Page 50 of Beautifully Damned
I sit on the edge of the bed and let out a slow breath. “How long are they keeping me?”
“Depends.”
“On what?”
“On whether Roman gets bored of scaring the hell out of you and your family.”
I laugh bitterly. “That… might take a while.”
I bury my face in my hands. Every second I stay here, I fall deeper into Roman’s darkness. I’m being dragged under, and I don’t know how to swim in this world.
Lola stretches, then moves toward the door, like she’s clocked out of the conversation. “Thanks for the chat,” she says casually.
I nod, a little stunned. That’s it?
Just before the door closes, she pauses. “Oh,” she says louder now, patting her back pocket. “Shit. I wonder where I left my phone.”
Except… her phone is right there. On the bedside table. She must’ve placed it there when I wasn’t looking. She’s either a really bad actor, or I’m no longer able to read people.
My heart thuds. Is she leaving it on purpose? So I can call my father? Or is this some kind of trap? She’s Roman’s future sister-in-law. That means he won’t hurt her. Which means… she can afford to take risks neither I nor a low-ranking guard can.
Maybe this is her way of helping me. I look at the phone. Then at the closed door. So now I have to decide—do I treat this like a test?
Or do I treat it like an offering?
I reach for the phone.
Offering it is.
?Chapter XXXII?
Ayla
I make the call, the phone rings once, twice… and then it connects. “Baba?” I heave.
“Canim kizim,” he breathes, his voice thick, older than I remember. “Are you hurt? Are you okay?”
“Baba, I’m okay… I think.” What do I tell him? Yeah, Baba I’m not hurt physically, but I did sleep with the enemy, and now my pride hurts. That I betrayed him in the worst way just for a bit of fun?
“We offered them the best we could, but they’ve given us nothing in return. Roman has still not updated us. Did you hear anything? Did anyone tell you anything?”
“No, Baba, they are not telling me anything.” I say, shell-shocked. So my fatherdidactually make an offer, and if he says he offered them the best he could, then he truly did offer him the best he could. Why hasn’t Roman accepted it and sent me on my way?
“I need you to listen to me. We have waited long enough. We can’t wait anymore. Drastic measures are being taken,kizim.We don’t have a choice.”
Panic engulfs me whole. That doesn’t sound good. “What do you mean stay calm? You’re scaring me. Don’t do anything. Please, Baba, you know we are no match for them.”
“We are not fools. We already offered him the best we could, and yet he refused. What more does he want?” He spits.
Why Roman? Why not accept? What do you want from me?This all could have been over if Roman just let it go.
“There are people moving. This will not be clean. I need you to do exactly what I say. You need to stay low. Find somewhere inside. Don’t be near windows. Don’t move unless you must. Just hide.”
“What do you mean hide? From what? I just want to come home. Please, I’m scared. I want my mother. I want Emir. Please don’t hurt anyone. Just talk to them. Maybe it’s not too late. Baba, no. Don’t do this.”
I can’t stomach the idea of people hurting because of me. Or worst of all…. That person beingRoman. I’m hyperventilating, literally terrified out of my mind. This is escalating way too quickly, and it’s going to be worse than a nightmare.
Pop.
