AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Today is the ransom deadline. Today is the day it all ends.
Denve is still asleep when I leave.
My meeting with Esra is close by. We meet near the ports, which is quite close to the club where she dances.
She is fully dressed in a black shift dress. Her dark brown hair hangs to her waist, and her dark brown eyes shine as we take a walk.
The port is surprisingly quiet, and we are able to exchange information without interruption.
I only return to the warehouse around sunrise. I stop in front of the loft door.
He could be gone.
I have not tied Denve up in the three days since I sent the ransom letter and we first had sex.
I also did not lock him in.
He could have left at any time if he wanted to.
Why would he stay? It is against his best interests to stay.
Why would he stay? And what are you going to do if he is gone?
I take a deep breath and walk in. The loft, when I step inside, is quiet. It looks empty.
A wave of disappointment washes over me, until Denve pops his head around the wall that separates the bedroom from the small kitchen.
He smiles at me, but I cannot bring myself to smile back.
I am relieved that he did not leave. But I also feel guilty because he is in this place because of me.
Something painful twists in my chest, and I swallow the sharp gasp that tries to escape me.
Denve’s smile fades as he looks at me.
I walk further into the loft and sit down on the bed.
“They didn’t respond, did they?” His voice is gentle. I shake my head and look up at him.
I search his face for any signs of disappointment or pain.
His face is open, and there is no great emotion there.
He sits down next to me and takes my hand in his.
Denve takes a deep breath before speaking.
“I suspected as much. I thought that they would not respond. And I did tell you that they wouldn’t care enough to pay the ransom.”
“Yes.” My voice is wooden. “You did say that. And I don’t understand how you’re okay with this? How are you okay with them not caring about you?”
He shrugs. “I came to terms with it a long time ago.”
We sit in silence for a long while.
“What are we going to do now?” he asks me. I want to lean into him and have him wrap his arms around me.
It feels good to hear him say ‘we’. As if we’re a team.
