by TorreS, Pet
Olinda had informed me that she had put my clothing in the garbage can. But that was a lie. She had covered a fetish that her boss had. He had gone into the bathroom that night, after my bath, and had seized my clothes without my permission.
His hand reached out for a bottle of whiskey. He drank from the bottle not bothering with a glass. Larsson walked to his black armchair and threw himself into it, still holding onto my clothes. In his other hand he was holding his bottle of whiskey.
One more gulp and he had finished the bottle. He frowned. His green eyes shone intensely with hope, anguish and consternation.
My returning to his life may have become the most precious thing in his universe. A bit more than all the wealth, all the fun and all the most beautiful women in his world.
"I feel that you're alive, Emily!" His shaky voice echoed through his office. "And I will find you! Even if I have to go into hell !"
His green eyes stared at nothing in particular. He seemed to live in another dimension or another world – the one where I belonged.
Chapter 6
Six months later ...
Fire flashed on and off, turned blue, yellow and orange. The black lighter with the face of a tiger was pressed between female fingers.
My honey eyes looked at the fire. I turned the lighter on and off several times.
And with the fire I remembered Larsson TIGER's green eyes, hidden by his black mask as he moved around the fire on the day of his birthday.
I removed my gaze from the lighter which was still on, the flame burning. I looked up at the full moon in the sky. Before an open window I was standing, wearing only a white nightshirt.
Actually, I should have already been in bed, enjoying my freedom. But it was not yet possible. I couldn’t quite figure out why.
What is Larsson TIGER doing right now?
Is he in his nightclub? Surrounded by women?
Or is he in his luxurious mansion involved in his obsessive world of tigers?
At this moment, Larsson Tiger was far from me. He was sitting in his black armchair next to his bed. His eyes also appreciated the full moon in the sky through the glass wall in his bedroom.
However, his thoughts were unearthing a series of moments from his past and small souvenirs of me.
Before his green eyes, on his birthday I walked in front of the bonfire in the opposite direction. My honey eyes were adorned by my black, lace mask. It fascinated him every time my shoes came into contact with the grass.
Our eyes met through the flames of the bonfire. It burned us, ignited us and invited us to the pleasures made for two in such a special day where Tiger Larsson was completing thirty-four years.
His hands moved on the arms of his chair when he awakened from his memories. He got up and walked across his room. His hands touched his waist as he stared down at the floor, clinging silently to his memories of me.
Six months was more than enough for him to pay for all his sins, or at least ninety percent of them.
He no longer wanted this hell in which he remained alone, waiting for my return to his underworld. The girl he once met on the roadside and turned her into a luxury prostitute for his pleasure was no longer there.
And today that same high class prostitute haunted him because of her escape and her supposed death at sea.
Although he still believed that I did not die in the ocean, he still was not sure of my survival or where I might be.
Because he never looked into my hazel eyes.
Chapter 7
"I see that this lighter is very special for you!" A male voice came softly from my door.
I looked towards it and saw a young man about twenty-one, dressed in his gray pajamas with navy blue and gray stripes. He was tall and had brown hair and dark brown eyes.
"Excuse me, I went to the kitchen to drink water and saw the door to your room ajar, so I figured you were not asleep yet."
I smile at Fred, walked over to my bed and sat down on it.
"I'm not sleepy," I explained and put the lighter on a small table next to my bed.
"Emily." His voice sounded worried. "What haunts you?"
I looked up at him and saw him move closer to me and sit down on my bed. He was facing me. His hands reached out and took mine carefully with deep respect.
"I know it has been six months since I found you on the beach. You could barely breathe." He shrugged his shoulders and continued talking. "To this very day I know so little about you, about your life."
I pulled my hands from his and gazed at the cream-coloured walls around us and in moments, they seem to choke me.
"My past is sorrowful."
I stared at his face. "I do not like talking about it."
His hands glided over my hair and he kissed the top of my head.
"We are friends and you can trust me."
"I know ..."
He smiled sweetly at me and I smiled back at him, trying to forget about my past as best I could.
"But if you do not want to share your past with me," he inflated his chest. "I understand."
"One day, I'll tell you all about my life, but now I need to get a job."
"What skills do you have?"
I looked at him and shrugged my shoulders. "I studied nursing some time ago."
"Umum." He put his index finger on his lips. "I cannot get a nursing job for you, but I can get you a job as a waitress at my uncle’s snack bar. What do you think?"
"Yes, it's perfect!"
I liked the idea and my eyes sparkled with anxiety and hope about starting a new life with people who respecedt and loved me.
"Okay! I'll talk to my uncle and certainly the vacancy is already yours, my friend."
His fingers reached my back and I felt his comforting arms on my clumsy body.
"Thank you, friend."
"Thank me by going out with me tomorrow night!"
I lifted my head and looked up at his face.
"You need a bit of fun," he said after reading something in my eyes.
"This is a good idea! Don't you think?"
"I do not know ..."
I began to feel a little confused and only a half-smile showed before Fred realized that I went back into my memories to be tormented by them all.
"What happened? I said something wrong?"
"This word - 'fun' - gives me the shivers ."
I turned away from Fred. The game of flashing in Larsson Tiger’s club came into my mind. The memory was vivid.
"Why?"
His confused gaze searched for a persuasive answer from my mouth. His fingers gently touched my face.
"I just want to get you to have some fun. You need to leave this room, need to meet people."
I looked into his dark brown eyes and I nodded my head slowly. He really was a friend - an honest friend.
Chapter 8
My fingers were tightly compressed in Fred’s right hand. Right at that moment we were entering a nightclub in the city.
The lights were turned down under the dark roof of the nightclub. Smoke was rising into the air. People were on the dance floor enjoying themselves, bodies moving and gyrating to the beat of the music.
There was a mixture of sweat, arousal, alcohol and cigarette smoke.
I wrinkled my forehead, looking at the four corners of the club around me. But Fred walked in front, still holding my hand. I allowed myself to be dragged along by him docilely.
In that moment, everything seemed perfect.
"Let's dance!" He said suddenly turning to face me. His smile filled his entire face.
We got to the dance floor and I felt suffocated. There were so many people around us, moving their bodies with ease. Some were raising their drinks and looking excited.
Fred looked at me and he smiled satisfied. He seemed really glad that I decided to accompany him this night.
He relaxed his body and began to move according to the rhythm of the music. However, I remained still.
The song ended and then another
started to play. I recognized that song.
Florence and the Machine Band - Remain Nameless.
My mind connected this music to Larsson TIGER's nightclub, the day I danced on stage, enticing him.
Fred began to dance with more excitement but I still remained frozen. I looked at the people around me and I felt like I was in Larsson Tiger's club - and he was there in that moment.
I looked up at the dark ceiling of the club and saw the lights turning and flashing over my head. I felt dizzy. Then I looked down to a dark area of the club and saw Larsson Tiger walking among the people. He was dressed in his black overcoat and dark pants and he was smoking his cigarette as he came my way.
His gold tiger pendant glowed against the flushed skin of his bare chest.
I desperately ran across the dance floor and moved toward the main exit of the club. Fred ran up behind me and grabbed my arm. He turned me to face him, making me look up at his face.
"What is it? Don't you like here?"
I looked at the dark area of the club. I could see the image of Larsson TIGER, removing his cigarette from his mouth. Then Larsson smiled at me, as if he wanted to say something to me.
"I found you."
I walked breathlessly toward the door of the nightclub. "I want to get out of here!"
***
Outside the club, I felt safer. I was placed in the loving embrace of my friend Fred. We walked down the sidewalk.
Fred kissed the top of my head, saying to me, "Do not be afraid, I am with you."
I looked up and saw his sincere smile. For a moment I felt really safe in his arms. I felt like Larsson Tiger and his bodyguards could never find me and drag me back to his world of ‘fun.’
"I'm sorry, I ruined your night."
"Do not think about it now. I have wonderful nights every weekend."
His voice sounded soft and playful.
We were passing in front of a newsstand. We embraced each other. Fred and I realized that there was a dark car coming slowly behind us.
It seemed as if that vehicle was following us and watching our every move from the moment we stepped out of the club.
Fred embraced me tighter and kissed the top of my head again. I narrowed my eyes looking deep into his.
He was really a kind friend whom I trusted even though we had known each other for such a short time.
In the dark car, somebody still observed us. We were still in each other’s embrace.
Chapter 9
09:00 pm
A snack bar with orange walls, white tables and yellow chairs was in front of me. On the walls there were some pictures of appetizing snacks.
Behind the counter of the snack bar three employees, a male cook and two waitresses, were working. I was one of those waitresses. Dressed in my white skirt, white blouse, white sneakers, a yellow apron and a white cap with the name of the snack bar, I was happily fitting into my new role.
There were several customers sitting at the tables, but all of them had been placed their orders. Seconds later, another customer arrived. He looked around and sat at a table on the left side, right next to the glass door.
He was alone. He was dressed in a black hooded overcoat and he kept his face hidden in his hood as he looked toward the gray counter. He watched the employees for a few moments. We were all very busy with different things.
This customer in black looked in my direction and watched me as I went on with my work.
His gaze moved to the tattoo on my nape. My long hair was fixed in a bun above my head so the tattoo was visible.
"Emily, there is a customer at table 7," the male cook said, looking at me.
"Right away,” I said.
I picked up my order-book and a blue pen.
I walked toward table 7. My eyes were fixed on some notes in my order-book, some customer orders that were to be delivered.
"Good evening! What would you like,sir ?" I asked him as I stopped in front of his table.
"YOU KNOW WHAT I WANT," The client responded with an seductive voice.
I slowly lifted my head and looked carefully at the man in front of me. I saw his black overcoat, unbuttoned in the front and his chest which was partially exposed.
My heart raced when my eyes fell on his gold pendant with the face of a tiger.
I looked at his face. It was still covered by the hood. But I could clearly see the color of his eyes.
They were a particular shade of green.
My heart started to pound inside my chest when he put his hand to his black hood and removed it from his head. At that moment I was absolutely sure I was in the presence of Larsson TIGER.
He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at me for what seemed like eternity. I remained motionless, staring at his face. My lips didn’t move, my mouth remained open. I forgot my role, my small order-book and also my blue pen.
His gaze traveled over my body from top to bottom. He was checking me out in my white uniform.
"Hello Emily!" He bent his head to one side, as he kept looking at my silhouette. His eyes shone. "You look really good in your waitress uniform!"
"What do you want here?" I finally asked him between my teeth. He realized that there was anger in my voice.
"I came here to kill my hunger."
His voice was thick. He looked into my eyes. Then he looked back at my body as if it was one of the varieties of snacks being served there.
"And this place is perfect."
His green eyes sparkled as he took in his surroundings.
"Say what you want! I cannot waste my time talking with a customer!" I looked back at my order-book.
"A LIQUOR OF PINEAPPLE," he said softly as his eyes tried to search mine.
"Sorry sir, but you have chosen the wrong place to get drunk." I looked back over my shoulder to see what my work mates were doing. "Here we do not sell this type of beverage."
I looked down at my order-book and avoided looking at him.
"Oh, well ... I want anything that is edible and anything that is drinkable and not intoxicating," he replied looking at me, as I stood in front of his table.
"Please look at the menu on the table and decide what you want. Then call the blonde waitress and she will get your order."
I looked toward the girl with blond hair and Larsson also looked over at her. Across the counter she looked toward his table and gave him a friendly smile.
"She is beautiful, very attractive!" Larsson said and looked at me again. "But I prefer that you to take care of me."
"All right, then look at the menu and decide what you will eat and drink. I'll inspect the other orders in the kitchen and return in a few moments."
Larsson picked up the black menu and frowned at it.
"Excuse me."
I walked back to the counter and approached the blonde waitress. I said to her, "Please go to table 7 and get the customer’s order."
"Okay, Emily! After all, that client is handsome!" She said looking over at the table where Larsson was seated.
I walked anxiously to the snack bar kitchen and got rid of my yellow apron and my white cap. I opened the back door and walked out. I walked out to the main street and started to run desperately.
Larsson looked down at his wristwatch and realized that I was taking way too long to come back into the dining area of the snack bar.
The blonde waitress approached his table and greeted him with a charming smile.
"Good evening! I have come to take your order."
Larsson cast a cold eye toward the yellow-haired girl. "Where is the other waitress?"
"She has gone to the kitchen to check orders for other clients."
Larsson stood up impatiently.
"What would you like, sir ?"
He looked into her light brown eyes and responded angrily, "I’ve lost my appetite!"
The girl frowned at him. Larsson ignored her and walked to the glass door. He hurriedly left the snack bar. As he walked outside he looked at the two sides of the road.
He could see her, a woman in white clothes running away.
"Fuck! She's getting away!"
He ran to the car park, got into his dark car and his driver took off in my direction.
I looked back and saw the dark opal approaching me. I sighed heavily. There was a growing desperation running through me. I didn’t want to fall into the hands of this man again.
My bun fell apart and released my long, black hair over my back. I didn’t stop. I kept running as fast as I could. I turned into the street on my left. I felt my feet throbbing and my heart beating rapidly.
"Go Emily! You can do it!" I said to myself. I ran without looking back. Larsson's driver followed me while Larsson was sitting with his window open and his arm hanging out. His head was also leaning slightly out of the window too. He was looking at me as I desperately tried to get away.
"Go faster! She cannot escape me!" I heard Larsson ordering his driver, while his gaze was locked on me and my every move.
A minute later, I looked down and closed my eyes. I had ended up in a dead end street. There was no escape from the clutches of Larsson TIGER.
I opened my eyes and saw his car parking behind me. I heard him loudly slamming the door of his car when he got out of it.
He walked towards me. I turned to face him and looked into his face. My tears fell and with them all my hopes of living a normal life, working as a waitress and feeling myself protected by my only friend, Fred.
Larsson looked coldly into my eyes. He placed one hand on his waist and with the other he pulled back the front of his overcoat. On one side I could clearly see the tip of his black pistol. I was terrified.
As I already knew his gestures I knew he wanted me to be obedient to him and not resist the whims of a powerful man.
He looked again over my white clothes, with my loose hair, standing in front of a dirty, gray and gloomy wall. His green eyes sparkled as he looked at my face and his lopsided smile made him even more glorious.