Page 38 of Dark Therapy
Curiosity piqued, I hesitated for just a moment before picking it up. The ringing echoed in the quiet room, and I hit the answer button, bringing the phone to my ear. “Hello?”
“Millie,”
The voice sent a jolt through me, cold and familiar. My heart dropped as I recognized it instantly—Damien. My stomach twisted, dread creeping in.
“Damien?” I managed to say, trying to keep my voice steady despite the panic swirling inside me. “What do you want?”
“Listen carefully,” he said, his tone low and menacing. “If that son of a bitch doesn’t leave your house within the next five minutes, I’m going to kill him.”
Panic surged through me, and I felt the color drain from my face. “What do you mean? You can’t just—” then the realization hit me, “Hold on a second… are you watching me?” My heart raced as disbelief flooded my senses.
I stood up abruptly and jolted to the window, my pulse quickening with every step. I pulled back the curtain, squintinginto the darkness outside, searching for any sign of him. The street was empty, shadows dancing under the dim streetlights, and a chill crept up my spine. The stillness of the night felt suffocating, and I strained my eyes, hoping to catch a glimpse of his familiar figure lurking somewhere in the shadows.
“You havefiveminutes. I won’t repeat myself,” Damien’s voice came through the phone, dark and eerily calm. It was a tone I had never heard before. It made my stomach churn.
“Damien, you don’t mean that,” I said, trying to maintain some semblance of control in my voice. But the certainty in his tone sent a jolt of fear through me. My mind raced as I thought of Jake, unaware of the impending danger lurking just outside my door.
“I mean exactly what I said.” he replied, the calmness of his voice contrasting starkly with the menace behind it.
“If you think you can intimidate me into pushing Jake away, you’re wrong. I’ll call the police!”
A low chuckle escaped him, but it was devoid of any humor. “Go on. Call them. But let me remind you: if you do, it won’tjust be you who suffers the consequences. Your brother is a good man, Millie. I’d hate for him to get involved with someone like me.”
The implications behind his words wrapped around my throat like a vice, choking off any further protest. “You wouldn’t… you can’t,” I stammered, feeling my resolve start to waver. “David has nothing to do with this.”
“Exactly. He has nothing to do with this,” Damien said smoothly. “But that won’t stop me from making sure he remembers the night you decided to call the cops on me. Are you really willing to gamble your brother’s safety on this?”
Panic coursed through my veins, and I could feel the walls closing in on me. The last thing I wanted was for David to become embroiled in Damien’s twisted world. “You’resick, Damien. This is wrong on every level.”
“Maybe,” he admitted, his tone unchanging, “but you know I’m not lying.”
“Damien, please,” I begged, desperate to find a sliver of humanity in him. “This isn’t the answer. You can’t control everything like this. It won’t work!”
His voice dropped lower, darker, sending a chill racing down my spine. “Listen to me carefully, Amelia. If he lays even a finger on your body tonight, I will cut his motherfucking dick off, and bleed the life out of him on that pretty carpet you just got. Do you understand?”
The threat hung heavy in the air, suffocating me. The intensity of his words echoed in my mind, each syllable slicing through my attempts at rational thought.
Before I could respond, he abruptly hung up, leaving me staring at the phone in disbelief. The sudden silence in my apartment felt deafening, the weight of his words still hanging in the air like a thick fog. My heart raced as I fought to gather my thoughts, grappling with the chilling reality of the situation
Just then, the bathroom door creaked open, and Jake emerged with a relaxed smile, clearly blissfully unaware of the turmoil swirling inside me. He looked handsome in the soft light, andfor a moment, I felt a wave of affection wash over me, momentarily easing my fear.
“Hey,” he said, stepping closer, his eyes brightening as he took in my expression. But his smile faltered when he noticed the pallor of my face. “You okay? You look a little pale.”
I forced a smile, but it felt brittle and shaky, a mask that did little to conceal the panic that threatened to consume me. “I suddenly feel a bit sick,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “I think I need some time alone.”
Jake’s brow furrowed with concern, and he hesitated for a moment, clearly not wanting to push me. “Are you sure? We were having such a good time.”
“I know, and I’m really sorry,” I replied, my heart aching with regret. I could see the disappointment in his eyes, and I hated that I was putting him through this. “But I really think it’s best if you go home. I just need to rest.”
He took a step back, his expression softening as he searched my eyes for answers. “Alright. I don’t want to pressure you,” he said, his voice gentle. “I can call you tomorrow?”
“Yeah, definitely,” I said, grateful for his understanding.
As he leaned in, I instinctively flinched, a reflex I couldn’t control. The memory of Damien’s chilling threat surged through me, drowning out any remnants of calm I had clung to. Jake hesitated, his smile faltering as he processed my reaction, and I saw the hurt flash across his face.
Instead of the kiss I had imagined, he wrapped his arms around me in a warm hug, his body radiating comfort and concern. I leaned into him, grateful for the support but still feeling the weight of the storm lurking outside my door.
“Take care of yourself, Amelia,” he said softly, pulling back to look me in the eye. “I’ll be just a call away if you need anything.”