Red Leather (Book 2)

Chapter 32

And by then, we would be ready to wreck havoc. He and I. Together.

***

Throughout the week, Nathan tried to escape many times.

First he tried the good old-fashioned 'run-like-crazy-for-the-open-exit'. Stupid, stupid boy. He barely made it past the threshold before Aurora's henchmen got hold of him and bashed him bloody. I hadn't wanted them to do that, but after getting a severely cold "fuck you" from Nathan, I decided that I didn't really mind. Let them do what they please. It might even teach Nathan some manners.

He tried to escape yet again at midnight. It was a shame that he knew nothing about the dozens of security measures positioned around this place, or else he really might have had a chance of making it out. Alas, the deafening security wails woke all of us, and Nathan was caught trying to break the security code.

He had no bed to sleep in but my own. But of course he had to make that difficult, too, by sleeping on the cold floor. I suppose we could have drugged him into submission, but where was all the fun in that? Nathan would love me, and he would do it the hard way. Every day, I would alternate between being highly amused and deliriously angry. There were no warnings as to what mood I might have.

He wasn't supposed to be like this.

But Eli had been right. One week was barely enough to get used to his new life, let alone to fall in love with me. Like all good things, this would take time. Unfortunately, time was something we didn't have.

Over and over again, Nathan would try and fail to flee. And all those times he'd never even made it past the gates. His fighting spirit, something so new and captivating to me, was slowly dying out. I was glad. Now, after all the sullen moods and bitter remarks, Nate had finally stopped trying.

The day that Nathan had given up was the day he decided to sleep on the bed.

The shock of it made me freeze for a moment, but I took advantage of him. I wrapped myself around him like a lotus leaf, squeezing him tight and never letting go. His warmth was addicting. This was how it was supposed to be.  Nate made no attempts to embrace me back, but I guess that would happen soon.

I stroked his hair and whispered into his ear, treasuring such a rare opportunity. We belonged to each other. We were meant to spend nights like this, wrapped together so tightly that we became one. "Do you remember that time when you drove me back home from the police station? That was the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me. That was when I knew you had feelings for me," I smiled tenderly in the darkness, caressing his arm. He made no movement and no response whatsoever.

I continued nonetheless. "You never really loved Jessabel, did you? You loved me. I should have gotten rid of her earlier. You and I are meant to be together, don't you understand? Don't you get it? We've come all this way to start our new lives together. I can give you everything. I can give you the world."

I even went so far as to tell him of my killings, or the victims I had ruined or worse. Some part of me knew that he would be proud. He would be proud of everything I had achieved. I told him about the bunny, and Byron, and Daddy's girlfriend. I admitted to exposing Shanelle and Georgia for who they really were, and for causing the deaths of Cora and Tammy. I even told him about Trevor, and how he once looked just like Nathan. I told him everything he needed to know and more.

And of this I was certain. The changes were happening at a snail's pace, but they were happening. He was slowly, ever so slowly, becoming mine. 

***

The next morning, I convinced Aurora to let me visit a Brazilian market, just Nathan and I. We were to take the ridiculously plain-looking car that was licensed to a state that was far, far away, and we were to take the long way around Salvador in order to get there. And last of all, Eli was to come with us at all times. Any form of resistance from me, and I would be the one paying the price. That was something I could not afford.