself and lets out a soft sigh.
“Almost done. Only five more pieces,” I tell him and pick up two of them.
“Yes. Let’s do this,” he says, picking up another two and bringing them to the other pile.
I pick up the last one and avoid stealing another glance her way. I don’t want him to hurt her if he becomes suspicious of anything. Because then I will just have to murder him and bury him somewhere even demons wouldn’t be able to get to him.
“I wanted your legal advice on something, Mr. Pierce.”
I drop the last piece of wood and look at him.
“Go on,” I say firmly.
He snorts.
“No, not here. I would like to show you the contract if you don’t mind. It’s in my house. Unless you’re busy right now, we—”
“No,” I cut him off. “Now is a good time.”
Any extra time I get to spend while I’m around her is cherished. If it was up to me, I wouldn’t leave her side at all.
“Let’s head back to my house then, shall we?”
His voice bothers me. It makes me want to crush his face with my own hand. But I nod and follow him as he grips Katya’s hand forcibly and drags her to his house.
Once inside, we pass by a long, dark hallway. He doesn’t bother turning on the lights. But despite the blackness, I manage to study his house and the many closed doors to my left and right.
The moment I see a red door with three locks on it, I halt in my tracks.
“What’s behind this door?” The words escape my lips before I stop myself. I look over at Katya, whose pupils are two sizes bigger. Her chest is heaving as her breathing becomes more pronounced. She quickly looks at Logan, whose jaw is tense and nostrils are flared.
“The door to the basement,” he says sternly, but his words are thick with meaning.
The atmosphere suddenly turns tense, and although I might not know what’s going on right now, getting inside this basement could be the answer to it all.
“This way, Mr. Pierce.”
I follow him to his office in silence. My blood is thumping in my veins and the eagerness to walk back to that basement door and break it is eating me up on the inside.
“This is the contract I was talking about,” Logan says as he hands me the contract. I take it and read through it quickly. It’s a business contract. Nothing special about it. I’ve seen thousands of them in my life.
“Do you think it’s complete? Should I go for the deal? Usually I trust the people I do business with, but this guy seemed a bit fishy,” he explains, and I continue staring at the document in-between my hands.
I could tell him the truth right now and explain to him that he has nothing to worry about. But as Katya stands by the door, hugging herself and shivering, something in me doesn’t want to leave her just yet, so I come up with an excuse to stay longer.
“Do you know if you have the original contract that explains the plan of the project in detail?” I ask and he scratches his head while looking deep in thought.
“Um … yes I think so …” He looks around on his desk. “Maybe it’s upstairs. Just give me one moment. Thanks Mr. Pierce, I appreciate your help.”
He walks out of the room, leaving me alone with her.
“What’s past that basement door?” My voice is low enough so the asshole upstairs cannot hear me, but it’s stern enough to make her flinch.
She bites her bottom lip and hugs herself even more. Goosebumps decorate her bruised body from head to toe. And I can see the tears pooling in her eyes.
I take a couple of steps forward, but I don’t get too close to her.
“I told you I won’t give up until I know what he has on you that’s making you unable to talk, run, or even get help from somebody who’s offering it to you pro-bono.”
She looks down to her feet. Her lips part slightly and a soft sigh escapes them. The truth is, every time I speak to her, a part of me constantly wishes she would miraculously let out a word—anything. I just want to be able to destroy the walls of fear that are boxing her in.
She tucks a lock of hair behind her ear, and I take the chance to study her face. She’s beautiful and I can’t get past how her eyes speak so much of whatever she wants to keep inside of her and refuse to let out.
She wants my help. I know she does. It’s a gut feeling I can’t shake. But she believes that whatever trouble she’s in, there’s no solution to it.
Did she kill someone? Because even that has a solution.
What did she do?
I frown and take another step forward. I caress her cheekbone, careful not to poke the bruise she has on it. She closes her eyes for a moment, and leans her cheek against my whole hand, rubbing her skin against mine like a kitten.
My body comes to attention, and my dick, as always, reacts to her feminine energy by getting hard.
I look down to her chest, and that’s when I realize that she’s not wearing a bra. Her nipples are hard and are poking through the fabric of her shirt. Her breathing is shallow and I’m craving to lick the saliva on her parted lips.
I’m about to devour her when I hear Logan’s footsteps approaching the room. I move away from her quickly so he doesn’t suspect a thing. I don’t do it for him, I do it for her.
Because if it was up to me, I’d grab her hand right before his eyes and walk her out of here without looking back.
“Here it is,” he says, handing me the file.
I open it and go through it quickly. I don’t read it because I don’t care and there’s nothing really in it that’s relevant.
“Everything’s good,” I say firmly, and hand him back the contract. “Have a good night.”
I head out of their house without looking back, not even at her. Because one more second around them and I might officially lose my shit.
And that’s the last thing I need.
Connor
“Eat. What’s wrong with you?” Maria nudges my forearm, snapping me out of my daze.
I pick up my fork and stab a piece of broccoli on my plate.
“His head is all over the place lately,” Brian says mockingly.
“Who’s the lucky girl?” Maria a
sks, wide-eyed.
“Nobody,” I answer her with a huff.
She rolls her eyes and rubs her pregnant belly.
“I think you’re in love, Connor,” she says, wiggling her eyebrows and winking at me.
I shake my head and manage to half smile. Maria isn’t responsible for my hardship, and neither is Brian. The only person responsible for my missing sleep is Katya.
“Seriously man, what’s on your mind?” Brian says seriously as he places his fork on the table and crosses his arms over his chest.
“Is this why you guys invited me for dinner? So you can interview me?”
Both Maria and Brian chuckle.
“Seriously, tell us,” Brian says as he reaches for his drink to take a sip before placing it back on the table.
“There’s a basement in his house.”
“Logan Clark’s house?” Brian frowns.
“Yes.”
He rolls his eyes.
“So? Everybody has a basement in their house.”
“A red door, with three locks on it and a code on the side. Does that sound normal to you? Because it doesn’t to me. You should have seen Katya’s face when I asked him about it. She looked scared, terrified. She could barely look at me in the eye without shaking.”
Brian’s eyebrows furrow and he narrows his eyes at me.
“What do you mean? What are you thinking?”
I sigh deeply and lean back in my chair.
“I think there’s something down there. And it’s the reason why she can’t get the fuck away from him.”
“So what do you think you’re planning on doing? You can’t just barge into people’s homes and try to get into their business just because you’re into this girl, man. I told you initially getting into this mess is not a good idea. What if there’s nothing in that basement? What if you’re just delusional and you actually end up not finding anything that will prove why the girl is forced to stay with him? What happens then, Connor?”
I remain silent, listening to the roaring of blood in my ears as I shoot daggers at Brian. He’s getting on my nerves, and I’m not in the mood for any of his stupid lectures at the moment.
“Have you ever really thought that she might actually and truthfully simply love him? It doesn’t have to be this complicated, Connor. I’m sorry. I’m just trying to look out for you.”
I’m about to rise from my seat when Maria’s words halt me.
“Wait. Is this the girl who lives across from you?”
I nod.
“Okay. Brian told me a bit about her situation. And I can tell you that as a woman, there has to be a reason why she’s staying with him considering everything he does to her. No woman loves to be controlled, beaten, and treated like a puppet.”
Finally someone with a brain. I look at Maria and nod.
“I believe he might be threatening her, or has something on her and that’s why she can’t escape him. Or”—she pauses and inhales sharply before continuing—“maybe he has one of her family members as a hostage.”
“The only family member she has is her mom. I looked into it, it turned out her mom is still alive and healthy in her home in Michigan,” I explain.
Maria frowns, and Brian shakes his head.
“Both of you guys are delusional,” Brian says, lifting his glass off the table and chugging the rest of the liquid all in one gulp.
“Have you looked into Logan’s past?” she asks, and I shake my head. I haven’t looked into his past, because it didn’t occur to me that he would have any information that might help me. But the idea is not bad. So I look over at Brian’s, who’s already shaking his head.
“Not happening. I got you everything about her, remember? You promised me it was the last thing you’d ask of me. I told you this before and I’ll repeat it again—I ain’t risking my job for you.”
His words are exactly what I expected to hear from him. He already refuses to believe Katya doesn’t want to be with Logan. Why would he help me further?
“Give me his full name and his address. I got you.” Maria’s words cause both Brian and me to fall silent.
“Are you sure?” I ask, the same time Brian says, “No fucking way.”
Maria gives her husband a look.
“Don’t forget that I was a private investigator just a couple of months ago before I decided to stay home and get ready for my delivery. I’m still an investigator, just like you are a detective.”
I hide the smirk on my face as her husband gapes at her. Maria has always been a smart one. The day she decided to leave the force and start her new business as a private investigator I was the one who encouraged her, while Brian was completely against the idea.
“Thank you so much, Maria. I appreciate it,” I tell her, and reach for the small notebook in my jacket pocket. I write his full name and address and hand her the piece of paper after ripping it from the notebook.
Brian remains silent for the rest of the dinner, while thoughts about what Logan and Katya must be doing in the moment cloud my vision. Maria goes on talking about her pregnancy and all the cravings she has while Brian listens to her looking all annoyed and still unimpressed that she decided to get me information on Logan Clark.
I fully understand him. And my intention was never to get both him and his wife tangled in this mess. But I’m desperate to release Katya. I need to give her the freedom she deserves. Even if it’s the last thing I do.
* * *
Katya
The worst thing in life isn’t the hell that we experience. I think what’s worse is accepting our realities. Because that really is the main reason why we suffer and get anxious and struggle to move on with our lives. See with me, I accepted my miserable reality. I understood that being Logan’s puppet is my fate and there’s nothing I can do to change it. I made the choice to stay and endure all the pain so she remains alive.
Everything in life is a choice, and when you learn to accept it and move on, then nothing else matters.
The door swings open, and Logan storms inside the room looking upset, angry, and unhappy as always. I close the book I’m reading and place it on the nightstand. I clutch my robe by the hem and watch him pace the room like a crazy man.
“I’m going to kill someone,” he bites out, running his fingers through his hair and huffing loudly.
What’s going on again? What upset you so much that I’m gonna have to pay for?
I start mentally and physically preparing myself for his torment.
When his fiery eyes land on me, I swallow the lump in my throat and stare at him.
“Do you know what I just realized? I haven’t brought you to that basement in so fucking long.”
He takes a few steps toward me, and I begin struggling to breathe.
Anywhere but the basement.
Anything but the darkness of it.
He sneers, gripping my hair and pulling me toward him. He smells of whiskey and God only knows what else he has chugged before coming upstairs to our bedroom.
“Maybe we should have our wedding down there. What do you think?”
I think you’re sick and crazy and a demon who needs to be snuffed out as soon as possible.
I stare at him in silence, unable to think. Unable to breathe. Unable to tell him that I hate him with every single breath I take.
“I’m so fucking done with your silence. I want and need your voice back.” He jerks my head back, the sudden movement making my muscles hurt, and pain instantly radiates through my skull.
Silence prevails as we both stare into each other’s souls. How can he believe that I love him and want him? Can’t he feel my disgust? Doesn’t he know that I’d rather rot in hell than spend a second by his side?
No, because he’s stupid and dumb and a waste of fucking space. He’s not Connor. It’s only Connor and I who are telepathically connected.
“I’m gonna go watch TV in the basement, and you’re coming with me.”
It’s getting harder to breathe or
think as the seconds go by. With his words haunting me, I can’t manage to move my body anymore as it turns numb.
I shake my head as unwanted tears stream down my heated cheeks. Evil laughter suddenly erupts from his throat, causing me to cover my eyes with my palms and cry silently when on the inside, I’m roaring like a beast in extreme pain.
“Scared? You really don’t like the dark, do you?”
The dark is where I belong. But you will never understand that.
He grips my wrist and jerks me forward. I follow him as he drags me down the stairs and unlocks the basement door and on the wall, types in the code. If I had that code, everything would be resolved, and I would be out of his life forever.
One code, six digits, and I’m gone like the wind, forever.
The door to the basement opens with a beep, and the smell from downstairs makes me fade away toward the blackness where he can never find me.
Katya
You can’t run, my love.
For I’ll always find you.
You think you know me but you don’t.
Your tears are my salvation.
Your pain is mine…
The voice sings over and over again, and the sound reverberates off the walls of the basement as I lie on the sofa and stare at the wall. My body quivers and my mind is everywhere.
I close my eyes. The flow of my tears is relentless, and the need to fly away like a bird is strong. Far away from here. Far away from her.
The music keeps playing in my head—loud, clear, and powerful—and my lips start moving as they silently sing the lyrics of the song.
I longed to run away, but I can’t leave you.
I tried to escape but I need you.
I suddenly remember the day I had to say goodbye to my mother, and my heart lurches in my chest.
“Mama, I have something to tell you,” I say, hoping she doesn’t get a heart attack with whatever news I’m about to tell her.
Mama’s eyes look past me and she forces a smile at Logan.
“What is it?” she asks in a breathy voice that’s almost soundless.
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