Page 26 of Insatiable

“Tate, answer me please!” Jay shouts again. “We are coming. The Detectives are coming. Just hide, okay.” Jay’s panic feeds my own. He’s already in the suite. Where can I run to or hide? He will find me.

“Hurry.” I whisper to Jay and then hang up the phone.

“Tate. Are you going to make me come and find you or are you going to come out and greet your loving fiancé?”

“Tate, I know you are here,” James calls out in a singsong tone. This has just turned into a horror movie, and I have just gotten off on the couch. This is the part in the movie where the couple who’ve just had sex gets murdered by the killer. Ugh, well, I don’t plan on letting him try to kill me a second time. I look around searching for something to protect myself with but there is nothing here I can use that he won’t see coming a mile away.

“Ok, we stall. We stall until the calvary arrives. I should at least be able to do that.” I say to myself as I make my way slowly down the hall, tucking my cell phone into the back of my waistband. I don’t know what I expect to see when I enter the room. I cover my mouth with my hands to stop myself from screaming. Cace lay slumped over on the floor by the door. Blood flows from the gash on the side of his face. I can’t tell if he’s breathing because my view is blocked by James who stands over him with a gun pointed at him.

“I heard what you were doing in here. I was right outside the door. I guess she’s fucking all three of you! Nothing but a fucking whore. She doesn’t belong to you! She’s mine. I won’t let any of you have her,” James bellows, drawing his leg back as he swiftly kicks Cace in the stomach. Cace doesn’t make a sound or move, and I panic further.

“Stop, James! This has nothing to do with him.” I hold my hands up, pushing down my fear as I walk closer, my eyes dart between him and Cace. “That’s why you’re here, right?” I give him a small smile as he takes me in. I stand still, waiting for his judgement. He always liked to assess my appearance, pointing out things that I need to change. It’s what he always did.

“You’ve lost weight. Good. You needed to.” He states as he takes a step towards me. The gun is down by his side. I try not to do anything that will make him lash out. He looks unhinged, his eyes are wild with bags underneath them, his clothes are rumpled like he’s slept in them. James looks like a mess. Scratching his head with his gun, he laughs humorlessly. “I guess a coma will do that to you. I don’t know about the hair though, Tate. The natural look is not working for you.” He shakes his head no dramatically, and I bite the inside of my cheek so I don’t say anything to upset him.

“Well, it’s growing back. They had to shave it,” I say in response, ignoring everything else he said to try to hurt me.

“Did you enjoy my gift?” He smiles and steps closer. When I don’t respond he rolls his eyes like I’m a complete idiot.

“The house. I thought about burning it to the ground, you know. But I decided to show you mercy. Were you upset?” He asks and I want to ask him if he’s serious. Was this a trick question?

“It can be cleaned. I can fix it,” I say meekly, trying to appear as if I am grateful that he spared my house when all I want to do is scream and rage.

“Tate, when I heard you didn’t die, I have to say I was a bit shocked. I tried to run but then the money ran out.” He shrugs and continues. “I owe a lot of money to some very bad people you see. So, I had a plan. I had a fucking plan!” James shouts the last part making me jump. I step back but he only steps closer.

‘I just need to keep him talking,’ I try to reassure myself.

“You ruined everything that day. You did this!” He points the gun at me, and I want to run but I know it will only make things worse. Instead, I curl in on myself, letting my shoulders fall forward as I hug my middle, needing to appear weak and vulnerable to buy myself some time.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were in trouble? I would have helped you. We could have figured it out together.” The lie slips out so easily I shock myself. I wouldn’t have given him shit. Knowing what I know now, I would have dropped him at the feet of those he owes the money to and walked away. I look over his shoulder quickly and notice Cace moves slightly. I want to sob, I’m so relieved he’s alive. Panic hits me at the same time and I pray he won’t make a sound and draw attention to himself. ‘Keep talking,’ I urge myself. I need to keep his attention of me.

“All would have been forgiven and we could have gone back to the way we were.” I lie again and James frowns because he knows it was a lie too. He keeps the gun trained on me as he closes the distance between us.

“You think this is a joke, Tate? I know you. You wouldn’t have helped me. Once you learned about everything I had done. The cheating, the gambling, the sex clubs . . . I have certain needs that you could never fulfill. So, don’t lie to me!” James yells, slapping me with his other hand, the force from the blow sends me crashing to the floor. I clutch my face as the pain radiates through my head. My ears ring and my vision blurs. I am still recovering I can’t afford to take this kind of abuse. He will kill me if someone doesn’t come soon. He will kill us both.

“Get up! We need to go.” He reaches down and grabs my arm yanking me to my feet.

“Where are you taking me?” I ask, genuinely afraid of what’s about to happen to me if he takes me with him.

“You’re a little damaged. But you are worth something. I’ve made a deal and I just need you to finish the transaction. You see, Tate, I was only with you for what you could do for me, and I guess in a way this is your final act of gratitude for me putting up with you. I found a way to settle my debts, and once it’s done, well, I can disappear. Yes, I will disappear, change my name, and find a place to lay low.” I wonder if he realizes he sounds like an absolute psycho and delusional.

“What are you going to do, James?” I ask as he begins to drag me behind him towards the door.

“I’m going to sell you.” He shrugs as if he didn’t just say he was going to sell me like I was a thing. I pull away from him, snatching my arm out of his grasp, swaying on my feet from my rapid movements.

“I am not yours to sell! What the fuck is wrong with you? You may as well kill me now because I am not leaving this room with you!” I shout back as he points the gun at me again. I swallow around the lump in my throat. I am terrified but I know I can’t let him take me. My thoughts turn to what the guys told me about the clubs he visited that are owned by the mafia, and the sex trafficking ring that they run. I feel physically sick. I would rather die than face a fate worse than death.

“Move, Tate. I can’t kill you. I tried that and failed. You’re a commodity now. I need you or they will kill me.” He gestures for me to move but I don’t move.

“I have money, James. You can have it all. I will give it to you if you just walk away. Please,” I beg him then, anything to get him to reason. He smiles wide, looking maniacal, and I realize he can’t hear me right now. He thinks this is the only way. What an idiot.

“No deal. Move! Now, Tate!” he yells at me as Cace staggers to his feet, blood drips from his face. I keep the surprise off my face as he tackles James to the ground. They both struggle to gain control of the gun. Cace punches James in the face, then tries to pry the gun out of his hand. James punches Cace in the ribs, winding him, pushing Cace off him. It all happens so fast I don’t realize James has the upper hand until he is standing over Cace again with the gun pointed at him.

Acting fast I grab the first thing within reach while his back is turned. I make my movements small, grabbing the silver sculpture. The shape is abstract; it reminds me of a bird, the elongated neck pointing upward, its wings tucked neatly into his body. It is as long as my arm and I grip the base and hold it down by my side. It is either us or him. I’ve already been on the receiving end of his gun. I wasn’t going to let that happen to Cace.

“Now, she can watch you die,” James sneers, spitting on Cace.

I take the sterling silver sculpture in my hand and raise it high, swinging it like a baseball bat with all my might, and hit James in the head. The gun goes off as he tumbles over. I scream in terror thinking that he has managed to shoot Cace. My eyes dart towards him but I don’t see any blood. James groans and tries to get up, but I use the sculpture and hit him again.