Page 89 of Iris' Lying Eyes
He’s locked me inside.
∞∞∞
I rouse the following morning to the sound of the mutilated phone dinging with a message. Wearily, I climb from the bed and kneel before it. Do I want to know? Not really.
But clearly, this phone came from someone, and I have to assume the message is meant for me. And despite the void where my heart used to be, I still have to see this through.
My patience runs thin, pet
You think this is a game?
Enough. You come home, or I beat the boy
John. Did he know? Did he send me into Roman’s clutches? If so, every threat since I met him is child’s play compared to this. He knew I could die. Maybe I’m dispensable after all.
Rubbing my hands down my face, I type,Cut the shit. You don’t have the boy. You have no leverage now
He doesn’t respond, and I smile grimly before donning a fresh pair of jeans and a T-shirt.
My throat stings. My aching head roars, but unfortunately, I’ve got bigger problems.
I’m trapped in this room. Bastion never came back. Did he search out his father’s body? Is he planning his next move?
Stepping onto the balcony, I stare at the hedges I escaped through not so long ago. I should’ve walked and kept going.
Now I’m stuck in a nightmare that far exceeds what I imagined, and more importantly, I’m getting weak. What else can I believe when my heart hurts because Bastion’s does?
I can’t fathom how he felt when he found his mom. Then I sent him into his backyard for his dad. Yeah, I probably could have held off on that one. While I think they were shit parents, it’s still a lot to take in.
I don’t technically know how he felt about Roman, but the dick was here. Maybe Bastion hoped to rekindle that relationship. If so, he was holding onto a dream.
As for me? I’ve created a weakness that can be exploited. I know only too well how that goes. Moving forward, I need to shut that shit down. If anyone were to know, if John knew . . . I shudder at the possibilities.
I didn’t think to put a television in the room when I decorated it, so I’m half contemplating climbing down the damn wall outside the balcony when the door opens behind me.
Although I’m eager to be free of this room, I don’t want to see Bastion’s face, so I look out over the landscape as he approaches. But the quieter he is, the tenser I grow until my spine feels like it might split in half.
“Just tell me why? Did he threaten you?” Bastion says so quietly, I strain to hear.
Balling my hand into a fist, I say, although I’m sure I’m wasting my breath, “I already told you.”
“No more lies,” he roars.
Spinning around, I fling out a hand, but his brows drop over his eyes, and he grabs my chin, twisting my head to the right and left.
My throat still feels raw, and there’s a dull throb in my ears. I’m sure I look just as bad as my aching back feels.
“Did he do this?”
“Bastion—”
“Just tell me,” he barks.
Slamming my fist into his chest, I say, “I told you not to do this. I told you they were dangerous. You wouldn’t listen. What did you expect would happen? They upped the game, Bastion.”
An animalistic sound escapes his throat, and he pushes me away. “Yeah, you warned me. Too bad I don’t take morality lessons from a whore.”
My hand rebounds off his cheek, the sound echoing in the silence, but he doesn’t flinch, merely raising a brow. I know he’s hurting, but I’m done being his punching bag. He’s the one who pushed this. He’s the one who ignored my warning.