Page 40 of Once Bitten
JESSICA
Iwasn’t sure what to make of his words. Of everything I’d imagined, this was nowhere near what I expected. What family legacy? Who has ever heard of such a thing? But knowing him, I don’t think he would lie, and if he were the master of it, how could he come up with such an extravagant thing?
My heart thumped against my ribs, and I bit my lip, suddenly at a loss as to what I should do. “But wait, what does any of that have to do with me?” I was back to being pissed off the way I was all those years ago. I sifted through his words again in my mind, but could see no way that any of this warranted what was said to me that night.
“You’re right, it has nothing to do with you. That was all me.” I wanted to sneer at him but used my head instead. From everything he’d just explained, plus his actions over the past few days, I knew he was playing a whole different game from what I was used to. This one wasn’t playing with a full deck.
So, instead of sneering, I kept a confused look on my face while gently nipping at my lip. “Give me some time; I need to digest this. So, this has been in your family for how long?” I feigned interest while plotting his demise in my head.
Who has ever heard of such a thing? There may be some truth to it, but come on. Not even my father, with his obsessive love for Mom, would claim such a thing. How much of it was true? Knowing him, all of it is. But what does that being true have to do with him tearing me apart with words that night?
I was about to show my ass again, but pulled myself back in time. With his brand of crazy, if I pop off now, there’s no way I’m getting out of this room. This Norman Bates mother fucker probably has more tricks up his sleeve.
“It goes back generations, I think.”
“What?” I looked at him with real confusion this time.
“You asked how long it has been in the family.”
“Oh, sorry, I was just trying to put everything together in my mind.” Like hell!
I need to get him out of this room so I can make my escape. I can’t be too obvious because that will get me nowhere, but if I stayed here much longer, I just might bash his stupid head in. Knowing your enemy eliminates lots of false starts. What to do? If I sent him to the store now, he’d see right through me, and besides, I’m sure this home is like mine; whatever you need is already here.
Ah, I’ve got it. I playfully nudged him with my toes while wrinkling my nose. “Did you run a marathon? You stink.” He didn’t, but who said men aren’t as vain as the opposite sex? He sniffed his arm with a confused expression, and though I was sure he didn’t smell anything, he still hopped up off the bed.
“I’ll go take a shower. I did rush back here after all. We’ll finish talking when I get out, okay. You can ask me anything.” I nodded while pulling at the sheet, hiding my eyes from him while controlling my breath. As soon as he closed the door, I was off the bed like a shot.
I played it safe in front of his family as I passed his mother and sister-in-law, who were heading to the kitchen with the kids.I smiled and played along. “I forgot something back home; I'll be right back. Jules is taking a shower upstairs.”
My voice was too light and airy to be up to no good. They accepted my explanation without sounding the alarm, and I carried on, forcing myself to walk as normally as possible so as not to give myself away. I think I held my breath all the way to the car, but once I was in, I floored it the hell out of there.
I didn’t go back home. What am I, stupid? These people were in cahoots. I can’t leave town because I still have Dale and his side bitch to deal with, dammit. If I wasn’t the type to want to see my handiwork up close, I could fly to some out-of-the-way place and lie back as I destroyed their world. Everything was computerized after all.
But I need to watch them suffer up close and personal. I tapped the steering wheel when I was a safe distance away, my thoughts going around in circles until a wicked thought entered my head. “Heheheheh!” A sinister grin crossed my face, and I floored it to the seaside a few hours away.
I blasted the music and sang along with my whole heart. Nothing gives me pleasure like foiling my enemies. I didn’t think about the things he had said. I’ll save that for later when I’m all alone in my new villa. There was much to ponder after all, and something like this needs my full attention.
I pulled into the sales office of the new development that had just gone on the market not long ago, but had yet to sell half as much as they had anticipated because the market was crap right now and no one was buying their overpriced shit.
I looked down at the card Julius had given me with a sly grin on my face. He owes me this and so much more. I’d called ahead, and the harassed young lady on the other end had promised to wait here after hours if I was sure I wanted to buy.
I assured her that there would be a sale tonight and that I wanted the best. There was nothing wrong with this place. Iheard about it from Dad, who was planning to buy one of the villas for the twins and baby bro as a weekend getaway.
Knowing my Dad, he wouldn’t invest in anything that wasn’t up to speed, so I felt safe in making that promise to the girl. Upon seeing the sprawling, fully furnished villa in an eighteenth-century Italian style, with marble floors and huge windows offering absolutely astonishing views of the ocean, I knew I had made the right choice.
“Let’s do it, but I have a condition.” The light that had just flared in her eyes dimmed.
“What condition, ma’am?” She grew nervous.
“It’s nothing to worry about; I just don’t want anyone knowing I bought this place. Is there a way to keep this location hidden?”
I wasn’t sure how that would work, but I know money can solve anything these days, so why not give it a shot? The sale was bound to show up on Julius’ radar at some point, but this should give me a few days at the very least. If there were a way to keep the location private, then that would be best.
She readily agreed, that smile finally reaching her eyes, especially when the name on the card matched my ID. She probably saw me as some rich heir trying to hide from the world, which worked for me. “I’ll handle all the paperwork. The only way anyone would find out is if they go searching.”
That’s what I’m afraid of. I thought, but didn’t voice my concerns outright. Knowing Julius, as soon as the sale shows up, he’d more than likely dig three feet into the earth to find me, damn nut. It didn’t take as long as I anticipated to get things done, and Chrissy was more than helpful once she learned that I planned to pay in full.
“Are you serious?” Her hands fumbled the papers as she stared at me wide-eyed. No doubt she was thinking about her commission, as she should. Only fools work for free. I’m not surehow things were back in the day. But from everything I know about business, warm smiles and genuine care are all bullshit. People care about one thing and one thing only: money.
