Part 18 (1/2)
If I wasn't going to fight for myself, then I would fight for J.
”You're lying.”
Robert turned to me in shock. I had never contradicted him before. His mouth hung open wide for a moment before he snapped it shut into an evil smile.
”I'm afraid not, Emilia. Your secret lover spent six years in the slammer for armed robbery and a.s.sault. He's a lowlife animal.” Robert chuckled. ”Only you could be so blindingly stupid.”
My shock quickly diminished and I made my decision. J.'s past meant nothing compared to the man he was now. Robert meant to hurt me with this new information but there was nothing left to hurt. For him to hurt me, I needed to have feelings for him. I needed to care what he thought. He a.s.sumed I still did.
And that was his second mistake.
We turned into the garage below his building in silence. Robert seemed satisfied by my lack of reply. He took my speechlessness for fear. He thought he had me cowed.
My heart thumped wildly as he opened the pa.s.senger door. He wouldn't do anything in the parking garage. There were cameras here. He wouldn't hurt me until we were safely back in the penthouse.
Each step I took brought me closer to the door.
He crossed the lobby so quickly I had to trot to keep up. His fingers were sunk deep in my flesh. It was happening fast. Too fast.
”Welcome back Miss Hawthorne! Glad to see you are well!”
”She is, Officer Wilkens, and we have you to thank for it.” Robert paused in front of the desk, holding me close. ”We owe you a huge debt of grat.i.tude, don't we Emilia?”
Officer Wilkens raised his eyebrows at me expectantly. My stomach churned in fear. He had been spying on me, for how long I didn't know. Because of him, J. was sitting in a jail cell, falsely accused. The rage that had been simmering inside of me reached a boiling point.
When I didn't answer right away, Robert stepped back. ”Emilia,” he prompted, gesturing towards the expectant Wilkens.
”No.”
Officer Wilkens only looked at me quizzically. But I heard the sharp sound of Robert's shock. And that was what I was looking for.
”f.u.c.k you, you evil piece of s.h.i.+t.” The words tumbled from my mouth as I spoke my truth. ”You've hurt me for the last f.u.c.king time. Do you hear me?”
Robert quickly recovered from his shock and chuckled mildly. ”Emilia, you're talking nonsense. We need to get you to bed.”
”I said no!” I flung my arm back, out of his grasp.
”Emilia!” He lunged forward.
That was the chance I needed. With my feet planted firmly, I twisted back with my hips, then let my fist fly through the air with the full force of my strength. I didn't stop when my fist crashed into Robert's jaw. I punched through his face in a mighty arc, snapping his head to the side and sending him reeling backwards to land on the floor.
”We're through. Don't ever come near me again!”
I was out of the door before he could recover. I never looked back as I sprinted away from him as fast as my legs could carry me.
Chapter 33.
Emmy The dorms for the U of Arts were only a few blocks away. I hoped beyond hope that Sammie was still where I remembered her. Where our room used to be. I hoped she hadn't moved out and gone home. It was hard to believe that our lunch was only a week ago.
I burst into the lobby of the dorm and jammed my fingers into the call b.u.t.ton. The aging system squawked to life and I heard a tinny but familiar voice. ”Who the f.u.c.k...?”
”Sammie, It's Emmy.”
”Emmy?” I heard fumbling staticky sounds that masked her next outburst. ”...doing here?”
”I need help, Sam.”
”Of course.” I heard the relief in her voice and knew she knew exactly what had happened. She held the buzzer down so long I was in the lobby before it stopped.
It was surreal bursting into my old room. She was still on the same side, the walls still decorated with her artwork and the huge, signed Tegan and Sara poster that was her pride and joy. But my side was different. Of course she had a new roommate, why would I think it was different? The world had gone on without me while I rotted in the penthouse.
”You left him,” she stated flatly when I stepped into the room. Her face was deadly serious.
I inhaled deeply, trying to calm my pounding heart. ”I did.”
She crushed me to her chest, but there was no triumph in her eyes. My best friend knew me too well. ”What do you need?”
”I don't have much time. He's trying to get me back, Sammie. And he's using the police to help him.”
She stepped back from me and pressed her bright-red lips together in a thin line. ”Tell me what I need to know.”
”I met another man, Sammie. And he's wonderful.” Tears flooded my eyes. I tried to hide the hitch in my voice. ”We were up that bed and breakfast outside of New Hope, the one you and I stayed at over Christmas break last year, remember? So I wouldn't have to go home to my family?”
She nodded, the tears filling her eyes at the memory.
”But Robert tracked me down. He was using the lobby guard to spy on me, Sammie. The guard is going to say that J. was stalking me and kidnapped me from the penthouse.”
”...the f.u.c.k?”
”Robert's money,” I spat. ”He can do anything because his last name is Whitestone.”
Her eyes flashed. ”No he f.u.c.king can't.”
”He can,” my voice was rising higher. ”He can unless I fight back. J. is in jail right now, up there in Bucks County. They're holding him for my statement. Robert was going to make me say I was kidnapped. If he gets to him before I do, I don't know what he will do. The lobby guard is an ex-cop, they'll believe him over J. I need to get up there and free him, get him out of there, before Robert presses false charges.”
”Do you need a ride?” She was already grabbing her keys.
I thought for a minute. She was in my corner. I had someone to fight for me, but I needed someone for J. too. ”I do. But not up there right away.”
”Where to then?” She had her purse on her shoulder.