INDEBTED CHAPTER 9 (NINE)

My life had changed so drastically within the last forty eight hours.

One moment I was Emily Côte cancer survivor patient with a bright future, the next a Carsarro whore fleeing from Tampa leaving everything and everyone behind including my engagement ring. I didn't take it with me just in case I get tempted to pawn it. It might be traced and that's a chance I wasn't willing to take.

I had no other alternative but to run to flee from the madness descending upon me. To a small town called Monticello a four hour drive from Tampa.

Monticello has a population of just over three thousand residents, he wouldn't find me I had slipped away unnoticed. Twenty more miles according to google, the closer I got the more my nerves rattled me.

What the hell am I doing, who the hell does this, run away from their life leaving a sick mother behind. I did with no regrets.

After Nickolai left I moved my mother to a private nursing home, paid my bills six months in advance, left Jose in charge of the bar and had given Ms Kent a two months paid vacation until I returned. If I ever planned on coming back my existence just an illusion.

I changed my number cut my hair shoulder length and dyed it auburn. I even changed my name so I wasn't no longer Emily Côte but Alena Scott thanks to José who helped me acquire my fake ID within hours. My sudden departure would not have been possible without his help.

I was headed to a small one bedroom cottage that belonged to my grandmother. Yawning I tried to keep my eyes open. I needed sleep, I couldn't function I needed to escape Nickolai if I intended on keeping my sanity in tact. I was already on the verge of toppling over.

I turn right on a dark road barely wide enough for two vehicles rolling down the windows with a flip of a switch enjoying the cold night air passing a wooden sign "Welcome to Monticello" leaving dust in my wake.

I was driving fast way over the speeding limit pass the bank, a post office and grocery store.

Rituals a small coffee shop this is where I will be working in the next three days considering that I am broke after spending my life savings on my dramatic move. I had never had a job in my life. The bar was handed down to me in my father's will that and a ten million debt to date it's thirty five million and counting.

Isn't that not reasons enough to make a quick get away.

My phone vibrated on the dashboard it was Alley, José had given her my new number I ignored it. Since I found out what she has been doing behind my back I haven't spoken to her since I don't know what to tell her our friendship tarnish.

Pulling the car in the front white picket fence I walked up the stairs to the small porch my legs stiff with pain I hope I remembered to pack my painkillers.

I opened the door the living room and kitchen were joined in one, the flooring made of hard wood, the walls bright yellow the colour had given me an instant migraine. The small kitchen was furnish with only the bare necessities it was nothing like my home in Tampa, the counter dark gray and dusty. The bathroom painted in olive green minus a tub and hot water. The bedroom had a small window, the view was blocked by pine trees. There was a gold cast iron bed in the middle of the room, the walls painted in a soft gray. I loved it for some strange reason.

I unloaded the car a single suitcase and four brown paper bags containing a few grocery items. Placing the bags on the counter I dragged my suit behind me as I made my way to the bedroom. I needed sleep just a little nap before I head down to the general store. I needed to get a few items pillows, blankets cleaning supplies.

It's been twelve hours since I had vanished I wondered about his reaction when he got to my house and found that I wasn't there. What went through his mind when he dialed my cellphone but got no reply.

I am sure he is livid luckily he couldn't find my mother I had admitted her under a false name and paid cash covering her stay for approximately six months over stocking her with all her personal items pampers, painkillers, medication, milk, juice, cereal the works and I had asked José to check on her from time to time just to keep me up-to-date with medical condition. Curling up on the hard mattress I sneeze excessively until I fell alseep.

I didn't sleep well last night besides sneezing my ass off the room was cold and somewhat damp. My thoughts drifted mostly to Nickolai until it turned into a nightmare. Even at four hundred miles maybe more (I pray to god not less) he still invades my thoughts. I pulled my cream sweater closer as the light filled my tiny room.

Getting up I brushed my teeth and took a quick shower pulling my hair in a loose ponytail. I pulled on a pair of jeans and another sweater and made breakfast coffee, it wasn't nothing much just a cheese sandwich before I headed to town.

I drove slowly through streets of Monticello trying not to draw attention to myself past Miller's diner parking the car in front of Tex general store. There I brought a local paper, bleach, fabric freshener, pine soil, liquid soap and j cloths. It was almost eleven and I had not started any of my chores, cleaning my number one priority overloading my honda civic.

As soon as I got back home I began a general cleaning. Scrubbing, mopping disinfecting late into the evening my knees aching from spending time on all fours. My heart stop beating dropping to my feet as someone knocked on the door. I panicked looking around nobody knows my location not even José, who could it be?

Pulling myself together I opened the door relieved yet annoyed.

"Hi I am Laura I live next door across the road" I shook her hand forcing myself not to slam the door in her face.

"Nice to meet you Alena" a fake yet convincing smile plastered on my face. I wanted to be left alone to wallow in my thoughts and financial problems.

"Wow it looks like you have got a lot of work to do moving into a new house and all"

I rolled my eyes but she didn't see me she was to busy been a nosy neighbour her eyes glimpsing inside over my shoulder.

"I will be fine" I assured her

"I have a friend who does construction if you want his number"

"No thanks Laura I should be finish by tonight"

"Well I won't keep you" I was glad she said that closing the door before she walked off the porch.

It was five o'clock when I had finish the cottage looked no different but it was clean and smelled of citrus maybe tomorrow I would apply some paint and brighten up the walls.

I was hungry and wondered if they had delivery service when some one knocked on the door. I was munching on a handful of nuts when the door creak open and once again my heart dropped to my feet when he walked in.

The sex god himself Nickolai.

Shit I had forgotten to close the door. He looked sexy in his royal blue suit holding a pizza and six pack of beers.

"Relax I thought you might be hungry" his shinny black shoes crepitating the board with each slow movement.

I held my breath wanting to bolt as he glanced around my tiny home.

"Nice to bad you won't be staying and after all that cleaning."

"Get out, leave me alone Nickolai before I scream" wondering if Laura or any of my neighbors would hear.

"How did you find me?"

"As I said I know everything about you Emily" walking around me resting the pizza and beer on the fake marble counter. He stood tall in front of me pressing his fingers painfully on my chin forcing me to face him.

"Naughty girl. Did you really expect to get away and what have you done with your hair?"

"I don't need to answer to you leave me alone please" tears stung my eyes as I tried to look away.

"Answer me" he snapped and I spat how dare he talk to me like that.

His dark eyes blaze with anger as he wipe my mucus off his face with the back of his hand. The glint from his gold cuff links drew my attention but only for a moment just before he slap me full across my face.

I squealed holding my face wanting to gouge his eyes out, scar his cheek, kick him in the balls but each action had consequences and pain so I remained silent still.

"Emily I have done all I can to make you feel comfortable, to make you happy given the circumstances but please don't ever mistaken indulgence or weakness." pulling my head back sharply.

"Or would you rather I call you Alena Scott" wrapping my hair around his fist I closed my eyes tightly against the blows that never came drawing me closer to him his masculine scent drowning me in a sea of lust.

"We all have demons inside us some quiescent others loose. I doubt very much that you could take my beast head on should he be awoken.

"My eyes widened gulping, my mouth dry, my heart racing with each passing second. My blissful freedom was less than twenty four hours. I wanted to run to scream but most of all to scream.Scream for help, scream for mercy, scream for peace for this bastard to leave me alone and for my traitorous body to be in harmony with my mind and heart.How else can I expect to defeat him.My fist clench so hard at my side that they shook as a jade of lust swept across his face."Is it such a bad thing to spend the rest of your life with me, as my wife and my companion Emily?""Yes" I sob "Yes" but deep inside I know it was a lie but still.

"Well live with it. You belong to me and if you try that stunt again"

He pulled aside his coat revealing a 9mm glock hand gun strapped securely to his waist as he release his hold on my silky strands.

My heart quickened as I step back colliding with the counter.

"WWell you will just have to kill mme."

"Okay kneel I have wasted enough time on you"

My eyes snapped to his, would he really kill me? Should I call his bluff or stand down?

Think Emily think huffing at the unfairness.

"Kneel" pulling out his gun cocking it.

Sweet baby Jesus help me please.

"Have you killed anyone before Nickolai?"

He nodded and I gasp. I was right he was more dangerous than any man I have ever known.

Okay this was going nowhere. I wanted to cry out in frustration.

Then a shot rings out. The next thing I know I felt a hot white pain at the side of my unscarred leg just below my knee. I scream but it was muffled by his rough hand. Frozen in shock it takes me a moment to get my head together as he removed his hand.

"You shot me" gazing down at my wounded leg.

"Merely a flesh wound not time I will aim for your head."

I stiffen to afarid to be concern with pain. The fucker really shot me. Silence all you could hear is the beating of my heart and his swallow breathing. I am paralyzed with fear as someone knocks on the door.

"Are you okay Alena. I heard a gun shot should I call the police? "

He cocks his head looking at me gun pointed to the door.

"If she comes in here I will kill her and will be on your conscience"

I glup

"No no I am okay it was the television" hoping to convince her with my unsteady voice.

"Didn't the night we share mean anything to you?" I muttered knowing she was still outside.

"It meant something to me but apparently nothing to you because you ran leaving your ring behind."

"Alena" Laura knocked again. "If you need anything you know where I live" walking away her flip flops slapping against the board as she walked off the porch.

I stumbled lightly feeling warm blood trickling down my jeans clad leg, my blood. We stared for moments neither speaking his gun resting along side his right leg finger still on the trigger. I trail his lips with my finger tip hoping to calm but he slap my hand away.

"Don't fuck with me Emily I am not the kind of person to be toyed with." raising his gun pointing it to my face.

"What about your public image, your family?"

"Emily I have billions maybe more,the best defense team, a few judges and politicians in my back pocket. I will never see the inside of a jail cell while your corpse rotten in a swallow grave that will be dug by my hands if you try and fuck with me and my intelligence."

I drop my gaze unable to look anymore tears thickened my throat wishing my father was alive so I could kill him with my bare hands. He closed the gap between us pushing his chest against mines.

"Play nice Emily not only for your sake" gazing down at my wounded leg then back at me. "But for all those around you that you hold dearest. I will only allow this one indiscretion. Please don't ever push me again, ever" his body heat tingle against mines and for some sick reason I wanted him more than before. He returned his gun straightening his back cracking stiff bones.

"Let's go" wrenching my arm with one hand balancing the pizza and beer with the other.

THE END OF CHAPTER 9 (NINE)

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