Page 78 of Falcon's Prey

His eyes gave nothing away this time. His face was a stony mask. Sometimes he seemed so docile I forgot what lurked beneath.

“Is it easy?”

“What’s easy?”

“Taking a life,” I whispered.

“Are you asking if it’s easy to kill or easy to live with that kill?”

When I didn’t answer, he kept going.

“Killing is easy. It’s everything that happens after that can fuck you up. Now it just feels like another score to my hit list.” Ren put his thumb and finger to my chin. “I’m not a good guy, princess. I don’t feel deeply. Emotions can be controlled, and everything is just a means to an end.”

My belly dipped in disappointment. “Is that what I am? A means to an end?”

“You are a disaster I never saw coming,” he said as he pushed me off him.

He turned off the light to the room when he walked out.

* * *

The days leadingup to Friday came in a blur. Ren didn’t stay with me in those days. I hadn’t seen him at all since the day in my room. My door was locked, and food and water were brought to me by Pamela, who was no closer to liking me. If it weren’t for her bringing me a bag with clothes, I wouldn’t have known what day it was.

The dress was a coral color with spaghetti straps. It was skimpy and barely covered my ass. The material was cheap, and the heels looked like they belonged to a street hooker.

Fucking bitch.

I knew she did it on purpose, but my new mantra was getting me through the days. I didn’t break for anyone. So I threw on the clothes and did my makeup. The girl staring back in the mirror was one I knew well. She was a liar, a pretender. She hid her sins in diamonds and covered her secrets with lies.

I was still looking at my reflection when Ren appeared. He stood at the entrance to the bathroom. His appearance took me back to our night in the maze. He wore all black like a boogeyman ready to come out and play. Our eyes met over the mirror. His jaw clenched as his eyes trailed over my body.

“You look like a whore.”

“Guess your little bitch was trying to prove a point,” I said.

“Let’s go.” He turned around without another word.

I followed him down the stairs, where I caught a glimpse of Pam. She wore a gorgeous red dress that was classy and nothing like the outfit she had thrown on me. She wanted to prove a point, but I was not going to let her succeed.

Once we were at the door, Ren stood behind me, his lips by my ear. “Don’t do anything stupid like trying to run.”

The thought did cross my mind, but every time I thought of running, I got filled with dread. My only consolation was that as long as I was with Ren, Silas couldn’t find me. We often fed ourselves excuses trying to hide the truths we were still too scared to admit, and I feared that was the path I was heading toward.

I sat in the back with Pam coming in next to me. Ren was at the wheel. Like I was dumb enough to jump out of a moving vehicle.

Zeke liked to have his parties on the docks. Drive by the harbor at night while everyone had a good time. Make sure his guests didn’t go anywhere while he had his fun. We made it to the dock in no time. My door opened, and Ren was there holding his hand out for me.

It almost felt like old times.

A lifetime ago.

The sun was already setting, casting a glow over the water. I stopped for a second to take in the beauty of it all. Funny how you forgot about the little things, and when they smacked you in the face, they made you feel like everything you cared about before was stupid.

“Keep walking, bitch,” Pam scoffed.

People were trying to get inside. We formed a line, Pam at my front and Ren at my back. I’d never been one for many friends, but for the last year, I wasn’t seen at all. Not unless you counted my social media.

It was a gamble being here today, but most of these people didn’t run in Silas’s circles, so by the time he heard of my appearance here, it would be a long time from now.

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