Page 14 of His Pet
The chair beside me scrapes as the man pulls it out and plops down in it. There’s no chance he doesn’t see me now, but he doesn’t acknowledge my presence.
Is this normal for them? I’m in a wrinkled dress, my hair is unruly, and tears are running down my face. Surely, he knows I don’t want to be here.
What if he doesn’t?
“Please,” I say before I can think too much about it. I eye the man imploringly, my lower lip trembling. “Please help.”
The man’s angry scowl moves to me, and his lip curls. He looks up at Lorenzo and speaks as if I didn’t say anything.
“Two of our whores were found in the river this morning.”
“The river?” Lorenzo asks. “Are you sure it’s Valentine’s doing? Why would he go thirty miles out of the way to dump bodies when he could be more direct?”
“Because he’s a pussy.” The man sighs. I see him shake his head from my periphery, but I’m not really looking at him anymore. I can barely process what I’m hearing.
Dead. Two women are dead because of this man? Because of these people?
Why doesn’t Lorenzo sound more distraught?
“I’m certain it was him.”
“Hmm.” The chair scrapes, and Lorenzo leans back in it. He crosses one leg over the other, and I numbly scoot to give him room to do it. “Was it by any chance the two prostitutes we took from him?”
“No, they were ours.”
“Then I suppose I wasn’t clear enough with Lachlan.”
“What do you want me to do?”
Lorenzo takes his time answering, and I cringe when he starts tapping the knife on the tabletop. I don’t have any idea who these people are that they’re talking about, but there’s a violent energy that’s clouding the room that has me afraid of how Lorenzo is about to react.
“Nothing.”
“What?” The man sounds incredulous.
“They’ll be expecting retaliation right away. Don’t give it to them. It’s better when they don’t see it coming.”
“What if he thinks we didn’t get the message, so he decides to send another?”
The tapping stops and the knife clatters on the table. “Good. Maybe he’ll be more direct next time… Personally, I’d love a reason to get rid of him altogether.”
The man nods. “So would I.”
He stands like that’s his cue and walks angrily toward the elevator.
“Anthony?” Lorenzo calls.
Anthony pauses and turns.
“Did you get my invite for the dinner party I’ll be having this evening in the ballroom?”
Anthony’s eyes meet mine, and I duck my head to the floor. “Yeah, I’ll be there.”
Lorenzo must nod or something because Anthony leaves without another word. I feel like I should be overwhelmed with questions, but my mind is filled with nothing but static.
Lorenzo stands, and I’m certain he’s going to beat me for begging Anthony for help. Or maybe he won’t bother beating me. Maybe he’ll silence me just like he’s already threatened.
I close my eyes and keep them clenched until I hear his steps carrying him away. I open them in time to see the muscles in his back rippling as he walks away.
“You should eat, Kitty. You’ll need your strength.”
He continues walking and disappears down the hallway. I hear the faint sound of the shower running in the other room. Now is the perfect opportunity to look through his penthouse, maybe hide the knife he threatened me with somewhere I can easily reach it. But I sit here on the floor long enough that I miss my chance and the shower shuts off. I’m glued to the hardwood, stuck staring at a crack between two boards, trying to figure out the meaning of the last thing he said.
Need my strength for what?