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On Wednesday,Scott drives me to see Jamie after work. I’m so happy to see my friend that I choke back a few tears as I hug her. She looks better now the bruising has started to fade. Her ribs are still hurting like a bitch, and I remember the arnica cream I put in my bag for her.
While we talk, I notice how tired she looks and the dark circles under her eyes. Jamie tells me that’s she not been sleeping well, what with the constant arguments and tension between her mum and dad and the nightmares of the attack, she’s struggling to get more than a few hours. She still has no idea what’s going on with her parents, but she’s remembered some little things about the attack.
“There just silly little things, I’m sure they’re useless,” she tells me.
“You need to let the police know. Even if it’s small, it could be important.” I remind her of what Ryder and the police told her.
“Yeah, I will. It’s funny, I remember this smell, like sweets, maybe bananas or something, but I can’t quite figure out what it is. Oh, well, I’m sure it will come back if it’s important. So, tell me what’s been going on with you?”
I give her the cliff notes version of the accident and skirt around the subject of me and Ryder. When I mention Seb, she perks up, and then she peppers me with questions about him, most of which I can’t answer. I tell her that when I see Seb on Friday I’ll try and sneak a picture of him and send it to her. She thanks me in advance for the spank bank material.
When I say goodbye, I tell her to call me if she remembers anything else and to take care.
When I arrive back at the apartment Ryder isn’t there, so after a quick bite to eat and a shower I crawl into bed. I try not to think about where Ryder is, or who he’s with as I fall asleep.
I don’t see Ryder at all on Thursday either. He’s gone when I wake up, if he even came home, and he’s out when I get back from work. Resigning myself to the fact that whatever we had is obviously over, I order a takeout, watch movies and drown my sorrows in a tub of cookie dough ice cream before finally dragging my sorry arse to bed around midnight.
Friday morning is like ground hog day, no Ryder again. But he’s been home because there is a note on the pillow beside me reminding me of our dinner date with Seb tonight. Apparently, he’s going to meet me there. Well that’s just fucking grand. Maybe I won’t bother turning up at all. Screw him!
There’s no sign of Scott when I exit the lift downstairs, instead I’m stuck with an alternate version of Russ. In fact, I could be forgiven for thinking that Scott and Russ have switched personae. Somebody definitely got out of bed the wrong side this morning.
After a quiet and slightly awkward drive, in what I discover to be Russ’ car, I jump out like my arse is on fire as Russ shouts to me that he’ll pick me up at five. The plan is for me to go home first to change, and then Russ will drive me to the restaurant to meet Seb and Ryder.
My day goes from shit to shittier. First my computer malfunctions, a virus apparently, then around lunch I get a migraine that has me wincing every time I move. The light from the computer screen sends a blinding pain through my skull, and my lunch makes an unscheduled return. After taking some tablets and surreptitiously dozing at my desk for an hour the pain starts to ease.
By the time five rolls around I’m ready to collapse in my bed and fall into a deep sleep that even Sleeping Beauty would be jealous of.
There’s still no sign of Scott, and when I ask Russ where he is, he just tells me that he’s on another job. Sensing that’s all I’m going to get, I fall into the back seat and shut my eyes for the twenty-minute drive back to Ryder’s.
I run a bath, I don’t really have time for, but I’ve decided I don’t give a shit. After a nice relaxing soak in the tub, I search the small wardrobe space that Ryder cleared for me looking for something to wear. I don’t have much, most of my clothes are back at Jamie’s house, but I do have a simple, but classy, black dress. It’s the staple of every woman’s wardrobe. I drag it out, pulling it over my head and smoothing it down as it hugs my body. It sits just above the knee with a sweetheart neckline that shows just the right amount of cleavage.
I half blow dry my hair, letting it fall in soft waves down my back before applying my makeup. Once I’m ready, I grab a pair of cream heels and a small clutch bag big enough to carry my phone.
Outside there’s a chill in the air, sending a shiver through my body that has me wishing I had grabbed my small jacket. Russ opens the door for me and it’s nice to see his mood hasn’t improved since this morning.
I’m sat behind the passenger seat, and I can see the grim look on Russ’ face as he climbs in the car, turning the engine on. He reaches behind him for the seatbelt, and once he’s settled, we pull away into the early evening traffic.
As we drive, uneasiness creeps over me. This whole day has been a shit show from the start, and now that has transformed into anxiety. I feel my face heat, and my heart rate kicks up a notch. Resting my head back on the seat, I start to take some slow, deep breaths in and out. I catch Russ’ eye in the rear-view mirror, and he asks if I’m okay. Before I can answer him, he leans across the passenger seat opening the glove box, just as my phone starts ringing in my bag. Shifting my attention to my phone, I pull it out as Jamie’s name flashes across the screen.
“Hey, what’s up?” I answer, as I look back up at the road ahead, only I’m met by Russ’ hand holding out a small paper bag to me. I lean forward to see what’s in it as Jamie starts frantically talking down the phone at me.
“Cam, I remembered what that smell is,”I dig my hand in the bag pulling out a…“pear drops. I can’t believe I didn’t get it straight away, I loved those as a kid.”I see Russ watching me in the mirror, and I school my features, offering him a nod of thanks.“Anyway, I also remembered the tattoo on the guys arm,”As he pulls his arm back, I see the tattoo on his wrist, and I know what Jamie’s going to say before she says it.“It was some tribal piece but there was something different, like a Celtic knot or something.”
With no other option, I shove the sweet in my mouth as I feel Russ’ eyes on me again.
“That’s great, Jamie. I bet your so happy now that’s sorted.” I plaster a smile on my face. “So, I’m just about to arrive at the restaurant, and I promise to send you that picture of Seb. Can we talk about this tomorrow?”Please just say yes, please say yes.
“You okay, Cam, you sound weird?”
“Put the phone down, Camryn,” Russ demands from the front, his eyes meeting mine again, and I know I’m busted. Without another word to Jamie, I end the call. Russ holds a hand out for my phone. I know that if I pass it over, I’ll have no chance to let Ryder know what’s happening, but I don’t have much choice, smacking the phone down into his hand before sitting back in my seat.
Thirty-Three
Camryn
I try not to freak out, locking my anxiety away. Ryder knows that I’m with Russ, and when I don’t turn up, he’ll come looking for me. Won’t he? It’s been fifteen minutes since Jamie called, and we should have been arriving at the restaurant by now.
Wherever Russ is taking me can’t be good, so I need to find a way to stop us from getting there. Preferably with Russ dead.
