Enough (25 page)

“What do you want from me?”
I asked. He didn’t say anything. “I’ve had enough of your stupid games.”

“I wouldn’t call them games.” He
said walking toward a wall. “I want to tell you a story.” I rolled my eyes and let out a pissed off breath.

“I don’t think
I have a choice if I want to listen to it or not.” I said.

“First
, let me get something off my chest.” He pulled up a seat and sat down on it backwards. “You messed up everything, Emily. You shouldn’t have gone back to school yesterday. I was worried you’d remember me.”

I looked down slowly.
I still have on my heels. I looked up at the ceiling. The wooden block is maybe a foot and a half higher than me. I can jump.

“How did I
ruin everything?” I asked. He smirked at me.

“I had very important plans later on this weekend.
You’re smart though. You probably would have figured me out sooner rather than later.” He said.

“No
, not really. You don’t look like the type. You’re just a pathetic guy who has to force himself on women to get his rocks off. I would say that you’d be down…all the way down the list of suspects.” I said. He stared at me. I hit the spot. “I actually wouldn’t have you on the list period. You’re a little girly for my taste.”

He stood up and walked over to me. I don’t think he
’s afraid of me kicking him. I can’t take any risk of him hurting the people tied up because of me though.
Watch what you say.

“It’s funny how you’re acting like this tough girl right now. It’s not going to work. I can do whatever I want to you right now.”
He said.

“Fuck you!” I snapped
. Then he slapped me. I guess I was right, he’s kind of girly. I plastered a smile on my face. “You hit like a bitch.” Shit. I have to shut up. It took a few seconds for him to process that before he landed another one, this time a little harder. That one stung.

“
Just shut up, Emily. You’re not helping anyone.” He snapped. “Okay, let me tell you how I got them here before I start my story.” I stared at Sophie. She doesn’t deserve this. None of them do. “Sophie and Zach were invited to a party. My party. They didn’t know that though. I snagged them when they walked through the door. Tiffany. I didn’t want to drag her in here but the more company the better. Alex… now that was fun.” I looked at Gio. He wants everything to sink in. I wasn’t going to show him shit. “Alex went home. I was wondering whether or not to take him but because he seems like he means something to you, I took him. I got him unexpectedly. Then there’s Bryan.” My eyes went to Bryan. We haven’t talked in a while but he’s still Bryan. My Bryan. “Bryan wanted to follow Tiffany to the party. I guess he could join in, right? It’s a little Christmas party with friends.” Christmas. I forgot about the party back home. Nobody is coming for us. Just great.

“Why did you drag them in this? You still haven’t told me anything useful.”
I said pulling on the ropes.

“L
et’s start with Zach then.” Zach tensed up at the sound of his name. “Did you know he was the person who started the rumors about you?” Giovanni smiled at me. “He’s the reason you’re in this position. With me, I mean.” I stared at Giovanni for a while. A light bulb lit up in my head.

“This has nothing to do with the rumors
, does it?” I asked. Giovanni stared at me with his arms crossed. “If it did, that night at the party, you wouldn’t have done this.” I jerked my head down to the scar. “You would have left me alone after you raped me. But you kept coming back and poking things at me. What’s the real reason?” He seemed to be interested now. “This has nothing to do with them. There’s something about me, isn’t there?”

“I told you
, you were smart. That’s where the story comes in.” He moved to my side, studying my body. I tried not moving, maybe he would look elsewhere. “My father was killed two years ago–”

“If he
was anything like you I would’ve done it myself.” I said.

He raised an eyebrow at me and
took something out of his back pocket. Fuck. It’s his knife.

“Talk about my father again.
” He said moving the knife over my rib cage, down my abdomen then up to my throat. He smiled. “Thought so.”

“You better do it because I swear
you’re going to regret when I get my hands on yo–”

“You’re not going anywhere. Don’t give your fri
ends false hope.” He said pressing the knife harder against the side of my throat. I felt the tip pierce enough skin for some blood to seep through. Goddammit.

“I’m not scared of you.”
I said not once breaking eye contact.

“You should be.” He moved the
knife back down to abdomen. He hovered over my scar then slowly moved to the left of it. He pressed the knife harder into the side of my skin. I turned my head away from him and shut my eyes. I know what’s coming. He pressed the knife harder until it slowly cut through skin. My body shivered with pain and a tear slid down my cheek as I clenched my teeth shut.

“I don’t mind cutting you up. It’s pretty fun.
” He said pulled the knife out then walking back to his chair. “My father was killed by someone you know.” My side hurts like hell. He didn’t cut through anything vital but the fact that my skin had another hole because of him made me furious. “Do you know who I’m talking about?” He waited for an answer. I wasn’t going to give one. “Your father.”

I slowly opened my eyes and turned toward him.

David isn’t my father.

“I don’t care what he did
. He disappeared and I never heard from him again.” I said.

“Yes
, I know that.” Giovanni slid the knife back and forth on the chair’s back. “Did he disappear because what happened to you eight years ago?” He knows something. No one knows what happened except for my family…and Alex. And Alex was the only one who knows he tried to rape me. I turned to Alex and he shook his head. He wouldn’t have told him that. “I know what he did to you when you were younger.” Giovanni said. “I know how he came into your room and–”

“Shut up
!” I yelled at him.

“
…and how he climbed on top of your helpless little body–”

“Shut up
! Shut up! You have no right saying anything about me or my childhood.” I snapped.

“That’s where
you’re wrong.” He put the knife in the back of his jeans. “I know more about you then you think. I just want to talk about it. And I know something else. Your dad wants you dead as much as I do. No one likes you, I guess.” What? He stood up and grabbed something from a small desk nearby. I looked around the room…we’re in a basement. Great! Just fucking great! Giovanni walked over with photos in hands. “What I don’t understand is what you did during the summer.” I watched his every movement. “You were very sneaky…touchy subject?” He asked.

“What do you want? I’m getting kind of bored
.” I said.

He
threw the pictures up in the air and let them fall to the floor. They’re all black and white.

“Who’s the guy you were with this summer?” He asked.
When I didn’t answer, he walked up to me. “Emily…don’t be selfish. Spill.”

“Is it okay
if I zone out?” I asked.

He laughed. “I’m going to have so much fun with
you.” My body went stiff. He’s going to do what?! He’s not going to touch me.

When he turned and walked away, I looked down at a photo. I sl
id it over with my heel. I can’t believe it.

It’
s me and Ty backed up against a window in Ty’s room. We were lost in each other’s lips and I was topless with Ty’s hands on my bare back. This was before my tattoo. I remember this. Jesus. My eyes widened when I saw the other ones. They were all black and white but they all involved me. “How long have you been following me?” I asked. He doesn’t know what happened this summer. He can’t.

“Now you’re interested.” He opened a door and smiled at me. “I’ll be right back. I’m starving. Don’t go
anywhere.” He winked then left through a door to the right of him. I heard another door close after a few seconds. Then it was silent.

I turned to my friends.
“It’s okay…we’re going to get out.” I said looking around. After a few minutes, I found nothing. Then I heard a vibration. I stood still. It’s a phone. I turned around and saw my phone lying on the ground a few inches away. I stretched out my leg and tried to bring it over. Come on. Come on. Come on! I got it. Yes! I flipped it over. Mark. Oh, thank god! Mark’s my skittle friend. Tears ran down my eyes. I can do this.

I slipped off
my heel and used my toe. There’s a first for everything. “Mark! Mark, you need to help me!” I said. Oh, great. My phone’s about to die. He’s saying something but I can’t hear him. “Skittles! Willow Road in Charlestown. Last house on the road then take a left. Call the police and tell them to hurry.” I tried to breathe. “Skittles! Did you hear me? Willow Road. Last house after a left. Charlestown. Call the police and–” My phone died. I couldn’t stop my anger from coming out. “Ugh!” I turned around and kicked the wall as hard as I could. I kicked it over and over again as I tried to get my hands free but only ended up tearing skin. A door slammed shut a few seconds after then I slipped my heel back on and kicked my phone a few inches away.

Giovanni came back
with a soda in his hands.

“Can you stop making noise?”
He asked.

“Go fuck yourself!” I spat.
I’m done. I want out now. He set his soda down and stared at me with rage running through him. He was about to walk towards me when something fell from behind the wall. I looked in the direction of the noise. Giovanni smiled and walked toward the door he just came from.

“Aa
h, it’s a surprise so close your eyes.” He said walking out.

I looked up at the w
ooden block. If I jumped I can probably reach it. I did this thing a lot on the monkey bars. I just have to use my upper body strength and I can wrap my legs around it and get myself free from the hook holding up the rope.

Gio
vanni came back in the room dragging something. I see hair. It’s a person. “Emily, here’s the special guest.” He threw her down in front of me. Then I saw her face…Mrs. Diaz. She looked beaten and like she hasn’t eaten in days. “Two weeks in here can really drain you.” She doesn’t look like she’s alive. “You should have gone to Washington, Emily. Your life would have been better there.” I stared at Mrs. Diaz trying to locate a move of a finger or her chest rising and falling but I couldn’t see anything.

“What did you do
to her?” I asked with a shaky breath.

“Nothing. She chose not to eat.” I looked up at him.

“What is wrong with you? You–”

“Shut up, it’s still my turn to talk.
” He sat down in his chair like he has no care in the world. “We’re back to your father now. I don’t remember the details about that night. Care to fill me in?” I felt something warm run down my nose, past my lips and then eventually hit the floor. I looked down, it’s blood. I hate these nose bleeds but maybe I can make it work in this situation. The migraine will be coming soon so I have a limited time.

“Bummer…
I guess you’re going to have to come up with the rest of the story by yourself.” I said. The lights are hurting my eyes. Not a good sign. “If I don’t get an Advil and iron in my system, we can’t have any more fun.” I said with a smile.

“It’
ll pass.” He said.

“That’s what you think.” I
feel the migraine coming. I slowly closed my eyes. This light is way too bright. Damn it, the blood is still coming.

He clapped his hands loud and it hurt my ears.

“I want you awake for what I plan on doing next. Don’t make a sound or I will kill every single one of them in front of you.”

The
migraine is pushing its way through. I heard Giovanni walk out of the door and close it. I opened my eyes and waited a few more seconds. Another door opened and closed. This is it.

I pushed the migraine away and
I jumped as high as I could. I reached the wooden block and used all my upper body strength to lift my legs over. I swung my right leg over one side and my left on the other then I wrapped my legs around the block.

I
got the rope free from the hook and I pulled a loose end until the rope came off. I swung my legs back around and jumped. My head is throbbing. I steadied myself and brought my hands to my head and shut my eyes. I can’t think about this right now. I rushed over to Mrs. Diaz and put two fingers on her neck. I felt a faint heartbeat. She said something but I couldn’t hear it.

“What?” I whispered.

“Denise.” She finally said.

“Denise?”
What does–

I heard footsteps coming beh
ind me. I turned and saw Denise, Mrs. Bond, coming toward me with a knife in her hands. What the fuck? Holy shit. This is starting to make sense. Mrs. Diaz never called. Denise had her here all along. Where’s Mr. Diaz?