Page 9 of Princess's Revenge
“Yeah?” I try to focus.
He hands me a flip phone. “It’s Sarah, tell her you’re okay.”
I take the phone and put it to my ear, “—there? Are you there? JESSI?”
I manage to drone out the words, “I’m okay, Sarah,” then hand the phone back to Anthony.
He says something about getting me a new iPhone because the old one could be traced. He says more. I don’t listen. I see the bed and walk toward it. By the time I get there, I hear the door close behind me.
I crawl onto the incredibly soft and luxurious bed, hug myself and let the tears come.
CHAPTER 4
Blood…so much blood. I cry out—Mikey! Joey! Daddy! Momma! The blood is everywhere. They’re not moving. It’s like they’re sleeping with their eyes open. WHY WON’T THEY GET UP!?
My dress is soaked with red. It’s my favorite. My favorite dress. Momma said daddy thinks I’m pretty in this one.
I’m scared!
WAKE UP!
I’m alone! I don’t…I don’t know what to do!
SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT TO DO!
Don’t leave me alone…
WAKE UP, MIKEY!
WAKE UP!
Please…please wake up…
I wake with a start and flip around so quick I think I get whiplash!
“Whoa!” It’s one of the guys from yesterday, Anthony. He’s sitting next to me on the bed. Well…fuck…thatwasn’t a dream. “You were having a nightmare. You were crying. Talking in your sleep.”
I wipe the sleep out of my eyes, “I’d ask if I said anything embarrassing, but by now, who gives a shit, right?”
He chuckles lightly. “You slept through the night. I tried waking you for dinner, but you wouldn’t get up. It’s morning. I’ve got to go to work. I thought I’d check on you first. I brought some breakfast.” He points to a tray on the nightstand. It’s loaded like something you’d get in a fancy restaurant or a hotel—not that I’ve ever stayed in one.
I sit up and take a look at the room. Anthony goes and opens the curtains to let in some retina stabbing sunshine. I shield my eyes.
He smiles at me, “You didn’t look at the room last night?”
“I think it was all the bourbon.”
The room is huge. Thick, plush carpet. I’m on a four-post-bed, there’s a vanity and where Anthony is standing, it looks like there’s a balcony, complete with a view and a table and chairs. There’s a big screen TV mounted on the wall with some couches surrounding it and I can see the entrance to a fancy bathroom.
This is more like a hotel suite than a bedroom in a house.
“You really ought to eat something,” Anthony comes back and pulls the silver dome off a plate, revealing scrambled eggs, bacon and toast.
I smile to myself, “How did you know?”
“Every time Jack stayed in the city, you had breakfast at the diner you work at. This is what you had.”
Too late to act surprised.Vincentsaidhe’d been watching me for months. “I had it because it was free,” I give him a smile, “not because I chose it.”