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“I'm trying to be,” I look at the impressive panorama from here. “Work is hard.”
“I'm sure that no matter what happens, you'll overcome it. Remember, elbow your way through!”
“I will,” I smile at her, even though I don't feel like it.
?? ?????? ??
When I see Manasseh, leaning against the window frame, smoking thoughtfully, my smile fades.
“I was skeptical at first, but now I believe you. Let me take care of some things first. Give me some time, and then I'll move in with you.”
“You know I don't like to wait,” I spot the No smoking sign on the side wall and lightly rub my heavy eyelids.
He’s so annoying!
“Your friends will start to suspect things, and I still haven't gotten rid of the policeman.”
“I saw. Instead of kicking him out, you were itching to flirt with the cop,” he approaches me with interest, and his penetrating eyes make me feel small. “Do policemen make you horny, Becca?”
“Maybe,” I tilt my head to the side and gaze at his hairless chin.
“Then I have to take care of you as quickly as possible, to get it out of your system. It's a shame to keep your woman horny, and you're not like any other girl. You're a greedy lil’ piggy,” Manasseh grabs my chin, and I notice his flared nostrils, cigarette still lingering between his fingers.
“Hmmm,” I swallow hard and shake my head. But you're not a cop, so what even are you?” I hit him where I know it hurts. “At the helm of your father's company?”
Manasseh lets go of me and moistens his lips with the tip of his tongue.
“Wait until tonight, and you’ll see,” he replies curtly but with a somber look. “Now, let's go,” he stubs the half-smoked cigarette on the edge of the trash can and strides toward the elevator, hands in his pockets.
“Aren't you going to say goodbye to your mother-in-law?” I throw a remark, and he grins.
“I'll come another time. Unlike you, I'm on the list of favorite visitors,” he tosses a mocking glance over his shoulder.
“Can I be on that list too?” I clench my fists, feeling the anticipation tingling in my palms, following him into the elevator.
“Not yet, but if you play nice, you might make it,” he pets my head, then his hand slides down my neck, and I feel his fingers entwining around my throat, like a snake constricting its prey, right before devouring it. “Will you be a good girl, Becca?” His lips inch closer to mine, and my body presses against the handrail in front of the mirror. “Tell me you'll be a good, obedient girl, and all your wishes will come true!”
CHAPTER 13
Present
Rebecca
I know I had asked for more time, and Manasseh had granted it, but what he didn't know is that I had already bought train tickets for myself and my mother, as far away from London as possible, and even farther from Matlock. My neighbor had purchased the tickets, and I had done everything possible to avoid raising suspicion because he probably shadows my every move. She didn't know who the tickets were for, but I had to tell her, on the condition that she kept everything a secret.
Steph is a smart girl. I trust her to keep my secret.
Tonight, I would have been gone long before he realized it. Paddington is the best place to disappear without a trace.
The only difficulty is the clinic's idiotic policy, where my mother is more of a prisoner than a patient. That's why I have to rely on Steph, the neighbor's daughter, who will try to get my mother out in front of the clinic, where I'll take care of the rest.
It's raining outside, it's 4 p.m., but it's one of those dark days when it feels like night all day long. I'm waiting for Steph to come out with my mother, hood over her head, with the aura of a streetwise dealer selling coke.
The chances of everything going as planned depend on the first step, which is whether Steph manages to get my mother out of the clinic.
It's now or never.
I watch as the red coat draws near the exit, and my heart starts pounding fiercely. Excitement and hope blend together, shaping a smile on my face.
