Page 5 of Serendipity
I guess I wasn’t the only one having a shitty day.
CHAPTER4
I wasn’tsure if I should laugh or just cry, sitting here in the cell that looked nicer than our smoking area at the hotel. As soon as he realized what was going on, Mr. Grumpy GQ pulled his phone out and started yelling at somebody in Italian while I kept standing there, pressing a hand to my stomach.
My stomach wasn’t even growling anymore—it entirely gave up, which left me feeling weak and really fucking cranky.
It wouldn’t have killed them to just give me a sandwich or something. At this point, I would be happy with a piece of bread.
But as soon as his phone call ended, he turned back to me and my grinning face, and started ushering me toward one of the cells. So here I was, sitting all alone, hungry, pissed, and tired. I was contemplating taking a nap, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to close my eyes with an empty stomach.
So, I waited.
And waited.
And fucking waited, but none of them came back to check on me.
I didn’t have my phone with me, since they took it away when they pulled me into that van, so I couldn’t see what time it was. Oddly, I waited for panic to set in, for fear to kick my gut, but neither came. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was because I was just so fed up with my life as it was, or if it was because I didn’t sleep more than two hours last night.
Whatever it was, it was helpful, and I just hoped I would manage to stay this calm.
The biggest question now was—would they let me go once they realized what a mistake they made?
When I woke up this morning, I thought I would go to work, suffer through another exhausting day, and then go to the pub we all frequented. But it seemed that destiny had other plans for me, and that bitch really knew how to play.
As if it wasn’t enough that as of late, I couldn’t help but think if this was what I really wanted from life. Working twelve-hour shifts, getting called on my days off—when I had them—surrounded by people who irritated me, and spending my evenings getting drunk.
Years ago, I had a plan. A pretty little plan that sounded extremely nice on paper, but when it came to reality, it sucked balls. To top it all, my mother was now constantly asking if I found a boyfriend, and if she was going to get grandchildren before she died.
As if. I didn’t have time to eat most days, and at the end of the day, the only thing I craved was a bed and some decent sleep.
I already talked to people for a living. If I had to talk to another human being in the evening when all I wanted to do was to keep my mouth shut, I would shoot myself in the head.
A shiver ran through me, and I pulled the suit jacket tighter around me, rubbing my hands over my arms, trying to warm myself up. It might have been getting warmer, but here in the basement, the temperature was low enough to freeze my nipples off.
He could’ve at least given me a blanket. It wasn’t my fault that they weren’t able to track the right person to kidnap. I mean, how in the ever-loving fuck was it possible that they mistook me for some Mafia princess? Weren’t these things carefully planned, with people they wanted to kidnap being observed and all that shit?
If my father was some big shot, it would be normal for me to have a set of bodyguards, and most of all, I wouldn’t be going out from the staff entrance. Hell, I would be staying in the fucking hotel.
How stupid could they be?
My head was pounding, my teeth were chattering from the cold, and my stomach was crying from hunger. If that same idiot came back, I was going to punch him in the throat. Fuck the consequences.
I pulled my legs up and started lowering my head to the hard surface of the bed when the automatic lights in the hallway in front of the cells lit up, illuminating the entire area. Footsteps echoed around me, but at this point, I couldn’t care anymore what they did to me.
I closed my eyes and crossed my arms across my chest, pulling my legs toward my stomach, trying to preserve some heat. If they decided not to kill me, then the cold definitely would.
My immune system was not strong enough to withstand this. My doctor already told me that my last test results were not that good, and if I wanted to live long enough to see grey hair on my head, I would have to change something.
Easier said than done.
The footsteps came closer and closer until they stopped right in front of my cell. I kept my eyes closed, even though it killed me not to see who was standing there.
It better not be the same person that brought me here. Maybe I didn’t have any weapons with me, and my strength was nothing compared to theirs, but I still wore my heels, and those could inflict some serious damage if used properly.
“We both know you’re not sleeping,” he said, but it wasn’t the same guy from before. This voice was deeper, gravelly, but at the same time soothing, wrapping me in its hug.
“Yeah, and we both also know that I would rather keep my eyes shut than look at any of you,” I retorted. A small chuckle reverberated around us. Was he… Was he laughing? Goddammit, I really didn’t want to open my eyes, but at the same time, I was dying to see who was standing there.
