NERTHUS
I hit the floor with a scream and for the first time, I hate my apartment with all my heart.
Panic makes my chest squeeze as I think about the flats being luxuriously soundproof.
“No!” I scream from the top of my lungs as I try to get him off me. “Let me go!”
Francis finally gets hold of me properly despite my thrashing around and slams me into the ground, making my head spin. “Stop acting up!”
I shut up as I feel like blacking out, my last clear thoughts making Arawn’s picture flicker in front of my inner eye as I think about possibilities to reach my phone.
“Look at you. Living the best life in Upper Manhattan with the money you stole from me,” he snarls as I’m still trying to make my sight focus again.
Slapping his hand away that tries to grab my face, I hiss, “I never stole anything from you!”
He just snickers as he gets hold of my hands and delivers a slap on my cheek, making my world spin anew. “Just shut the fuck up, you whore.”
Grabbing my face, he makes me look at him as he studies my face with an insane expression on his face. “And here I was thinking that you were already an outdated old whore, rotting in some gutter, but look at you. You got even prettier than you were when I last saw you.”
An uncomfortable shudder passes through me as I close my eyes trying to blend out his fatty face while I try to get out of his hold. “Pl- Please, let me go!”
“Ah, I never should have let you go. I’ve lost a bunch of money since you started working for that agency. It is really outrageous how much you were making without telling us. You tricked me real good, didn’t you?”
Wishing a big black hole could open up and swallow me entirely, I stutter as if I was 15 again. “Stop that. I bought myself out as it was my value then, nobody tricked you!”
His grin morphs into an angry frown as he pushes me back onto the floor, cutting off my air. “Listen to me, little bitch. I’ll get my money or you’ll suffer the consequences!”
“Wh- What money?” I ask as I try to wiggle out of his grip. “I don’t have any money.”
“Oh, baby doll!” he mocks, making me flinch at the old pet name he used to call me because I was always his favorite to play with. “We will find a way to change that, right?”
His rising tone of voice makes me want to throw up and I shake my head, “I’m not working anymore.”
“Oh, I heard about that,” he scoffs as he grabs my hair, pulling me up to his face. “But see, I have made a new friend these days who is only waiting for me to deliver you on a silver platter to him, so he can damage his rival’s business.”
My eyes widen as my heartbeat picks up, causing pain to radiate through me with every pump. “So, what is it going to be, Nerthus? Is your life really worth that much to act this entitled and selfish?”
I take a few deep breaths, my brain going into a meltdown as I think of Goldman getting me as an instrument against Arawn. “What do you want me to do?”
“There will be a big hidden auction in a few weeks and I want you to train well and eat properly because you are going to get me a high prize for participating in that. And you will report to me regularly, so that I can see that you aren’t playing any tricks, alright?”
I nod, making him grin broader and he pushes me violently, making me hit the floor once again. “I’ll contact you as soon as we have to fly out.”
“Fly out?” I ask, rubbing my skull as I sit up slowly.
He glares down at me as he stands up. “Yeah, the auction is going to be in a foreign country. Just enjoy the surprize when it will be the day you can visit Europe with your favorite cousin.”
“You can’t be serious,” I whisper, as he crunches back down to me. “What am I going to tell…”
I don’t even get to say his name as I feel like the worst of traitors while my cousin gloats mischievously. “Oh, but I am. And don’t you try to fuck with me or I’ll hand you and your idiotic bastard to the old man on a silver platter.”
Shaking my head, I’m about to answer sassily because I would never believe he could do any harm to my King as he adds, “I wonder how more fragile the little boy is if a nurse gets paid well enough to give him the wrong medicine. I heard he is allergic to tetracycline, isn’t he?”
My breath hitches in my throat as I glare up at him, and he tilts his head. “Oh, how I missed those eyes.”
With a creepy snicker, he gets back up. “Wouldn’t it be a shame if there was an unfortunate mix-up?”
“There is no need. I’ll do it,” I push out, tears already pooling in my eyes. “Please, just leave him alone.”
He reaches out, caressing my chin with his fingers. “Ah, what a pity that you have to be in perfect shape for the auction. I really would have enjoyed playing a bit with you, just like we did in the good old times.”
I flinch, pulling myself out of his grip and he laughs mockingly, “Just prepare yourself. If you lose bids because of anything, I’ll make you pay for it.”
Walking through the room, he empties the contents of my purse onto the floor, picking up my phone with a grimace. He holds his phone against mine, transmitting my contact directly onto his phone and I curse myself out internally as Jenna had warned me about turning that feature off. He sets down my phone on the kitchen island while I watch him warily.
Bending down, he presses a wet kiss onto my cheek before he walks to the door, whistling and opening the door, making my heart drop to my stomach. He turns around with a mocking grin as he seems to have some stroklet as he tries to wink at me acting like the cool guy he never was. “Don’t worry about me, baby doll. Those guys aren’t as dangerous as they seem.”
Smiling at the window, he scoffs, “At least not all of them.”
The door closes, making me feel the click of the lock physically. I slump to the ground, as I finally seem to be able to breathe again. Clasping my throat, I scoot back to lean against my kitchen island and let the cold stream from the furniture onto my skin.
I hear my phone blowing off and I hug myself as I start crying, imagining that it is Arawn.
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper to myself as I rock my body back and forth, burying my head between my knees as I drive my hands through my hair.
Pain radiates from my heart cracking as I convince myself that I would have to distance myself as far as I can from both of them to prevent Goldman from harming them even more.
The vibrations don’t stop even for a second, making me think that he dials as soon as he disconnects the call. I push out a shaky breath, taking as much comfort out of it as I can.