“Ask me. I'm calmer today.”
My lip rose in disgust, curling over my teeth and mimicking a dog that would loathe this cage as I did.
“I know you have questions.” A puff of smoke seeped through the bars and choked me, just like Ville’s hands had done so many times. The ache in the left side of my neck, scarred and blistered, pleaded as I turned my head. Pleaded for me not to say a damn word.
“Okay, I'll tell you. You’re right, but that kid is out of his head. He’ll never know. He’ll never know I’m pretending to care about him.” He took another drag, the cigar shrinking in his mouth. “Deep down, all he wants is love and he’ll do anything to get it. Ifhis littlefalls for myshit, he’ll convince the other two, and then when he’s what I need him to become, I’ll medicate him. But he’ll have different ideas of right and wrong by then.”
“Why?”
“Why? Isn’t it obvious? You’ve seen him. Facially, he’s flawless. He could bring in a lot of money. Girls would drop at his feet. Beg him to take them home. It wouldn’t take long for me to steal everything with Alerion out of the picture. This empire, one of the biggest trafficking rings in the world, would be ours. Heaven on Earth. . . pretty good name, don’t you think?”
“Run by a guy named Hell?” The sarcasm was thick on my tongue.
“Ironic, isn’t it?” Ville laughed, sounding more like a villain than ever.
“Did you pick me?” I had no idea where that question came from, but the second it popped into my head, it was out of my mouth.
“I did. Based on girls you looked similar to. Women from TV and magazines. Women that got a different reaction from Woodrow to all the skinny blondes. You can blame him for the death of your father.”
“I know what you’re doing. I know you are trying to turn us against each other, but it won’t work. He’s already hurt me in the worst ways.” I pointed to my face with a trembling hand. “He’s scarred me. He’s raped me. I still love him. You won’t win. You won’t turn me against him, leaving only you with your false love. You’ll have to kill me. . . and he will never forgive you for that.”
“Ultimately, it’ll be his decision what happens to you. . . if you make it that long.”
“He won’t kill me.”
“He might not. . . but Hell might.” A sinister smile lifted Ville’s lips, his dirty teeth as exposed as my body.
“How many girls—”
“Have I done this to? Fuck knows. Too many to count. Since Nessie was born, they are all delivered to the basement, for me to break, in some way. You were the exception.”
“Why?”
“You had a different purpose. You weren’t here to be broken; you were here to fixsomeone else. You were never meant for me. Though none of these girls have been. That said, I won’t deny the pleasure I took from the others.” The tiny cigar shrunk again, as he took another puff. “Many end up sold on. The ones that don’t make it, or won't make it, Sylvia takes. The dying girls are used in a different way, organs for the rich. The dead ones, he eats.”
Ville spoke as if his words were part of normal conversation. Cannibalism and illegal sales were the norm to him, I guess.
“You were luckier than the others. You had weeks of a warm bed. You should have counted your blessings, because they are over now.
I was done with listening to him. Done with looking at his ugly face. I turned away, my fingers wrapping tighter around Jesus’ throat, waiting for God to strike me down in retaliation, when I said, “Where’s my food?”
Chapter 24
Jolie—aged eighteen
It was good to be free.
Amazing to feel the light breeze of spring on my face.
My palm grew sweaty, wrapped in his much bigger hand. Violet nails gleamed in the sunlight, matching the delicate tones of purple that adorned my dress. The crystals on my wedged sandals twinkled, fascinating the toddler at my feet who played with them.
The child’s skin was a beautiful shade, a mix of me and him. Her pretty eyes and long lashes were traits she got from her father.
His other hand held a daisy, that, after failing to amuse our daughter with, he decided to prop behind my ear. He kissed my scars, now faded from the recent surgery.
“You look beautiful,” he whispered, sliding closer on the blanket where we sat.
I didn’t believe him, but I smiled all the same, appreciating the efforts he made with us.
