Runner
Page 16
“Devrin is out of the country. I’m in charge now,” he says, clearly pleased with himself. The breath I was exhaling freezes in my throat, and my hands start shaking in earnest.
“You are lying,” I say, hoping I’m right.
“If I was, do you think Devrin would still be in his office, knowing that YOU are here?” He is right, Devrin would’ve been here for something so important. No one I know of has ever run away from this place, I’m sort of a legend now. A stupid legend, because I came right back here. But I knew two years ago when I fell down that river bank that I would be back here again. Even when I stowed away on that boat and wound up in Bailey, I knew I’d have to find a way to get back to S.A. I had no money, no documents, and nowhere to go. For a long time, it was just me and my bartending job. But the tips were good. I could afford to eat. I could afford to sleep.
What I couldn’t afford was a way back to South Africa. What I couldn’t afford was risking Devrin finding me before I had all the money I needed. And that’s where Reno came in. Helping a runaway model to sort out her shit. Nobody can resist a poor Russian girl with no one to care for her. Every man wants to feel like a big protector. I didn’t need a hero. I needed money. I needed someone with connections. I still had to wait a long time for the passport I had made in my sister’s name. But at least she would be able to travel if she wanted to, and that same passport got me safely back here. Reno had some crazy good connections.
“When is he coming back?” I’ve been quiet too long. I’m trying to sound confident, but my bravery is failing me fast. I’m fighting to keep my shoulders straight. Demitri scares the crap out of me.
“Soon,” Demitri turns to the stairwell and Christina is standing there looking beautiful as ever in a white sundress. My eyes do a quick inventory check—eyes, ears, fingers, all still there from what I can see. It’s difficult to tell from all the way over here. No scars, bruises, that’s good. They’ve been looking after her. She takes a step forward, her eyes wide. I feel a sharp pinch in my neck. Shit! Son of a bitch! Not again. And then everything goes black.
When I wake up later, my throat is dry. I swallow thickly around the cloth gag in my mouth. I know it’s a gag because I’ve been through this shit a couple of times already. I open my eyes slowly, afraid of what I’ll see. Once I take in my surroundings, I wish I was still drugged and passed out. I’m in Demitri’s room. I know it like the back of my hand. I know this ceiling with the crystal chandelier like I know my own name. I’ve had to look at it from this angle too many times before.
I pull on the restraints holding my arms and lift my head as much as I can while being tied spread-eagle on the bed. Son of a half-bagged bitch, I’m naked. I’m going to kill that bastard once I get free from these damn shackles!
A sharp cutting sensation starts at the bottom of my foot. I try to pull it away, but my foot only moves a couple of inches before the restraints cut into my ankle. I won’t look up at him. I’ve played this sadistic game too many times with him to give him that kind of satisfaction. The stinging is replaced by warmth, and it slowly increases to a shearing burn. I bite down onto the cloth gag to stop myself from screaming. I won’t let him win.
Devrin will come home soon and stop this madness. I just need to hang on until he arrives. The burning finally stops. The faint scent of burning flesh hangs in the air. Then he starts on my other foot, first with his knife. Thin, shallow lines up and down, from heel to toe. He doesn’t cut deep, just deep enough to sting.
Next, the lighter, until tears form behind my tightly closed eyelids. I won’t be able to walk for a while. And running away is out of the question. Sick, sick bastard! Maybe he was abused as a child, maybe that’s what that scar on his head is all about. I tried asking him about it once, but he just shut down on me. I saw him fold the thought into a little box and tuck it far, far away. Or maybe he is just a monster. I don’t think Devrin turned Demitri into this sick, twisted man at my feet.
Something wet and warm slides up my leg. His tongue. I would rather he go back to burning me, hurting me. I don’t want this. I flinch when he places a soft kiss on the inside of my thigh. “No, Demitri,” I beg, but the gag muffles it, and all that comes out is a horrible moan. I shake my head from side to side as he inches higher. I start to sob.
“No need to cry, siren,” Demitri coos as he kisses his way higher still. Demitri calls me siren because he claims I came into his world pretending to be something else, only to lure him to his demise. I didn’t do anything on purpose, and now I have to pay for it. He changed himself the day he saw me with Devrin. It wasn’t my fault! Why couldn’t he just listen to me? Devrin was the enemy, not me!
Demitri’s breath skates over my naked body, dangerously close to the place I never want him again. I almost choke on the sobs trapped in my throat.
Demitri’s phone rings, and he curses loudly before he answers. “What?” he barks, and my heart hammers in my chest. Please leave, just for a minute. Please leave so I can get my head on straight. “I’ll be right there,” he says. And I sag into the bed with relief.
“I’ll see you later, sweet siren.” He grabs hold of my breast and squeezes hard. He wants me to look at him. I won’t. I take the pain, breathing through it with short shallow breaths. It’s better than having his mouth on me. Or staring into those dead blue eyes, which once promised me the world, only to destroy mine with his next blink.
I don’t open my eyes until I hear the room door close behind him. The heavy lock clicks in place. As if I could even get out of these shackles.
This is why I transferred all the money into my bank account in my real name.
Not because I’m stupid or because I didn’t know what I was doing. I knew exactly what was going to happen when Runner traced his money. I did it in case I needed Runner to find me. In case this happened and I couldn’t get out. I did it should I fail. Well, I failed.
Now all I can do is hope that he lives up to his reputation and does just that.
FIND ME.
Dear Reader:
Cliffhangers: you love them, you hate them. You love to hate them. You’ve just read through another one, and you’ve survived!
I know all of you are waiting for Mia’s story, and hers is up next. I can’t promise I won’t lay another cliffie on you, but I can promise I’ll make it worth it.
Thank you for reading and sticking through my horrible endings. I’ll see you at the end of Cinder to Ash!
COMING SOON
CINDER TO ASH (#2 Tainted Hearts)
cin•der/'sinder/
Noun
1. A small piece of partly burned coal or wood.
2. A substance that has stopped giving off flames but still has combustible matter in it.
ash/aSH/
Noun
1. Ruins or remains, as after destruction or burning
2. Fine particles of lava thrown out by an erupting volcano
If broken was a being…a living, breathing semblance of the word…I would be it.
Seven days brought me to the pinnacle of happiness, made me believe that I was finally worthy of love.
Seven days ruined me, stole my reason for existing, and left a chasm of endless despair.
From something with potential to blossom, to grow—I was crushed, destroyed, I was burned.
Seven days reduced me from Cinder to Ash…
But when a volcano spits you out, you have no choice but to leave your mark.
I will burn, I will smolder, I will never die out…he made sure of that.
Cinder to Ash continues Mia’s story after those first seven days in Guard My Heart.
Written in dual point of view, both providing different aspects of the next 7 days.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND THANK-YOU’S
In Guard My Heart, I had a page and a half of thank-you’s, With Runner, I have a whole book of people that I’m grateful for. So please forgive me if I forget anybody. Know that I appreciated every single one of you even if your name
is not on this page. So to keep myself out of the dog box, I’m narrowing it down to half a page:
Hubby – I love you and your nerves of steel.
Lindsay – My editor angel. Thank you. I know this time I pushed it!
Kari – I love my cover. You are amazing!
The Down to Earth Authors – Megan, Katija, Kristine, Laramie. Do I even have enough words to express how much I value each of your friendships. I’d be so lost without you.
Cover to Cover Authors – Thank you, ladies, for always sharing. Great authors with great experience. I’ve learned so much.
Author KB Mallion – a new friend. Thank you.
SDJ – Beta and teaser-whipper-upper. Thank you for hours and hours and, did I mention, hours of changing teasers and paragraphs for me. You are a great friend and not just because you are a wiz on the PC. You can polish a bottle of wine when it’s needed really well too!
Blogs – There are so many great ones out there, always ready to help. Please know that if you’ve helped me, it’s not been missed or taken for granted. Thank you. You are what make indie authors successful.
To everyone else – come shout at me, so I don’t forget you in the next book!
Want to find out more about the author?
Here’s where to find AJ:
Email
ajsummersa@gmail.com
Twitter
@AJsummer_1
Goodreads
goodreads.com/book/show/18622822-guard-my-heart
Facebook
facebook.com/pages/Author-AJSummer/468970473179696
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