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thirty-eight
Millie
Whiskers kept kneading his claws into my thigh, curled up on my lap as I continued reading in the library Draven allowed me access to. Letting my heavy eyes take in all the surrounding shelves, I kept picking this certain alcove to hideaway in. It made me feel like Belle and what she would've done in the parts we didn't see in the movie. Listening to his rhythmic purring, I let my eyes fall back to my book, enjoying the wild chase of it all. This time, I picked a fantasy to let my mind focus on magic outside of the darkness I often chose. It got me kidnapped, so I didn't know how to respond.
While the men were sweet in nature towards me, Draven was still a convict. By now, the news had reported him as escaped instead of dead as the prison learned it had been faked. Costas's picture now surfaced with his because they felt like he might be a link to the disappearance, but he'd been working when the body had been transported to unbind his tie to it. Not showing up for his next shift raised a few red flags.
Sitting back, I couldn't get back into my book. It felt like my mind couldn't slow down enough to comprehend the words with everything on my mind. With the late hour already, I looked at the clock to see I neared my bedtime and should probably head to bed. Part of me wanted to find Kasey, but she had been Tarzaning her way through this new place, swinging from one guard to the next.
When my phone began to ring, I wheezed from the unsettling startle. Part of me wondered if my father had a sixth sense for my bad days, but I knew he called me often enough for it just to fall in line with his habits. "Dad!" My enthusiasm to hear his voice made him sigh in relief. We only had voice messages patch through, so this felt like a better time for a longer conversation than a recording.
"Oh, sweetie. You know when you told me you wanted to run away, I didn't know you actually planned to do just that."
"I'm sorry. Kasey won this trip, and it felt too good to pass up on after all the hardships lately. Plus, I did break up with Tim before I left, so I'm not leaving my wound bleeding. I just wanted a fresh start for something new."
"You broke up with Tim?" My father had this sound in his voice like something didn't line up. Racing, my thoughts remembered how he ran and left me in the arms of my kidnapper.
"Sure did. He proved where my importance sat the night before I left."
"He's been telling everyone you were kidnapped, honey."
"Ah, well, if I was, I highly doubt I'd be able to talk to you," I snorted, hating my fib to my father.
"Right," he laughed it off. "I'll let the officials know you're in Spain, and I've talked to you. Would you mind sending a picture of life here and there so I know for myself you're okay?"
Being in front of the window, I took a selfie. The side of a bookshelf could be seen as I sent it off. "I'm in a library of sorts over here. It's amazing."
He chuckled again. "Kasey might not see you the rest of your trip. Please remember you have books everywhere, sweetie, but you don't have their culture everywhere. Try to live and embrace what you can't take home with you."
Can't take home...
My heart felt a ping in understanding that I hadn't given Draven and Tony much of a chance because Draven could never come home with me. If I were to start a life with them, it would be here and not my home.
"It's been good to hear your voice, Dad. All these voice messages don't hold a candle to the real thing."
"Likewise, sweetie. You have fun and keep me posted. I'll talk to the police to let them know you weren't kidnapped like Tim keeps squawking about." His annoyance told me he'd enjoy putting Tim in his place.
"Thanks, Dad. I love you."
"Forever, honey." Hanging up, I let my eyes drift out the window as I held Whiskers still. My hand never stopped petting his greedy back as he kept begging for more love.
Inside my thoughts, I had to decide if I was as committed as I promised. Could I give myself to the mafia princes when I knew the cost would be my former life? Though, I only had one thing left of my older life that made it hard to move away from. The man who just called me and believed my lie because he trusted me. While I knew harm didn't sit on my horizon, I felt awful for not telling him the truth.
"Do I embrace a new life, Whiskers, or do I keep living in this limbo?" Sighing, I knew I'd hate myself if I never embraced this world. But how did I go about dating two guys? I couldn't even date one right, according to my history.
thirty-nine
Draven
"She's still uneasy around us," I whispered to Tony. It had been several days to let Millie settle in but our hopes were dwindling.
"What do we do? She's scared of being around us, and she hasn't even seen the worst of what we're capable of." Tony just had to remind me we were set to leave on some business this week.
We told her we'd be leaving, and we were going somewhere she couldn't come. For several reasons other than someone using her against us, we also knew Sunshine wouldn't take too kindly to the blood we were about to shed. Her bubble of bliss couldn't be popped yet. Not while we were easing her into our lifestyle.
"Speaking of," I began. "What are we going to do about leaving her here?"
"We can have Costas stay back." Tony repeated what we told Millie. Our eyes shared the same agreement before we swiveled ourselves to face the third man in the office. With Tony's father leaving their home, he'd be sending Tony's mother here within the next few days, so keeping Costas back wouldn't just be for Millie.
