Stace.
I wake as a wave of nausea hits me. “Shit,” I whisper with my eyes still closed. I feel sick.
What a night?
I close my eyes and smile to myself. Now that was a date. Rosh and I laughed, danced, and drank cocktails for hours until we came home and had mind-blowing sex.
She’s got me.
She’s got me by the balls.
I’ve never met anyone like her, and I’ve never felt like this before. She’s brave and beautiful, funny and sexy as fuck. I turn on my side to face her and my hand gently trails up over her naked body. My mind goes to yesterday when she told me that she lives every day as her last. It resonated with me, as if somehow I also know our time is limited. I can’t stand the thought of Vikinos getting to her. Her childhood was stolen because she spent her whole life on the run. The thought of him killing me and making her watch as punishment turns me inside out.
Because that’s how it will go.
They will catch us both and torture me to death in front of her, as he did to her mother. I get a vision of my brother being electrocuted to death and my blood runs cold. I don’t want her to have to go through that again… and I know I can’t go through it again.
To be honest, I don’t think he would kill her, but he will make her suffer as punishment for not loving him.
She has suffered enough.
Maybe he does want her dead? I can’t begin to imagine how his mind works.
I need a plan. I have to kill him first, but how? I had my plan and it was on the ship until she completely ruined it. He trusted me then, but I have no way of getting to him now.
She slowly opens her eyes and smiles shyly up at me. I lean in and kiss her gently. “Good morning, my Mrs. Mac.”
She smiles broadly and frowns sleepily as if remembering something. “Did you get a tattoo last night?
“I did.”
She screws up her face with her eyes still closed. “Oh God. You’re batshit crazy.”
“I am.” I bend and take her lips in mine. “We already established this.”
She smiles sleepily up at me and I feel my heart somersault. Even her smile affects me.
“Tell me something.” I pause, I’m not sure if now is the right time to bring this up. “If you dared to dream of a future, what would it be?”
She frowns. “That’s a bit deep for this time of the morning, isn’t it?”
“I’m just wondering.” I bend and kiss her lips. “Humor me.”
She rolls onto her back and thinks for a moment and I put my open hand onto her stomach as I wait for her answer. “I suppose I would just want all the normal things any girl wants.”
“Like what?”
She shrugs. “A husband who loved me, white picket fence in the country, two kids.” She smiles wistfully. “A dog.” Her voice trails off. “I always wanted a dog.”
I watch her. “You never had a dog?”
She shakes her head softly as if ashamed. “No.”
Sadness fills me. A simple thing like having a dog is her dream. We lay in silence for a moment and I stare up at the ceiling and pull her body across mine. I kiss her forehead. “Sounds nice,” I murmur. “Where would this white picket fence house be?”
“I don’t know, somewhere with rolling green acres,” she murmurs, as if far away.
I flicker my eyes over to her. “Could we build my mom a house on our land?” I smirk.
She pulls back to look at my face and smiles broadly. “Depends.”
“On what?”
“On whether she likes dogs.”
I laugh out loud and she leans up on her elbow above me. “Stop dreaming, Stace. That future isn’t our reality.”
My face falls. It’s true it’s not. “It’s a nice dream, though, huh?” I ask sadly.
She kisses my chest. “Let’s just try to get through today, baby. Dreams only bring heartache.”
* * *
Rosh
It’s 10pm and Stace is in the shower. We’ve had a wonderful day in each other’s arms and have spent most of it in the rooftop pool. He went out this morning and bought us both a few new outfits and phones with prepaid data and credit. I couldn’t go. I was feeling too seedy from last night’s activities. Tonight we are going to try and find this guy who apparently knows where you sell things-the one who owns The Snake Pit. It sounds pretty dodgy if you ask me, but Stace assures me that it will be okay. He asked me to stay here and wait for him, but I am not letting him go alone. I would go crazy waiting here not knowing if he was safe.
I’m happy-God, I’m so happy-and I am petrified that my bubble is going to burst. I’m in my wig and my little pink dress.
I smile as I turn and look at my behind in this dress. Stace doesn’t particularly like it when I have the wig and this dress on. He thinks I look like a hooker and I’m pretty sure he is quite familiar with that look. My mind flashes to Chelsea and my skin prickles with jealousy. I pick up my phone and scroll through the Internet as a smile crosses my face. I can check emails now. Who knew something so trivial could be so exciting? I log into my email account and sip my wine as they load.
“Babe, can you get me the razor from the drawer, please?” Stace calls from the bathroom.
I look around. “What drawer?” I call.
“The stuff I bought today is in the top drawer of the desk. There is a razor in there.”
“Okay,” I call. I grab the razor and take it into him. I am rewarded with a wet kiss from my shower god. I return to my place on the bed as I wait for the emails, and finally, I get the ping that they loaded. The heading of the first one brings a frown to my face.
Downtown Storage Solutions
Subject – Activity
I frown and I click on the email.
Safety Security box was accessed today at 12. 32pm.
I sit up in my seat. What? I check the date. No, that’s todays date. The email must have been sent yesterday after we were there? I scroll down the messages with a flutter in my chest. Don’t do it… no, don’t do it.
A second email.
Subject – Activity
Safety security box was accessed today at 11. 10am.
The air leaves my lungs. That’s a different email to the one that arrived this afternoon. Stace went to the safety deposit box today without me. I stand and walk to the window and look down at the street below as my heartbeat hammers in my ears.
Really?
Are you fucking kidding me?
My eyes close as the all too familiar feeling of betrayal washes through me.
He’s taken the diamonds and like a fool, I led him to them. Tears fill my eyes. I thought his feelings were real.
Oh God.
I’m just a stupid girl blinded by love.
I trusted him.
* * *
Stace
I shave, shower, wrap myself in a towel and head into the bedroom.
“Rosh?” I call out as I glance around.
Hmm, she’s not here. She must have gone down to the restaurant to get some takeaway to eat. Weird, I thought we were getting something on the way out.
I take my time and dress then lie back on the bed as I wait for her to return. I glance at the clock knowing we need to get going soon. My mind runs over the conversation I am going to have tonight at The Snake Pit. I need to ask where to sell something without telling them what I have to sell. It’s a fine line. I’m just going to ask where to sell jewelry. I think that that seems like the safest option. For half an hour I wait. Where the frigging hell is she? I thought she wanted to come? I could have gone and been back by now. I take out my phone and message her.
How long are you going to be? We have to leave?
I wait for a reply, but it doesn’t come. I text again.
I’m coming down. We will eat down there?
I watch my phone as I wait for a reply. For fuck’s sake. I grab my wallet and keys and head down to the elevator. My phone beeps as the door opens and I get in. It reads:
I will sort the diamonds. Don’t worry yourself.
I frown and text back.
What are you talking about? Are you at the restaurant getting us dinner?
I wait for a reply. It doesn’t come. The doors of the elevator open and I enter the foyer and glance around in search of her. What’s going on? Have they got her? I start to panic. I dial her number and it rings out, no answer. I walk into the restaurant and glance around nervously, but she’s not here, either.
Shit.