What was that?
I mean, what the Hell was that?!
He doesn't want me?
He doesn't love me?
He never wants to see me again?!
But it wasn't more than a couple hours ago he said so many sweet things. He said he could wait to see me.
What if....what if he couldn't wait to see me because of that?
Because he had to tell me he no longer cared- that he made a mistake.
No!
No, I refuse to believe any of that.
Something's up with him. I know it. There's no way there isn't. The way his voice cracked and he refused to look at me. If he meant it- he would have looked me in the eye and yelled and screamed.
But he didn't.
He was upset and scared to say all those things.
"Are you sure you're going to go back home now? I mean- what about Tom?"
"He said he didn't want me any more- so I'm going."
"I don't understand- what happened?"
"I don't know Bonnie. But I'm sure as Hell gonna find out. I just need a few days- gather some information and what not." I say as I pack my things up from Tom's place. "Can you find my other heel? It seems to be missing."
"What color?"
"Red." She begins looking all around as I push my outfits down deep into the luggage.
"Hey Em—."
"Yeah?"
"Does Tom smoke?"
"No- why do you ask?" She comes back in with a lighter in her hand and shows it to me. Tungsten steel and an odd symbol in the middle of the one side. "Where'd you find that?"
"Just on the floor in the living room. Near the front window."
"Just laying there?"
"Yeah. Weird isn't it? If a person keeps a lighter- it would usually be in the kitchen or fireplace area. Not in the middle of the floor."
"Well, this isn't his light any how."
"How do you know?"
"Because I lit a candle the other day and he handed me a mini flame thrower one that looked like a gun....cause he's a child." I clarify and examine the weird symbol that seems so familiar but I can't place it. "I've seen this symbol before- Bonnie. I just can't remember where."
"Yeah....me too I think."
"I'm going to take this home with me and do some digging. Whoever broke into Tom's home dropped this and it obviously means something." Zipping up my bag, I look at her and then at the huge mess that was made. "Huh....we had just got this whole place spotless and organized."
"Well- not your problem- now is it?"
"I guess not. Did you find my heel?"
"No- I looked everywhere."
"Alright. I guess it doesn't matter anyway."
We leave his home and I head to the airport to go home. In my mind- I keep going over why Tom would be acting the way he had. Who ever owns that lighter must've scared him fairly well if he doesn't want me around.
Unless, he and the person who own the lighter are actually friends and the guy and him had a fight.
No- Tom doesn't fight.
And why would he be freaked out if his friend showed up in his driveway?
There's so much I'm missing here and I can't place what it is. I need to be able to solve this.
***London, England***
Getting out of the taxi at home- I open the door and find a rich aroma flying through my nostrils instantly.
"Leo?!"
"Kitchen, Babe!" He calls to me. Shutting my door, I set my luggage down and remove my jacket and face mask- tossing it in the dirty bin to be washed. Heading down the hallway- I find the smell gets stronger and as I breach the kitchen, Leo has four different pots on my stove- all bubbling and sizzling with something delicious. "Oh thank goodness you're home. I've missed you so much- darling!"
Wrapping his arms around me and kissing my neck and lips- Leo seems...odd.
Very odd.
"I missed you too? Wha...what's all this?" I ask and he beams with pride.
"I wanted to make you dinner. I know you hate surprises- but I thought a little on like this would be alright. Am I wrong?"
"No! No, this is lovely. Thank you. It smells amazing."
"Thank you. I've been working real hard on it. I wanted to apologize." He takes both my hands in his and looks down into my eyes. "Emma, I am terribly sorry for hitting you before you left. I felt awful this whole time and I promise- I will never lay another hand on you again. You mean the world to me mad just you being gone these passed few days- I realized that a world without you in it- is no world I want to be apart of."
That was sweet.
Really sweet.
"Aw....it's alright, Leo. I forgive you. I want to work harder on us. I promise."
"Great! Me too. Speaking of us- I was going to wait, but I'm too excited now."
"Haha, for what?" Getting down on one knee, my heart stops and he pulls out a ring box.
"Emma, will you marry me and make me the happiest man alive?"
No.
Because I won't be the happiest woman.
Because I could only be truly happy with Tom.
I hate to say anything because I'm not one for breaking hearts and or doing something I don't wish to do.
"Emma?"
"Leo- this is a beautiful ring and you're a wonderful person- but I'm sorry. I can't accept." His face drops slowly and turns sour.
"But you just said you wanted to work harder on us."
"Yes- I said that- but that doesn't mean I'm going to marry you. It's only been a year and..." He turns off the burners of the stove and sets the ring box down. "I'm sorry- it's just too soon and..."
"I'm going to ask again- and I need you to think really hard about your answer." He inwardly growls as he rolls up his sleeves.
"I don't need to think hard about my answer- I already gave you one." I say and he comes closer to me.
"I'm not going to take your no as an answer.
"Well then you're just going to have to learn live without me." He doesn't say anything and I head upstairs.
Grabbing my suitcase on the way by, I I take each step with a purpose. Marry him.
Please.
Not in his lifetime.
Going down the short hall to my room, I open it up and shut the door behind me. I freeze for a moment when I see it.
My red heel I was missing.
How did it get here on my bed?
I took it to LA- didn't I?
"There's going to come a time, Emma- when you realize you don't have a choice." His voice pricks my ears and as I turn around, I find Leo standing in the door staring at me.
"What the Hell's going on?"
"Nothing short of a miracle." He steps closer and he slowly unbuttons his shirt. That's when I catch it. Just there, on his ribs in tiny black ink is the same symbol from the lighter. I don't know how I didn't see it before and if I did- how come I didn't question it. "It was a pity- I must say- what I had to do."
"What? What did you do, Leo?" I hesitantly ask. His grin becomes wicked and he comes closer as I back up.
"I'm making my fortune as we speak."
"What are you talking about?!"
"You didn't honestly think we a chance meeting all this time? A random run in with Emma Watson and her falling madly in love with me." He comes closer and I hear a creak behind me. "It's nice having friends you can count on to get you what you want."
Suddenly from behind me- two arms grab me hard and squeeze me to their body. I try to struggle.
"Everything happens for a reason Emma." Struggling against the other person- I kick and dry to drop my weight so they will let go of me. Yet the person turns and in the reflection in my picture above my bed- I find Aidan.
Aidan Whytock.
"Get off of me!"
"Haha, we love a struggle- but not as much as we enjoy getting paid."
"Who the bloody Hell are you?!"
"Oh, let me start over- I'm Leo and I am an LA businessmen. My business is she trafficking and I'm please to say- Emma Watson is going to make me billions." Leo snidely says and begins to laugh as Aidan pushes me down on the bed. "You see, when my boss Keith Reiner got caught- I thought it would all be over, but thanks to a lump sum of the money he left me in a private bank account- I can continue his legacy and I'm going to start by selling you to the highest bidder my dear- though I would love to keep you for myself- I'm sure I can make more money off of you: however- first I need your fortune for my own. So, you will be saying yes to me and you will be signing over all you have into my name. Maybe if you're a good girl- I'll pick a good home for you to go too. One with a view."
"You bloody Monster! You won't get away with this!"
"Oh won't I? Ask your friend Tom about how influential I can be with all my friends."
"You! You're the one who hurt him! You're the one who made him say all those awful things!!"
"Oh please Emma. He gave you up long before he tried stopped my plan. The reason he didn't was because he didn't care enough about you to save you. Then again- you told me before Tom isn't much of a threat. You threaten his dog and he cowers. He was never going to fight for you- so just deal with it."
"You're wrong. Tom will fight for me."
"Really? Because it looked like he just threw you aside hours ago." Aidan laughs pushes me down to the bed. Reaching for my cell phone, I find it missing from my back pocket. "Looking for this? Yeah- thanks for it. To think of all the things I can do with this."
"Ya know- Emma- A year ago, I wouldn't have thought this was possible. But you did wonderful. Fighting with Tom. Inactivating you media accounts. Alienating yourself from everyone but me. You did a fantastic job at making my work easier so thank you, Darling."
"My parents and siblings will..."
"Know as much as they need to- for the wedding and afterwards- you'll do what you always do- throw them and everyone else aside."
"What makes you think I won't tell anyone you're plan."
"Because if you so much as utter a word of this to anyone- Tom will suffer an unfortunate accident. This last one was simply to get his attention- killing him would bring me much more satisfaction." Leo laughs and I try to get up and run away, but Aidan blocks the door. "You don't want to do that."
I stop.
"I have friends everywhere. In politics. In 911. Hospitals. Shop keepers. Travelers. You walk out that door- you may just read 'Felton Murdered in LA Home' in tomorrow mornings newspaper. So as you see Emma- I've already won." My heart drops and I can hardly breathe. "NXVIM is everywhere. Although- I'm thinking of changing the name- Since I'm in charge now. What do you think, Aidan?"
"Household names do work better, Leo."
"Eh, you're right- we better keep it. Besides- I already have the perfect brand made up for me. Speaking of which- is it ready?" Looking between both Aidan and Leo they wickedly grin and Aidan grabs me. Thrashing against me, Leo goes to my lit fireplace in my room and grabs what looks like a hot poker- but when he pulls it out of the coals- it's the brand. A huge K with a small upside down R in it. "Hold her still."
Pushing me down into the floor- he sits on my upper back which makes it hard to breathe.
"Left or Right?" Leo asks as he watches Aidan pull down my jeans. His knees are pressing down hard on my arms so I can't grab at them, whil Leo steps down on one of my legs. "Ehh, We'll go left."
Without another word, he pushes the hot rot iron brand into my left arsecheek and the smell of burning flesh fills the air.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhahhahhhhhh!!!!" I scream out and thrash as much as possible- which isn't much at all. The men laugh as Leo pulls it away and the burn radiates through skin and the stench of burnt flesh lingers heavily around us.
"Mmm...that is beautiful." Leo takes a picture and sets the brand in a bucket of water. Steam immediately rises from it and Aidan gets off of my back. I try so hard not to move because every little inch is excruciating. "8 weeks to heal- Ems. Don't worry though. We'll keep it from getting infected for ya. Can't have a tainted product going out to market. Which reminds me- Aidan, when's the next shipment?"
"Thursday, Leo. Harris is sending two containers and finally we'll have our auction. Top sellers are looking like Spears, Mandel, and now thanks to you- Watson will be added to that list."
Spears? Like Britney Spears and Howie Mandel?
"Yeah- We'll be swimming in cash flow real soon my friend. Real soon."
Help...God....Please.