“What are you waiting for?” Jake growled at
- me. “Get over here.”
This time I didn’t hesitate, scrambling to his
side.
But Baldy’s crew wasn’t giving up. In a last-
ditch effort, one of them charged, a knife flying.
through the air.
I swear I didn’t mean to shield Jake, but the
knife seemed to have a mind of its own,
heading straight for my stomach. I collapsed
into Jake’s arms.
9
That night, a doctor patched me up. Then an
old woman, the one who’d brought me the
umbrella, helped me clean up and led me to
Jake’s room.
“He hasn’t taken a liking to a girl in a long time.
Don’t talk back, be obedient, and you might
suffer less.”
“Why are you doing this to me?” I whispered.
“There’s no why. Here, he makes the rules.”
She told me to keep him happy, listing all his preferences, making sure I memorized every detail.
Lying alone in his bed, the pain throbbing in my stomach, I trembled with fear, not daring to shed a tear. “He doesn’t like criers. The last one who sobbed too much ended up as dog food.”
That night, he came back drunk, scowling at
- me.
“Get out.”
“I… I can’t get up…” I didn’t move. The pain in
my stomach was excruciating.
“Who told you to come here?” He lit a
cigarette.
“L… I wanted to,” I lied through my teeth. The
old woman had warned me he hated being
forcod.
“What do you see in me?”
“You’re handsome.”
He chuckled.
“I hear you’ve been telling everyone I’m
obsessed with you?” His eyes narrowed, at
strange smile playing on his lips.
“No! It’s not true! I swear!” I denied everything.
“No? I heard I’m taking revenge on you for
rejecting me?”
<
I was speechless.
He tapped my face with his cigarette hand.
“You’re running around using my name. How
many lives do you think you have?”
“I was wrong. Please spare me. I’ll do anything.”
He examined my wound, pressing on it. Blood seeped through the bandage.
“What do you want?” I hissed through gritted teeth.
“It’s a shame to let such a good rumor go to
waste,” he said with a smirk.
“What do you mean?” My mind raced.
“Show some initiative. Let’s see your sincerity.”
My heart pounded. I forced myself up and
He didn’t react, just watched me. I kissed him again. And again. On the fifth kiss, he finally put out his cigarette and grabbed my head, his lips. crushing mine, stealing my breath..
I reminded him I was injured, that I’d taken a knife for him, hoping he’d show some restraint. But I’d forgotten he was a monster, incapable
of reason.
“You took a knife for me? Such a great service.
I have to reward you properly.”
“Stop moving. If you make it hurt, I won’t care.”
I became his plaything, living in his cabin. He’d
play with me when he was amused, throw me in the basement when he wasn’t. I watched silently. as other women were brought to him, never
complaining, even helping him arrange their
visits. I became the woman who lasted the
<
12:30
longest by his side. Because I was waiting.
Waiting for a chance to escape.
32
10
I escaped, but the world outside had changed. Everyone had moved on with their lives. It felt
like I was the only one stuck in the past. After
much thought, I accepted my reality. I went to
classes alone, ate alone, studied alone, avoiding
David and Sarah as much as possible.
A week passed, and David sought me out.
“Why did you delete me on Facebook?”
“I didn’t. I haven’t logged in for ages.”
“Emily, can’t we even be friends?” He looked
pained.
“What kind of friends? David, don’t be greedy.”
I didn’t bother being polite, turning and walking
At the library, my heart ached. My parents,
David, and Sarah they’d been my reason to
live. I remembered being captured by Jake’s
rivals, interrogated, refusing to talk even as a
red–hot brand seared my waist. I thought I was
going to die. But as the pain made mel
hallucinate… I saw David, gently stroking my
face, telling me not to be so gluttonous. I saw
my mom in the kitchen, cooking a feast. I saw
my dad in his study, grading papers.
See? They loved me. Someone loved me.
Someone in this world was waiting for me to
come home. That’s why I fought so hard to
survive.
Later, Jake stormed in, furious, scooping me up.
in his arms. I heard his men whispering that the
rivals who captured me had their arms broken.
He cursed at me the whole way back..
“Why didn’t you just tell them? You think those
losers could kill me? Are vou stupid?”
“I’m glad you’re okay,” I whispered weakly.
I felt his arms stiffon around me. But I knew, it
anything happened to Jake, without hist
protection, I was as good as dead.
Because of my “loyalty.” Jake treated me slightly better, holding back his rage a little when he was angry, or shutting himself in his
room to cool down before yelling at me.
“Emily, try running off again. Just try.”
He hadn’t cursed. That was progress.
When I didn’t reply, he paced, hands on his hips, then bent down, gritting his teeth. “Can
you please just be obedient for once?”
“Okay.” I smiled, slipping a piece of candy into
his mouth.
“What are you doing? I don’t eat candy.” He
I looked at him cautiously. “A reward.”
He stared at me, a wicked grin spreading.
across his face, the candy still in his mouth. “If
you weren’t injured, I’d give you a reward too.”
The memory of his smile, his words, sent chills.
down my spine. Suddenly, a notification on my
phone snapped me back to reality. My cheeks
burned.
I pulled out my phone and logged into my long-
abandoned Facebook account. There was a
notification about a login from a different
location. I checked, and every male contact had
been deleted. And in the group labeled “Him,”
there was a new, unfamiliar friend. Clearly the
hacker.
“What do you want?” I messaged him.
