Jules and Marcus both hold her firmly on the edge of the stage as I approach and the scream pierces through the air. Hysteria. Regret. My god how I have missed this, the sound of terror.
“No! No! Please don’t,” she screams and begs, trying to break free.
“I could take your life, but that won’t please me. But taking the one thing you care about, your vanity, the thing you rely on to get what you want, that brings me peace,” I say before I cut into her skin, starting from the corner of her mouth, and sliding the scalpel upwards until it reaches the outer corner of her eye. The skin parts slowly, revealing the flesh underneath before blood starts to pour. She shakes in pain and horror as I fuck up that pretty face. It doesn’t take long to complete. When I step back and look at the gaping flesh, her face covered in blood, tears and snot, I feel alive. Like that weight pulling me and Leo down has been cut away. She will never forget this.
Dima passes Marcus some gauze for him to stem the bleeding against her face as she continues to cry and scream. It was her own fault.
Dima clears his throat and signals for Marcus’ men to step forward. Our time is up.
Clearly in shock, she doesn’t fight the guys as they lift her out to the back of the bar to another vehicle, she just makes herself smaller like it will make a difference, but these guys don’t care.
Before she leaves, she lifts her bloody and tear stained face to look at me, with the understanding she has beenoutplayed and it’s over. She’ll think her parents back in Ohio will look for her, but the truth is Sarah has vanished. She will be that one unsolved case that will appear in a documentary years from now as an unresolved mystery.
As the door closes behind her, the bar breathes again. Everyone is relieved that it went better than expected. Dima lights a cigar, Jules heads out back, and I stay right where I am, looking at nothing.
Sarah is no longer. Leo is safe. I have completed my task.
I take out my phone to see there is a message from Leo, sent twenty minutes earlier:
Leo: When are you coming home?
Me: On my way.
Three dots appear.
Leo: Okay.
Everything has slotted into place like the perfect puzzle. All I see ahead is beauty and Leo.
CHAPTER 33 - LEO
It’s been a week since my small meltdown at my old apartment, and finally I’m free of it. Everything that chained me to that old life is now gone. The only thing left is to leave my job at the mail room. I could stay, but the idea of working where Ethan is, is not ideal. So, I’ve decided to start focusing a lot more on my sculptures and look into advertising my work. I do plan to get a part time job that can keep me afloat. I don’t want to rely on Ethan, even though he is insistent he looks after me. But I need my own money. I need to work.
“So, gonna miss you dude,” Danny says to me as we get ready to clock off work. He’s a great guy and I plan to keep in touch with him. He’s the only friend I’ve made here since arriving in the city and he has agreed to come and check out my work when it’s all finished. The only issue I have is that nobody knows about my relationship with Ethan and I’m nervous about how it will be received.
We both grab our things while Danny tells me about the argument he got into with his girlfriend about whether rock music from the 70s was better than the 80s. I admire that their arguments are so superficial, unlike some of the drama that goes on in my life, but I enjoy listening to him.
We are just about to leave the mailroom when Ethan walks in, and my stomach drops when I see his face. Oh no. He has that ‘look’. The look he gives me before he kisses me and drags me to bed. I know he sees the panic on my face as he strolls calmly over to me. Danny has gone still and has lost the ability to speak. Before I can say a word, Ethan plants a big kiss on my mouth and grabs the back of my head, making it obvious to anyone that I am his. I want to die of embarrassment, but also give myself up to Ethan in front of everyone.
“Ethan…stop,” I hiss, trying to pull away. Danny has a look of pure horror on his face, his mouth so wide he could catch flies.
“Danny, listen…” I start to say as Ethan places kisses down my neck.
“Will you cut it out, I need to talk to Danny,” I say, pushing him away.
“Fine. I’ll give you five minutes,” he says before leaving the mailroom to wait for me out front. My face burns as I look at Danny who still looks like he doesn’t know me. This gossip will keep him busy for weeks.
“You’re with the boss?” he says, his voice higher pitched than I’ve ever heard.
“Yeah, listen, it’s a long story, but yes, we’re together.”
“But, I thought you were straight? I thought you had a girlfriend?”
“We broke up a couple of weeks ago.”
“Shit. Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because it was complicated and I just wanted to forget about it.”
