“What kind of fool do you take me for, Andy?” He scoffs. “You played me for a fool.”
“I would never. I mean it, Mark! I had no idea they would be there. I’ve…I’d been hiding out after I left him. I was so certain he would never find me.”
“Really? Well, you looked pretty damn happy to fucking run off with him.”
Dammit, he’s not swallowing any of it.
“It wasn’t like that, Mark. I was as surprised to see him as you were. And then…when you had the knife to my throat…” I pause to let him take that in. “I panicked. I didn’t know what to do!” There’s an edge of hysteria to my voice that’s pretty darn convincing. Probably because I’m a little hysterical right now. Though not for the reasons he might be thinking.
“I guess that might have given you cause for concern.” He chuckles darkly.
“When he…when Mateo grabbed me, and then the bullets started flying… I was just acting on instinct, Mark. I ran for my life. I’m so…so sorry I didn’t stay behind to make certain you were okay.”
Fuck.If I’d stayed behind, I’d have happily watched him die.
“Ahh…isn’t that sweet. She wanted to make sure I was okay.” He laughs darkly.
“It’s true, dammit!” I know I shouldn’t be frustrated that he doesn’t believe me. I’m lying through my damn teeth. But he’s not buying the whole “I was worried about you” crap. I wouldn’t either.
“Mark,” I begin again. “Do you really think I would be calling you now if I’d planned to go running to him the first chance I got?”
He’s silent. I know he’s thinking this over. Because in a weird, twisted way, it makes sense.
“You may have a point,” he finally acknowledges.
“Of course I do!” I feel hope grow. “I’m certain you’ve had people watching Mateo? The Caraldis?”
He barks out a laugh. “You can bet your life I’m watching them.”
“And? Has anyone reported seeing me with any of them? With Mateo?”
“For all I know, you could be phoning me from there right now, Andrea.”
“You’d know if that was true. Nothing happens in this city without you knowing about it, Mark.” I’m playing to his ego, and true to form, he takes the bait.
“You got that fucking right!” There’s a sound from the line. I get the feeling he’s pacing. Talking about this gets him agitated. “Those cunts think they can play in my cabbage patch…they’ve got another thing coming!”
“Exactly! They need to pay for what they did you, Mark. To us.”
Oh God…forgive me, Mateo.
“Us? You think there’s an ‘us’ after this?” Although he’s sneering at me, I get the feeling he’s starting to come around.
“If…if you’ll have me? Mark, give me another chance. Please. I won’t let you down again. I swear on my life.”
The chuckle I’ve grown to hate rattles down the line again. My stomach spasms.
“Okay,” he says when I think I can’t bear the waiting any longer. “Okay, you’ve convinced me. But that doesn’t mean you’re getting out of showing me just how sorry you are.”
“I will, Mark! Trust me; you won’t regret it. I’ll…I’ll do anything to make you happy.” God, just thinking about having his hands on me again makes me sick.
“I’m sure you will. And you’ll get a chance to live up to that promise, sweet Andrea. I’ll call you later this week. We can set up a little playdate…you, me, and that pretty little pussy. Then you can show me how sorry you are.”
My mouth goes so dry that I struggle to respond. I don’t need to anyhow. He’s ended the call. I stare at the screen until the backlight fades to black. And then I lurch to my feet and bolt to the bathroom. Within moments, I’ve heaved up the burger I’d managed to choke down earlier. But even as I lie there with my cheek against the cold porcelain, I know I’m not getting out of this. If I want to get rid of Mark Whitlock, I’m going to have to sacrifice everything about myself.
Chapter 5
Mateo Ricci
