Viktor(47)
“Tell me then. Tell me everything you know.”
“And give you more ammo to destroy me? Fuck no.”
“Destroy you? Since when am I destroying you? Last I checked, you’re the one ruining yourself.” I point at the chair. “See?”
Out of nowhere, he grabs my face, his mouth just inches away from mine. “You destroy me with your kisses and your blatant ignorance of what I look like, who I really am.”
He presses a hard kiss to my lips, sealing the deal. My eyes close instinctively, my lips allowing him to claim me. I can’t even protest. Maybe I don’t want to, but I should.
“And now, I know it was all a lie …” he murmurs as he takes his lips off mine.
“It’s not,” I say, opening my eyes again. “Everything about my kisses, our fucking … It’s real.”
“I don’t fucking believe it,” he growls, and he lets me go and stands again. He flops down in a chair beside me and stares at me.
“I can’t give you what you want,” I say. “It doesn’t matter what I say or what I do, you’ll still believe you’re too ugly to be loved. And until you change that, I can never give you what you need and you can’t either.”
He swallows, grinding his teeth, a look of regret on his face. One that breaks my heart.
“Sorry …” I say after a while. “I shouldn’t—”
“Nah, it’s all good. I know what the truth is. You’re right. I’m a monster. An ugly, scarred beast. It is what it is.” The tips of his fingers touch his scars, and he makes a revolted face.
“That’s what you see. It’s not what I see.”
His elbows lean on his knees as he looks at me. “Really? Then tell me you don’t see this fucked-up monster stopping you from contacting the person you love the most. Tell me you don’t see me like that.”
I slam my lips shut because I can’t answer that question.
I don’t know why he did what he did. Why he’s trying to keep me away from her. Away from freedom. It’s as if he’s afraid to lose me …
“I knew it …” He sighs, and he rubs his face with his hand. “I’m exactly what I see in the mirror.”
“You wouldn’t be if you’d let me contact my sister.”
“It’ll only make you want to go back.”
“So?”
He looks at me intensely. “You know the deal we made.”
I swallow back the lump in my throat. “I know.”
“And you still want to talk to her, knowing full well you may not be able to see her?”
“I know. I just want her to know that I’m okay. And I want to know how she’s doing.” Just thinking about her puts the tears right back in my eyes again. Damn. I hate the waterworks, but my sister is pretty much the only thing I get emotional about.
“I just want to talk to her,” I say, struggling to keep the tears from rolling.
He sighs out loud and licks his lips. Then he hands the phone back to me. “One minute. Put it on speaker.”
I nod. “Thanks.”
“Don’t …” he says, frowning. “Just make the call.”
I quickly dial her number and press the call and speaker button before he changes his mind. When I hear her voice again, I breathe a sigh of relief.
“Alexis?”
“Yeah, it’s me.” I sniff. “I’m okay.”
“Oh God, I was so scared when I heard you scream.”
“It’s okay, I’m not hurt. It’s so good to hear your voice.”
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” she says. “I’ve been worried sick about you. It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t gone to his stupid house, none of this would’ve happened.”
“Don’t say that. You didn’t know it would end up like this. Besides, you did it with the best intentions.”
“Not always the right one.”
I glance at Viktor, who’s watching me intently.
“Are you taking good care of yourself?” I ask Alisha.
“Yeah, I’ve been using the money you earned for food and rent, nothing else.”
“Good. Take it easy. If you’re out of money, you can go to Deangelo.”
“Who’s that?” Viktor asks.
“My pimp.”
“Is that him?” Alisha mumbles.
“Yes, it’s me,” Viktor says.
“You’re an asshole, you know? Keeping my sister trapped when you know it isn’t right.”
“Hmpf.” He turns around and shrugs, but his face clearly shows he’s annoyed.
“Don’t talk like that, Alisha,” I hiss. “You don’t want him mad, trust me.”