the cop let Marco keep on driving. Thankfully the fifteen
minute drive ended without incident and Marco pulled to a stop in front of my
apartment.
“Thanks
for the ride,” I said. As I turned to get out of the car, Marco grabbed my left
wrist and twisted me back to face him.
“What?”
I asked.
“Don’t
I at least get a kiss?” His beady eyes gleamed and his licked his lips before
they formed a malicious grin, his lips glistening with spittle. He started to
yank on my arm as if trying to drag me across the seat and closer to him. I
resisted and felt my wrist pop. “Just kidding,” he said and suddenly released
my arm. “Have a good night.”
“Um,
goodnight,” I said and struggled to open the door with my shaking hand. Finally
it opened and I practically tumbled out onto the sidewalk. I ran to my
apartment building. As soon as I was inside with the front door secure behind
me, my entire body started to tremble. It took a few minutes, and a few deep
breaths, to get myself under control. Dominic’s uncle had some serious issues
and I never wanted to be alone with him again.
I waited until I had
calmed down to go upstairs. Fortunately Chelsea was asleep because my face
probably would have indicated that something was wrong. With the apartment door
locked and my bedroom door closed, I finally began to relax. Lying in bed alone
was not what I had in mind for tonight. What could Marco possibly need Dominic
and Grant do? I thought about this as my eyelids grew heavy and sleep claimed
me.
My cell phone woke me
up. Disoriented, I felt around in the dark for it.
“Hello?”
I mumbled.
“Hey,
it’s Dom.”
“Hi,”
I sat up. “What time is it?”
“It’s
a little after five. I just wanted to call and make sure you’re alright?”
“I’m
fine. I was sleeping.”
“Sorry
to wake you. I just wanted to make sure my uncle behaved himself.”
“For
the most part,” I yawned and could hear Dominic breathe a sigh of relief. “No
offense, but your uncle’s a little off.”
“Yeah,
I know. I’m just glad you’re ok. He can be unpredictable.” Unpredictable, that
was a good way to describe him. Other words like menacing, disturbed and crazy would
describe him well too.
“What
did you guys have to do anyway?”
“Just
stuff.”
“Oh.”
I yawned again and tried to focus on the conversation.
“I’ll
let you get back to sleep; I just wanted to check on you.”
“No,
don’t go, I’m awake now.” My phone beeped then and I quickly looked at the display.
“Ugh, I need to take this call, it’s Grant.”
“He’s
probably checking in on you too. I’ll call you later. Sweet dreams.”
“Goodnight,”
I whispered before I clicked over to receive Grant’s call.
“Nat,
how are you?”
“I’m
fine. Dom just called too.”
“I
really shouldn’t have gotten you a job at Crimson.” Grant’s comment woke me
right up.
“Grant,
shut up, I’m fine. Marco was a little creepy, but I handled it.” I said, downplaying
the incident. If Grant knew how tight Marco held onto my wrist, I probably would
have to get another job.
“What
did you guys have to do anyway?”
“Marco
needed us to do something for him. I can’t talk about it.” Big surprise, Grant
was being tightlipped. What did he and Dom do that they couldn’t talk about?
“What’s
the big secret? I won’t tell anyone.”
“Natalie,
it’s confidential. I can’t tell you,” Grant snapped. “I’m glad you’re alright.
I need to go get some sleep.” With that he hung up the phone.
Chapter 12
The alarm went off and
I swatted at the snooze button for the millionth time. The momentary interruption
wasn’t enough to rouse me and I rolled back over with the comforter pulled up
around my ears. When I finally did wake it was almost noon. I missed my morning
classes again.
“Damn
it!” I yelled at myself as I jumped out of bed, threw on clothes and bolted out
the door. I didn’t stop running until I reached the door of
minute drive ended without incident and Marco pulled to a stop in front of my
apartment.
“Thanks
for the ride,” I said. As I turned to get out of the car, Marco grabbed my left
wrist and twisted me back to face him.
“What?”
I asked.
“Don’t
I at least get a kiss?” His beady eyes gleamed and his licked his lips before
they formed a malicious grin, his lips glistening with spittle. He started to
yank on my arm as if trying to drag me across the seat and closer to him. I
resisted and felt my wrist pop. “Just kidding,” he said and suddenly released
my arm. “Have a good night.”
“Um,
goodnight,” I said and struggled to open the door with my shaking hand. Finally
it opened and I practically tumbled out onto the sidewalk. I ran to my
apartment building. As soon as I was inside with the front door secure behind
me, my entire body started to tremble. It took a few minutes, and a few deep
breaths, to get myself under control. Dominic’s uncle had some serious issues
and I never wanted to be alone with him again.
I waited until I had
calmed down to go upstairs. Fortunately Chelsea was asleep because my face
probably would have indicated that something was wrong. With the apartment door
locked and my bedroom door closed, I finally began to relax. Lying in bed alone
was not what I had in mind for tonight. What could Marco possibly need Dominic
and Grant do? I thought about this as my eyelids grew heavy and sleep claimed
me.
My cell phone woke me
up. Disoriented, I felt around in the dark for it.
“Hello?”
I mumbled.
“Hey,
it’s Dom.”
“Hi,”
I sat up. “What time is it?”
“It’s
a little after five. I just wanted to call and make sure you’re alright?”
“I’m
fine. I was sleeping.”
“Sorry
to wake you. I just wanted to make sure my uncle behaved himself.”
“For
the most part,” I yawned and could hear Dominic breathe a sigh of relief. “No
offense, but your uncle’s a little off.”
“Yeah,
I know. I’m just glad you’re ok. He can be unpredictable.” Unpredictable, that
was a good way to describe him. Other words like menacing, disturbed and crazy would
describe him well too.
“What
did you guys have to do anyway?”
“Just
stuff.”
“Oh.”
I yawned again and tried to focus on the conversation.
“I’ll
let you get back to sleep; I just wanted to check on you.”
“No,
don’t go, I’m awake now.” My phone beeped then and I quickly looked at the display.
“Ugh, I need to take this call, it’s Grant.”
“He’s
probably checking in on you too. I’ll call you later. Sweet dreams.”
“Goodnight,”
I whispered before I clicked over to receive Grant’s call.
“Nat,
how are you?”
“I’m
fine. Dom just called too.”
“I
really shouldn’t have gotten you a job at Crimson.” Grant’s comment woke me
right up.
“Grant,
shut up, I’m fine. Marco was a little creepy, but I handled it.” I said, downplaying
the incident. If Grant knew how tight Marco held onto my wrist, I probably would
have to get another job.
“What
did you guys have to do anyway?”
“Marco
needed us to do something for him. I can’t talk about it.” Big surprise, Grant
was being tightlipped. What did he and Dom do that they couldn’t talk about?
“What’s
the big secret? I won’t tell anyone.”
“Natalie,
it’s confidential. I can’t tell you,” Grant snapped. “I’m glad you’re alright.
I need to go get some sleep.” With that he hung up the phone.
Chapter 12
The alarm went off and
I swatted at the snooze button for the millionth time. The momentary interruption
wasn’t enough to rouse me and I rolled back over with the comforter pulled up
around my ears. When I finally did wake it was almost noon. I missed my morning
classes again.
“Damn
it!” I yelled at myself as I jumped out of bed, threw on clothes and bolted out
the door. I didn’t stop running until I reached the door of
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