Page 42 of The Storms Between Us
thirty-four
I pullto a quick stop in front of my old building, not caring that I'm parked in a fire lane. Let them give me a ticket. At least then I would know the cops were around. I look up to the window that used to lead into my living room. That building has been the setting of some of my most treasured memories. Now, it's poisoned by my imagined images of Kelsea suffering somewhere inside.
I race into the building, not even bothering to lock the doors of my Jeep. On a normal day, I would wait for the antique elevator to carry me up to the third floor, but I don’t have time to waste tonight. I take the stairs two at a time, trying to keep my racing heart under control. By the time I make it to the door of the apartment, I'm sucking in breaths rapidly. My lungs burn from the exasperation, but I pull myself together.
I pound my fist against the door and listen for any movement coming from inside. “Justin!? I’m here! Open the door! Please! Kelsea?” I yell, beating my fist against the door so hard I can hear the chain rattle against it from the other side. Suddenly, the door swings open and someone grabs me by the elbow, pulling me inside quickly and pushing my back against the door as it slams shut.
“What the fuck are you doing, Ember? Trying to wake the entire building?” Justin says, his face only an inch or two away from mine. I feel his hot breath against my cheek and a knot forms in the pit of my stomach. I’ve never before been so disgusted by someone’s touch as I am right now.
“No! I’m sorry, Justin. Really, I was just in such a hurry,” I say, trying to pull my arm from his grasp, but that only makes him squeeze tighter. I know I’ll have a few finger-shaped bruises there tomorrow, if I make it to tomorrow. The look in his eyes is unlike anything I've ever seen outside of horror movie villains. His usual brown irises are nearly black. His expression is so cold and empty, it sends a shiver up my spine. I’ve seen him mad. In fact, I've been both the cause and target of that anger, but I’ve never seen him this disconnected from reality. “You’re hurting my arm, Justin,” I say as calmly as possible.
He continues staring into my eyes, a sinister smile spreading across his lips. “Sometimes, my love, a little pain is necessary. You didn’t appreciate that before. But you will now,” he slowly releases his grip one finger at a time. He shoves me down onto the couch, and I pull my knees tightly up to my chin. I don’t want to say or do anything to anger him further, but I’m terrified. I can’t tell from across the room that his pupils are the size of saucers, telling me he’s obviously on something. We sit in motionless, me staring at the floor, him staring at wall blankly. I want to ask about Kelsea, but I don’t want to set him off. The cavern of silence between us grows wider by the minute. After nearly an hour and a half just sitting here, I can’t take it anymore.
“Justin,” his eyes snap to me instantly, and they’re completely vacant. Like there’s no one actually inside his body. “Where is Kelsea?” I ask, looking around the living room and kitchen. I don’t see any sign of her, but I feel bile rise in my throat when I spot a small pool of blood on the kitchen floor. “Oh, god! Justin, whose blood is that?” I ask, my voice shaking as I point towards the kitchen floor. Surely that isn’t enough blood for her to be dead somewhere, right? I have no clue. I stand and walk to the kitchen for a closer look.
He scoffs behind me, sounding disgusted. “That little whore thought she could get the best of me,” he says, leaning his back against the front door with his arms crossed. I don’t know how he looks so calm and collected in this situation, but it's alarming. “Bitch tried to stab me. Can you believe that?” He says and I gasp, my hands coming to my mouth in shock. “Don’t be scared, my love, soon she won’t be a problem for us anymore,” he says, waving his hand through the air as if he's brushing it off.
“Where is she?!” I scream and a sharp slap rings in my ears. I’m stunned momentarily before the pain seeps into my skin. I feel tears stinging my eyes as something warm and wet rolls down my lip. The metallic taste of blood fills my mouth and I know my nose is bleeding from the hit.
“Control yourself, Ember!” He yells at me, “I won’t have you acting like such a lunatic. It’s embarrassing,” he says, coming closer and gripping my chin tightly. I wince at the pain blossoming in my cheek, but quickly school my emotions. “You’ll learn quickly, my dear. I won’t tolerate this insolence from you any longer,” He says, kissing my cheek where his handprint flames red against my skin.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper softly, tears steadily streaming down my face. He releases his grip on my chin and caresses my cheek gently. His touch makes my skin crawl, but I know if I react, he’ll only become angrier. “I only worry that if anyone shows up here, you could get in trouble,” I say, trying to sound like a concerned lover.
He wraps an arm tightly around my waist, squeezing my hip roughly. “No need to worry, my love,” he says, and he pulls me along next to him down the hallway.
We walk towards what used to be my bedroom and I brace myself for what is waiting for me inside. As we come through the doorway, I can’t hold back the loud sob that escapes my lips. In the corner is a dingy mattress and box spring covered in a thin sheet. On top of the sheet, Kelsea lies motionless. I see a gash across her cheek and blood soaks through a spot in her shirt near her hip. I try to watch her chest for movement, any sign that she's still breathing, but I can’t tell from this far away.
“This is what will happen to anyone who tries to get between us, Ember. Your friends, your brother, that disgusting ink-covered criminal you allowed to touch you, I will eliminate them all,” he says.
I try to close my eyes and will myself to wake up from this nightmare, but a sharp tug on my ponytail tells me this is real. He brings his face closer to mine, pressing his nose against the skin on my neck and inhaling deeply. I move to turn my face away, but he pulls my hair harder, holding me in place. I whimper at the needle-like pain radiating across my scalp and he laughs darkly. He slides his other hand down my body, gripping my breast roughly. I try in vain to escape his hold, but he’s too strong.
A knock on the door interrupts his aggressive perusal of my body. He pushes me roughly down to the floor. “You stay here,” he says, pulling a gun from his waistband. “You make a sound and I’ll put a bullet in that pretty little head of yours, understand?” He asks and I nod quickly. He stalks out of the room towards the front door.
I hear a low, pained moan coming from across the room and turn to see Kelsea’s eyes peaking open. I race to her side, holding her still on the mattress. “Hey, it's me, Kelsea, don’t worry. Just stay still, okay? I’m gonna get us out of this. God, I’m so sorry this is happening to you,” I whisper, brushing her hair back from her face. I have no clue how we’re gonna get out of this, but I know this is not where I want my story to end.
