Page 54 of Cold

ChapterEighteen

ROMARE

I watchedVito as he tidied everything up. When I tried to help, I’d been scolded, and I wasn’t going to get in trouble again. I wrapped my arms around my knees and smiled. This was the best day of my life. I wanted to cherish every second of it.

When I yawned, Vito chuckled. “Let’s get you to a hotel for the night.”

“We’re not going back home?” I asked, standing up and dusting sand off my thighs.

“No, I decided to get us a room out here. We’ll head back before the sun comes up tomorrow.”

I nodded. “I have to pee.”

“Come on, I’ll take you to the bathroom,” he said as he juggled the basket full of things he’d had waiting for us at the beach.

I shook my head. “I can go by myself. You’re carrying everything, I don’t think I need help doing that.” I grinned. I pushed up onto the tips of my toes and he leaned down to meet me. My lips brushed against his cheek. “I’ll be right back. Can we get some ice cream on the way back?”

Vito pulled out his phone and nodded. “Let me see where one is,” he gazed around. “Damn it, all the workers made themselves scarce.”

“Well, you did tell them to fuck off when you attacked me,” I teased. “If you weren’t so against sharing-”

“Never,” he growled.

Tingles of happiness spread throughout me. I know I teased, but I never wanted Vito to share me with anyone else. Knowing that he would rip someone’s head off for even looking at me wrong was an added bonus.

“Hurry back over here,” he demanded.

“Awww you’ll miss me,” I said.

“Boy,” Vito growled.

I jumped and snatched up the pair of neon orange flip-flops and high-tailed it to the bathroom. The sound of Vito’s laughter behind me brought a smile to my lips. He’d been lonely for so long. When we first met, I was sure that he would be cruel and cold the entire time I was in his care. But there was so much more to the man underneath it all.

I stepped into the bathroom and peeked around before I locked the door behind me. Opening a stall, I tugged at my shorts and froze. Standing there like a mirage in a harsh desert was Sergei.

He didn’t move; he barely seemed to blink. The air got stuck in my lungs and I wanted to claw at my throat to make myself breathe and swallow again. The panic set in and gripped me so hard that I couldn’t stop shaking.

I’m hallucinating. He’s not real. He can’t be!

“Stop staring at me and come here,” Sergei said, a grin tugging at his thin lips. “I knew you’d have to go pee eventually. All those drinks and popsicles. You never could hold it long.” He glanced toward the door. “Too bad he’s not with you. I was going to put a bullet in his brain.”

Sergei showed me the gun and my heart pounded in my chest. Any minute it felt like my heart was going to burst. I tightened my hand into a fist, my nails digging into my flesh.

“Didn’t I tell you to come here?”

“Y-yes,” I squeaked out. “Sorry.”

Every step I took, the wet thwack of my flip-flops on the disgusting floor filled my ears. My blood rushed so hard it damn near drowned out every other sound. By the time I was within Sergei’s reach, I felt like I had to pass out.

“Why haven’t you done your job yet?” He asked.

I trembled. “Uh, he…uh…” My mouth refused to work. “I…I-”

“Speak right!” Sergei growled. “Do I need to beat the words out of you?”

“No, sir!”

I wanted to close my eyes and start over again, but I didn’t want to let Sergei out of my sight. My mouth opened to speak, but when only a squeak came out, I forced myself to shut up. I need to go back. I know how to survive around Sergei. I pushed back every emotion and let myself go cold.

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