Eve watched the car drive away and released a shaky breath.
Where was he going? Had he listened to her and realised it was over? Or was he going to come back?
She felt the numbness leave her body as her fear of him returned. She’d spent all day in the bedroom wondering if he would come up and demand that she did ‘her job’.
And she’d also been terrified that despite what she knew and how she felt, her body would respond to him anyway. He had a hold on her physical responses that she would never understand. He had been right about that part but she had to let go anyway.
As the car turned into the road and the gates slid closed behind it, she stood up and grabbed her phone. Her first call was the taxi firm she had called yesterday to book one to arrive as soon as possible. Then she dialled Brendan’s number while she threw the few things she had into a bag.
She was glad she’d never bothered to make this house a home. The nature of their arrangement had never allowed her to get too comfortable, and she had already taken most of her things when she had left the first time.
Did Roman know about the place she had rented that time? He’d done his homework and knew about everything else, but the dingy studio flat still was the only place she could run to because it was late.
“Eve! What the fuck happened? Where are you?” Brendan asked immediately when he answered.
“I’m fine, don’t worry,” she lied.
She hoped he couldn’t hear how shaky she was. Her whole body was trembling and she didn’t think she could control that until she felt safe.
She didn’t want to involve Brendan in any of this anymore. Roman hadn’t made any sense when he had implied that she had slept with someone else, but Brendan was the only man she had hung around with. She didn’t want him to get hurt.
The thought of that made her pause her packing. What was Roman capable of? How would he retaliate? Would Brendan be safe?
“Then why weren’t you answering your phone?” Brendan continued. “I was so sloshed last night I don’t even remember how I got home. I woke up and you weren’t here but your bag is still in my spare room.”
“I couldn’t find my phone earlier,” she lied again. “But I’m coming to pick up my stuff tomorrow before I head to my parents.”
But she knew as soon as she said that, that she couldn’t go there either. Roman knew where they lived.
She stifled a sob as she doubled her efforts to pack.
“Why don’t you come here tonight. I’m still hazy about last night and… I know it’s late but just come over so I can see you. You don’t sound okay.”
“I can’t, Brendan. I’ll see you tomorrow morning,” she said before she hung up.
She didn’t want to keep lying to him but what choice did she have? The less he knew the better.
The last thing she put in her bag was the contract. If legal trouble was going to follow her after this, she needed the contract when she spoke to a lawyer. Plus she wanted to keep it as a reminder of the type of man that Roman was.
She was already outside the gates when the taxi pulled up. She gave an address that was a few blocks from where she needed to go, just in case Roman called them to ask for her address. As the taxi drove back into the city, she sat quietly at the back. She tensed every time a car came behind or beside them. Maybe she was being paranoid but she wanted to make sure he hadn’t followed her.
Once she was dropped off, she walked the rest of the distance to the flat, constantly looking over her shoulder.
It was only when she’d sat down on her bed that she allowed herself to think.
And her body trembled even more.
How could she have been in love with such a man? Or had he been right all along that it was lust and not love? That she loved what he did to her body and how he’d made her feel? Because she didn’t feel that now. All she felt was this fear because she knew he would try to hurt her even more for leaving.
But she couldn’t stay. How could she when he had shown her so clearly who he was?
She didn’t know how long she sat on the bed before she pulled herself out of her thoughts and started packing up the flat. If she’d had her car she would have just loaded her things and driven off somewhere else for the night.
Roman had taken not only her dignity, self-respect and sense of security, but the one thing she had that had sentimental value. He’d taken everything.
She spent the night looking outside her window just in case he found her.
How could Roman even think that she could still sleep with him after this? He’d broken her heart several times before she had seen him with that woman but it was the blow with the contract that had completely broken her.
There was no chance now.
When morning came, she left most of her packed belongings beside the bed and picked up the one with the essentials. For the first time in a long time, she felt completely lost. Where could she go where a man like Roman couldn’t find her?
Would he try? Or did he understand that it was over?
Her phone rang as she looked over the flat one last time.
It was Roman.
Her heart hammered in her chest. Her body started to tremble again.
Was he calling to try again to convince her that he’d done nothing wrong? To tell her that she still belonged to him because her body was traitorous? Or had he seen that she had left and was already coming after her?
She declined the call and then walked out quickly. Once she picked up her other bag from Brendan she would have to find somewhere else to sleep tonight. She knew that was only temporary. Once she processed everything she would have to think about what she was going to do.
Because Roman Ashfield would never touch her again.