Chapter 16
Thave rarely felt this terrified
Ivan’s eyes are setting me ablaze with pure anger and there can’t be enough distance between us right now. Unfortunately, the police officers have handcuffed me and are holding me in place so I can’t naway. Horrified whimpers escape the barrier of my lips. Hook at dad with a sense of betrayal- I don’t know how but I’m positive that he led van back to me. He has a semig smile on his face, clearly not understanding that he just handed his daughter back to a tyrant. De maybe he does understand taybe he just doesn’t care.
hun’s wide eyes the between Ivan and me in pure confusion. He knows something bad is happening and I can’t find the words to explain what it is exactly.
Dean takes slow, determined steps towards pan stares at him like he’s a monster that came straight out of someone’s worst nightmare in this case, mine. Ivan doesn’t even spare him a drop of attention. He sighs heavily and fishes something mit of his jacket. It’s a thick wad of cash. As if it’s nothing more than a bunch of blank bills, he throws the money to my father’s feet.
“Thank you for your services.” Thear him say in an icy voler.
Dad, like the pathetic scum eis, gets down to his knees to collect the money he’ll certainly use in burante alcohol and cigs.
“Is that all you’re going to accept, dad?” I yell furiously at him through my tears. “You should have asked for a million pesos if you’re going to sell your daughter do am I just not worth that much?”
Hegrunts as an answer and streiches his arm to pick the bills that tell further away from him.
“Did the mantell you who he is, huh? Do you know what your daughter’s fate will be from now on!!”
“I don’t care, Catalina!” Dad yells back
He finally got all his money and put it safely in his pocket. I meet his glare:
“Don’t act like I wronged you. You left without telling me where and you ignoted all my attempts at contacting you. You show up in this neighborhood after weeks of absence and don’t eventry to get in touch with me. When this time man came and told me you stole from him, I could only believe it and I did what any good
citizen would do. I led him to the criminal.”
Dbw–wow! So now you want to be a good citizen, M. Maybe you should have asked your daughter’s side of the story first. Maybe you’d have found out that in fact, s ́she didn’t steal from anyone. I’m p–poor but not a fucking thiel!”
“Lies I stopped trusting you when you left me here to die, Catalina!”
nus. who
My heart bleeds in try chest. The relationship I had with father only stood by a thin thread but now, I can confidently say that it’s over between us. Ivan
witnessed this dispute doesn’t seem to feel anything but boredom.
“Olera, get her in the car please.” He orders to the police officer
Tordar is a dark SUV that looks nothing like a policecruiser.
“I’m not getting in there!” I yell at the top of my longs.
Neighbors peek from behind their windows and doors but just like in my dreams, none of them tries to interfere. They know better. My head jerks when Pamela’s door open too and she appears, holding Sofia in her arms. She’s wearing her night robe and was probably woken up by us. I don’t give her time to say anything:
1luate the way Ivan is staring at her right now
“So this is the woman who hid you?” He asks.
Mher domin’t make ise say it again. Pamela runs back inside and locks the door. I sighin relief. 1’11 okay with anything Ivan does to me but I won’t let him, touch the people I love Withi Pamela pone, be directs his attention to the only other person present, jour.
burt juan ton but he doesn’t. He just says to him
“Don’t fool pummelf and thank you can play here, man. The thing is, Catalina altraily belongs to someone and that’s me, Iran James Whitlock”
“Whitlock____”
Juan’s face becomes very pale. He heard of the Whitlocks before and clearly, not in a positive way. Ite ta es a step back and Ivan similes.
“The ‘yright. You’re smart, I see. Catalina can’t be saved from this and usually, I’m not so forgiving with people who try to Lake what belongs to me. But I’ll let you
Jaani dursa’t speak or inove. Wala simple mud of his head, Iran ouders the police officers to drag me to their car despite my kicking and yelling. They literally cany
and for a quick second, bratch a glimpse of father who sees to realize too late that something’s wrong the Tries to speak to ban but I’m Frat and lose sight
A minute later, İvan has joined me on the backseat of the 30V and the poller office behind the wheel hivesoft: I push myself as far away as possible trom the awful. mumatting beat time. He laughs darkly.
“sibly, udly ghd ”
I feel his hand in my hair and his breathing on the side of my face Ivancome me to my side of thesar but I refuse to tum and look at him. fistead, I direct my eyes to the tinted window through which Teeny neighbmalumal disappear.
“What did you think you’d achieve exactly, lady?” He growls at me, “Youthought i would never find you again? You went and hid two steps away from your parents
Chapter to
Thome, are you stupid? Where’s the challenge in that?”
“You wouldn’t have found me it my father never told you!” I vell.
- oh. I would have taken a bit more time yes, but I would have found you anyway.”
“No, because if it had taken a bit more time, I’d have been gone, far away from here…..”
É sob, knowing that all my hopes and expectations for the future have been torn to shreds innere second, I was going to make enough money to move away with
and Saria. 111 didn’i rom into tallet, il he never knew I was back. He wouldn’t have told Ivans Everything that pors wrong in my life always starts with him.
Ivan takes my jaw in a strong grip and forces me to look into his res. He’sten close, almost sirting on me. Maybe he’s scared that I’ll manage to escape from him again That thought lift the comers of lipsa little.
“I’ll make you pay for this,” He tells me, “You give me no choice, Gat
your fret and force you down on your knees.”
*Start sharpening 1
(kisives then becante I won’t submit to you”
I’m glad that Iyan doesn’t have the power to read minds because what I say to him right now can’t be further away from the truth. I’m not courageous and to he honest, l’im scared et when he’ll ala no That feat introsities when we drive for lidt an form and I realize that I’m not being taken to a police station at all.
we’re doing, than th the woods, and the servery reminds me of the burst sammuating the Whittleck’s mansion. They’re taking mack there and chances are i these forms don’t actually work for the police.
“What exactly are you?” Task Ivan in a tired voice alter cried all the tears in my body. “Why do you have so much power!”
“That ‘e jord how it is” He says in a mocking lane. “I’ve been blessed by God
“What does your family work in? Theand you speak to your father that day, at the hospital. That’s why I ran away, you know. What kind of business needs you to be anheartlessthat you have to but women and transform into this Monster
“Don’t ask questions. “He mumbles. “Not unless you actually want to be answered.”
And that marks the end of our conversation because I see the Whitlock mansion in front of us, gloamier than 1 remember it
be I’m back in bell. The SUV drives: through the gates and stops near the mansion’s entrance. Ivan gets down first and carries me out over his shoulder. With my ambs handcutted behind me, I cannot
Het or opens the doors. He me one glance before Ivan’s starts climbing the stairs with his hand on my ass
“I’m going to chop your fingers of if you don’t stop touching me.” I spit at him.
Of course, he doesn’t stop He even finds my threat amusing enough to laugh. I imagine that Valentino and Nico are asleep as we walk past their bedrooms. wonder where Ivan is taking me until he knocks at the door of his father’s study. A terrible gasp escapes my lips.
vance from within ask us to enter and so, Ivan pushes the door open I can feel that he’s tense, his shoulder digging uncomfortably in my stomach. He locks us in and let me down on my feet. I stand in front of the imposing desk of the old master Whitlock. He’s sitting on his chair with anasal cannula on. He looks grayer and bonier than I bemember, almost like a skeleton with skin. His unforgiving eyes set on me and he smiles:
Miu Numer. How good to see you again. This house has been slowly decaying without you van here went crazy looking for you everywhere…How nude that
without the slightest notice. I’m very, very disappointed, Miss Nunez. We ted you, clothed you, allowed you to share this beautiful home with us
* don’t want af” I cry “Please, please, let me go almady. I’m sick of this place. 1–l’insure you can easily find a replacement for me.”
The old master clicks his tongur:
is necessary after what you’ve done. Ivan, now.”
De you and no one else. Now…I’m sure you understand that a punishment is nec
cub at my bruised wrists and suddenly, stats unzipping my party dress. I curse at him and try to hit him but van manages to bend and finish pulling the ders all of me
| Becour bed with fury as they branncip Ivan pulls it off as well
„dari to, roan pulls my panties all tou, leaving me completely base. Teover myself the best Fran with my hand, hating how the old man is staring at me right now.
rani’s jaw ciencia. I should have let hom die when I found him unconscious in his bathroom….
sway anei pirka annetting from one of the draws in the study om. My eyes widen when I see what it is. A leather whip. He snaps it in the air
sad and buckaway slondy
“Make it lilty.**
Ivan frozen. For a trenul, I due to believe that he’ll say car is his father but his shoulders slump in the end and be gralis ne leg the armdespite any protests. He
“This will teach you to run away from your mander “ivanwhilyen
“P–please, don’t do it.“1 beg him. “Y–you’re better flundhay AU
He hit me once. The whip tear through my skin. The white pain suppresses all sounds and my mouth opens in a silent scream. Tears spill from my eyes in heavy drops I don’t think I can handle any more of this. And yet, Ivan says:
“Forty nine to go, Catalina. You should keep count.”
Please, just kill me already.
