Snapping my eyes open, I look directly back at him. The connection between us ignites more than ever before. I can feel the love radiating off of him. It’s such a sensual feeling to connect on this level. To feel something so strong, I’ve never known this feeling. It’s not long before it takes us over the edge together. Both of us calling out the other’s name and me clawing his back as he pumps into me one final time.
“I love you Eleanor Ross.” Landon whispers into my hair.
It’s the first time he’s called me by my real name, it feels real and it stirs something inside of me. It’s as if he is breathing life back into me.
“I love you too.”
And I do. I love Landon Miller.
Chapter 16
Our intimate reunion couldn’t have been more perfect given the events leading up to it. It’s been a week since our hot as sin makeup session. I have fallen into a new routine with living at Jessy’s. Work is good, Sam is no longer walking on eggshells around me. It’s been nice to feel normal again. Of course, just when I think everything might be okay I get a text from my sister, Sarah. Upon opening and reading her text, it’s as if I’ve been hit with a curveball and once again, the wind has been knocked out of me.
Eleanor you need to call me ASAP. It’s about Chet.
Crap. My comfortable bubble has burst and my reality is being shoved in my face for me to deal with. I decide to send a quick text back before alerting Landon and Jessy of Sarah’s text.
I’ll call you as soon as I’m free.
It’s not exactly a lie. Jessy should be home any minute and I know she’ll want to chat my ear off about her day.
As if she can read my mind, I hear the door unlock and in walks Jessy.
“Hey girl.” I call out as I make my way to the kitchen to grab a drink.
“You won’t believe my day! I met a woman and she wants me to design her wedding jewelry and the jewelry for her bridal party!” Jessy exclaims.
She’s beyond thrilled. I can see it all over her face.
“No way! That’s fantastic!”
“I know right! Like this is incredible. Someone loves my work.”
“You have a creative mind and I’m so happy for you.” I tell her honestly. Her jewelry business has done pretty decent, but this could be a big break for her. I decide to hold off on telling her about Sarah’s text. I don’t want to impose on her moment.
Grabbing some juice, we talk about the remainder of her day and decide we will do our own thing for dinner. I’m totally okay with that because I really do need to call Sarah back without her eavesdropping. Jessy is planning a quick shower and then off to meet Erik for dinner. Landon is still working so that leaves me plenty of alone time to talk to Sarah.
I go into my room shortly after chatting with Jessy. I’m on edge while waiting to call Sarah, like a gray cloud is stuck over me darkening my thoughts. As soon as I hear the shower turn on in the bathroom, I pick up the phone to call Sarah. After a few rings she answers.
“Hey, Eleanor... I’m so glad… you… called.”
Something is definitely off. Sarah doesn’t sound herself and immediately it puts me on high alert.
“Sarah is everything okay?”
“No, I mean… yes. Ouch! Chet… please!” Sarah wails through the other line.
Shit! She said Chet’s name. That means he’s there with her. I begin pacing the room.
“Sarah! What’s going on?” I demand. I need to know she’s okay, even though she sounded anything but.
“Hello to you too Eleanor.” Chet’s voice comes through the line. It oozes hate. The way he said my name sends chills and not the good kind down my spine.
“What do you want Chet?” I ask calmly. I need to stay calm. Stay calm for Sarah.
“It seems you don’t know how to listen when you are told to keep your mouth shut. I’m being investigated. Do you know how that makes me look Eleanor?”
There he goes saying my name like it’s the worst thing on Earth. Before I can think to answer him, he starts speaking again.
“Your big mouth is causing me trouble and I need to make that trouble go away. Shall I use Sarah to make it go away?” He laughs and I swear I can hear Sarah try to say something, but can’t make out what it was.
“What no! Leave Sarah alone! She has no part in this! It’s between you and me, Chet.”
I take a deep breath to calm the mixture of fear and anger that is beginning to roll through me. I also need to lower my voice before Jessy can hear me over the water.
“What do you want Chet?” I quietly ask.
“You, if you want dear sister to live that is.” Now I’m certain that I can hear Sarah weeping in the background. The panic I feel for my sister is something I can’t even begin to explain. I have to do something and quick.
“Fine. You can have me. Leave Sarah alone and don’t touch her.” I fucking hate this man with everything. I really do.
“Chet Please!” My sister’s voice raises and it both pisses me off and makes me scared for her. Please Sarah, just keep your mouth shut until I can get there.
“Sarah I’ll deal with you in a minute, just shut up.” His voice threatens her before speaking back to me, “That a girl Eleanor. Now you must follow my rules or else Sarah pays the price.” He pauses again, “First things first. You tell no one. You get in your car and you come back home. Alone. Do you understand that? Not even your boyfriend is to know.”
How the hell does he know about Landon?
“Did you hear me?”
“Yes, I’ll come alone.”
“Don’t toy with me Eleanor. You will tell no one.”
I really can’t stand the way the words roll off his tongue. It almost sets me off, but I bite my tongue to control my anger for Sarah’s sake. There’s no telling what he’s capable of.
“All right Chet, I fucking heard you.” My voice raises. I can’t help it, this bastard is pissing me off.
“Once you get here, I’ll let Sarah go free. Then you and I will take a drive. Do you think you can handle getting here in a timely manner? I don’t like to be kept waiting. I’m a busy man.”
Chet’s cocky voice grates on the other end of the line, just hearing it makes me sick. It also makes me want to choke him. I want to tell him to suck a dick while waiting, but I know that won’t help me or Sarah. I swallow my pride instead. “I won’t keep you waiting.”
“Good girl.” He replies and the line goes dead.
I’m shaken and furious, yet scared to death. I’m more worried about Sarah. I need to focus on her first. He better not harm her. Getting her to safety is my number one priority and nothing else matters, not even my life. I’d give it all up for her.
I sit on the edge of my bed and rock back and forth to try and settle my nerves and come up with a game plan. I hear the shower shut off, that means Jessy will be leaving soon.
I act like I’m reading as Jessy peaks her head in, “I’m heading out, I’ll see ya later.”
“Have fun. Be good.” I reply back.
She shuts my door and it isn’t until I hear the front door shut and lock, that I toss the book and start packing a small bag. Home is a few hours away and I want to make sure I have a bag of essentials just in case. I also search my room for anything that could be used as a weapon, if it comes down to it. Fight or flight instinct has kicked in and my mind is racing in all directions. I’m sweaty and still slightly trembling. Get it together. I glance at my phone and see no text from Landon yet. He told me he might be late, so I decide to send a quick text to tell him that I’m tired and going to bed early. In hopes that it will throw him off, he won’t suspect that I’m taking off. He would never allow it and he’s going to be so pissed. Under other circumstances, I would never go, except Sarah. I hate that we just opened up to each other, yet here I am withholding another secret. Shaking my thoughts, I grab my stuff and look over to see what I have gathered. It’s not much, a few pens, a small pocket knife that I found in the junk drawer.
It’ll have to do if it comes down to it.
I take one last look at Jessy’s place before walking out and locking the door. Walking down to my car a few stray tears fall. I hate Chet so much. I just hope he hasn’t hurt Sarah. I can take the tears, but not if she’s hurt. She doesn’t deserve any of this and I intend to make it right. Unlocking my car, I toss my bag in the passenger seat before walking around to the driver side. Once in, I put the car in drive and pull out. I look back in my rearview mirror one last time at what I’m leaving behind. There’s no turning back now.
Chapter 17
It takes me almost 4 hours to make it back into my hometown. The place I ran from and never looked back at. It’s as if nothing has changed yet, everything has changed. My life as I know it, will never be the same. I’ve had enough time to settle my nerves and accept my fate, whatever it should be.
I’m about 5 minutes from home. Or should I say Sarah’s home? It hasn’t been mine for a while now. I decide to pull into a gas station to get a coffee. I have a feeling I might need it. Plus I’m hoping the heat of it will wake me up some so that I am fully alert.
After grabbing my coffee I head back to my car, upon approaching it, I hear my phone go off. I get in and take a sip of my drink before reaching for the phone. I dread looking at it so I decide to stall for a minute before finally picking it up. I already know it’s either Landon or Chet. My notification tells me it’s Landon and my heart sinks a little as I open the text.
Are you all right?
Shit. Did he come by Jessy’s and find me gone? Ugh! I can’t focus on him right now. I don’t bother to text him back. I have other things to deal with first. I toss the phone over to the passenger seat and head out towards my sister’s.
Within minutes I’m sitting parked outside Sarah’s house. Chet’s car is in the driveway. The same one I stole. It’s parked next to Sarah’s. Looking at the front of the house, there is one light on in the front. It’s the living room. If I was a stranger walking by I would think nothing is out of place here and keep going about my business. However, the outside of her home is nothing more than an illusion. Everything is wrong or at least it will be the minute I get out and knock on the door. Right now I’m just taking a minute to put myself together. I need to be strong. Taking another sip of my very hot coffee, I let it flow down my throat. It burns and I welcome it. I reach into my bag and grab the pocket knife shoving it in my bra. Just in case. Taking one more sip of coffee, I grab the bag throwing it over my shoulder and get out of my car.
“It’s showtime.” I say out loud plastering on a fake smile as I walk up to the door.
With a shaky hand, I knock twice and wait. Stay calm, I keep repeating over and over. The calm part flies out the window when Chet opens the door with a grin only the devil himself would wear. He’s dressed in solid black dress pants and a white pinstripe dress shirt. Smug looking asshole.
“Eleanor, we’ve been waiting.” He waves his hand for me to come in and I do. My eyes searching for Sarah. I need to see her. I need to know she’s okay. Chet’s chuckle brings me back to focusing on him.
“What’s so funny?” I ask. I’m trying my hardest to not act afraid of him. It’s better if I’m angry. I can’t let him see my fear, not yet anyway.
“Nothing really. It’s just you.”
What the fuck does that even mean? I quirk an eyebrow at him.
“Sarah is fine Eleanor. She’s in her room. Shall we?”
Chet gestures for me to go first. I don’t want to but I go ahead anyway. When we get to Sarah’s door, it’s cracked. I hear her crying and immediately rush in.
“Sarah!” I scream out. Just the sight of her almost has me in tears. She’s tied to her bed and she has a red mark across her face. Surely he has hit her. Mascara has run down her cheeks several times over. She reminds me of one of those sad clowns. I rush over to her and check her over.
“Are you hurt Sarah?” I ask wiping tears and makeup away.
“I’m okay. I just don’t understand.”
My poor sister still has no idea what’s going on. I turn to Chet who’s standing in the doorway with a sadistic smile on his face. It’s right then that my anger comes back full force.
“What the fuck is wrong with you Chet?” My words are laced with venom and I hope he sees me as a snake rather than a weak rabbit.
“Now Eleanor, no need for such language. Don’t want to upset your sister now do we?”
“Look Chet, I don’t know what game it is you are playing, I’m here and you need to let Sarah go. She has nothing to do with this.”
“Do with what?” Sarah asks.
She’s confused and I hate myself that I put her in this position. I hate Chet more though. If shit is about to go down, I’m going to make him tell her himself.
“Chet why don’t you tell Sarah just why it is that you have her tied up like a prisoner?”
I squeeze Sarah’s leg to reassure her.
“I haven’t told Sarah yet because if I’m going to let her go, she needs to know nothing.”
The cold stare that Chet gives me is everything I need to know. He plans to leave Sarah in the dark. If she doesn’t know anything, she can’t go to the police. That fucker.
“Fine. But you untie her right now and you and I will leave.”
“Eleanor, I love that you follow my lead so well… like a dog.” Chet smiles at me before walking towards us. I back away so that he can untie my sister.
He points at me as if to scold me like a child. “Don’t move. You stay right where I can see you.”
I say nothing. I just glare at him with my hands on my hips and try to think of a way out of this mess. He pulls out a knife and I gasp at first, only to realize it is to free Sarah’s hands from the ropes. Once she’s released he grabs her throat and she screams out.
I rush up to him without even thinking, “Stop Chet!” I yell, but am suddenly backhanded and stumble backwards. Fuck! I grab my face.
“Now you both listen up. Eleanor and I are going to be leaving. Sarah you are to stay put. Don’t try to follow us and don’t call the cops. Do you understand me? Calling them would be very stupid on your part. Oh and I’ll have someone watching you to make sure you do as you’re told.”
Chet squeezes her throat a little tighter. The veins in his hands bulge as he does. All she can do is nod and cry. He releases her and she gasps, instantly grabbing her throat and rubbing it. My heart is breaking. Seeing the red marks on her face and wrists is crushing me. This is all my fault. I should have kept my mouth shut. Chet walks up to me grabbing me by the upper arm. It shouldn’t shock me, nevertheless it does and I jerk back.
“Lets go Eleanor. We have a guest to meet. I think he will enjoy you so much.”
He chuckles pulling me towards the door. I give a little resistance stealing a few more moments with Sarah. I look to her and the hurt that I thought would be written on her face is nothing compared to the silent anger I see. She mouths Landon and immediately I know she’ll reach out to him. I just hope it won’t be too late.
Being pulled against my will through my old home is something I never thought would happen, not in a million years. But here we are. Chet only has one wrist in his grasp. I’d like to pull out my pocket knife, but I’m afraid he’ll notice and I can’t have that. I need it. It’s the only thing I have going for me and I need to save it for the right moment. We stop at the front door and Chet turns to me, not letting go.
“Where are your car keys?”
“In my pocket…”
He goes to reach for me and I pull back.
“I’ll get them. I don’t want you touching me.” I spit the words out. I don’t care. Chet chuckles in response, giving me a sinister smile.
“Fine. But let’s get to it. I don’t want to keep our friend waiting.”
I glare at him and reach for my back pocket. A thought hits me. Stab him with the key to at least break free, just like last time. Gripping the key tightly I pull it out and quickly st
ab him in the arm that’s holding mine. As shock and maybe what I hope to be pain, register on his face he lets me go and I run for the kitchen.
“You bitch!” Chet yells. I don’t look back. I’m hoping Sarah hasn’t rearranged the kitchen to much. I need a weapon, a knife, anything will do at this point.
I find a large steak knife. It’ll have to do. I turn around to Chet. He is furious, beat red in the face, as if the devil himself were standing in front of me. The way the anger is rolling off of him is a scary site.
“You stupid bitch.” Chet spits out me.
I stand there saying nothing at all. I wait for him to continue.
“If only you had kept your pretty little mouth shut Eleanor. You wouldn’t be in this position. Why did you have to stick your nose where it didn’t belong?”
I squint at him, is he serious? Yes, yes he is. Suddenly I see a small glimpse of Sarah. She must have heard the commotion. I’ve got to keep Chet distracted if I want to escape this. Looking him in the eyes I say,
“Chet how was it fucking that receptionist on your desk? Was she good?”
The question throws him off. He tilts his head at me. I hope Sarah can hear all of this.
“It was fucking fantastic Eleanor. Just like all the other times I’ve screwed her. You just happened to walk in at the wrong time and ruin everything.”
“How did I ruin everything? I wasn’t the one cheating on Sarah.”
This statement irks him. I can see the vein in his neck is starting to bulge out. I need to keep him focused on me so I continue to egg him on.
“Did me walking in ruin things for you and your little skank?”
“As a matter of fact you did.” He says as he walks up closer to me.
He’s definitely not afraid of the knife that’s still firmly gripped in my hand. He’s standing close enough that I can feel his hot breath when he breathes.
“I fucked that woman for almost a year. She was better than Sarah. I have needs and Sarah didn’t meet them. When a man has needs they need to be met.” Chet reaches out and picks a piece of my hair twirling it between his fingers before he continues, “Do you get that Eleanor? Sarah didn’t. She was too blind to see. It was better that way. Until you had to come along and ruin everything.”
The Secrets We Keep Page 9