Page 110 of Scarred King
“What’s going on here?” he asks Mariano.
“Where is she?” I scream at Giovanni.
“The whore?” He asks in confusion. “It will take her some time to recover, yeah?”
“You.” I point at the brunette. “Go get her.” She hurries upstairs and quickly returns with Johanna. I look at her. She’s wearing a red silk robe and rubbing her nose. She looks sleepy and strange, but she’s walking on her own.
Johanna stops in front of Tommy and fixes her hair. “Don’t go near him!” I shout and she looks at me in confusion. “Come to me,” I signal, and she starts walking towards me.
“But I haven’t finished working.” She rubs her nose again and I pull her close to me.
“Did he hurt you?” I ask as I study her delicate face.
“I don’t think so,” she replies and feels her jaw.
“We’re going now,” I say firmly, still waving the lighter. “Nobody follows us!” I shout. Liam stands up and I glare at him threateningly.
I pull her along with me, take my bag from the counter and continue walking backwards. I turn around to open the door and run with her towards the first taxi lined up outside. She’s too dazed to resist me. I push her into the back seat and am about to climb in beside her.
“Elena,” Liam stands behind me and grasps my elbow. “Don’t do this. Don’t leave me.”
My frenzy evaporates and I burst into tears. I shake his hand off. “If you love me, if you really love me, you’ll let me go now.”
“I can’t,” he says painfully and shakes his head.
“The collision is too hard.” I place my hand on his chest and push myself back. "The collision between our worlds has made them both explode. All that’s left is a black hole. Please don’t come after me.” I sit next to Johanna and close the door, as the driver starts driving away.
43
The cab stops outside a two-story building that looks like a regular house on a quiet and peaceful street. When I realized that Johanna wasn’t going to let go of her habit on her own, I researched the best facilities in the city. This is one of them. We get out of the cab and I ask the driver to wait for me.
“Where are we?” Johanna asks and yawns. “I think I fell asleep,” she giggles.
“We’re somewhere that will give you back control over your life.” I put my arm through hers and guide her towards the front door.
“I don’t want to be here!” she gasps as she realizes where I’ve brought her.
“Johanna, if you don’t walk in with me willingly, I’ll call your parents.” I say calmly and she looks at me in shock.
“You wouldn't dare do that,” she says, and I smile at her.
“Want to try me?”
She sniffs her nose and tightens her robe. “I will not forgive you for this,” she says dryly, and I rub my burning eyes and press the doorbell. Several minutes pass and an older woman opens the door and looks at us.
“Both of you?” she asks with a motherly smile.
“No,” I answer and take Johanna inside. The woman hands us some forms and Johanna answers my questions unwillingly as I fill them in. I return the forms as she watches me suspiciously.
“Are you sure you don’t want to join her?”
I shake my head, realizing she must be mistaken because of the way I dressed for tonight’s performance.
“Okay,” she shrugs and asks Johanna to join her.
“Elena, I will never forgive you for this.” Johanna smiles at me bitterly and I run outside. As soon as I get in the cab I burst into tears. “Where to now, ma’am?” the driver asks, glancing at me curiously in the rear-view mirror.
“The airport,” I answer, wiping my tears with my scarf. I don’t feel crazy anymore. I don’t feel hatred anymore. I just feel terribly empty.