AllFreeNovel
Share Us
There is a nagging feeling of nausea in the pit of my stomach, my instincts screaming at me that something is wrong.
Of course, something is wrong, Ava. You are being held hostage – again.
Until I can figure things out, I just need to keep my head down and do as I am told. Play along and let this woman think that I am on her side of things. Bide my time until Renzo comes for me.
I know that he is going to come for me. I belong to him and will never let anyone else have me.
My eyes fixate on the city passing by the window. While I do not know where we are, it is apparent that we are no longer in the same area of the city. Every minute that passes the buildings that we are passing become increasingly dilapidated.
“I can see how you are looking at me,” Karyan speaks without turning her attention to me, “What is that you are thinking?”
“Nothing,” I mutter back, hoping it doesn’t sound like the complete lie that it is.
“I can tell that you are thinking,” her eyes divert from her screen to me, “You know, don’t you?”
“Know what,” I question.
“Don’t play fucking coy with me,” her voice quickly angers as her eyes narrow, “About Karine.”
“I’m sorry,” my voice sincere, “but I don’t know Karine.”
“Your fucking mother,” she pulls a photograph from her purse and drops it in my lap, “my sister.”
The picture in my lap is of two little girls, maybe six or seven years old. They look identical, with their blond pigtails and blue eyes. Oddly enough, both could be interchanged with nearly any picture of me from my childhood.
Twins? My mom was a twin?
“You’re my,” I pause as my brain pieces it all together, “aunt?”
“I knew pretending to be her would make you more compliant,” she pulls the picture from my hand and places it back in her purse, “I just wasn’t expecting you to figure it out quite this quickly. I guess I underestimated you a little.”
I just sit in silence, not knowing what to say.
“Something tells me you will continue to listen,” she pulls her hand from her purse holding a small pistol.
Gritting my teeth, I quickly nod acknowledging that I will do as she asks. In return she places the gun back into her bag.
“You might technically be family, but don’t think that means anything,” her voice is cold, “You are simply a bargaining chip for me to get what I want. If you aren’t useful to me, then there is no need for me to keep you. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” my voice trembles as her attention returns to her phone.
ChapterThirty-Eight
Lorenzo
As though he is more than aware this will be his only opportunity to share what he knows, Razmik begins to tell us everything as though we are the priest providing his last words and he is receiving his final confession.
“I’ve been with the family a long time. Thirty years ago, I worked mostly as a driver. I was the one who drove Levon and his twins home from the hospital.”
“Over the years I probably spent more time with Karine and Karyan than he did. I drove them nearly everywhere, went to their concerts and sports, and helped them with their homework. I’m not saying that I was a replacement for their father, but I loved those girls as though they were my own and they both knew it.”
The words continue to spew from him between airy grunts as though he needs to relieve himself of this information more than we want it.
“When she was seventeen, Karine started sneaking around with that Tanaka kid. She promised me that she had ended things when I found out. Only a few months later she came to me and begged me to get her out of this life. It wasn’t until I learned that she was pregnant that I finally agreed.”
“We both knew what a Gregorian carrying a Tanaka would mean. Back then no one would dream of these two families speaking to each other, let alone being civil for the sake of a child. Both of their lives were in danger, from both families. From all of the families. So, I did what anyone would do, I helped her run. I helped her disappear to save both of their lives.”
His eyes dart around the room for approval of his good deed, approval that is not coming.
