Page 12 of Twisted Contract

“I don’t like that. Maybe this is a sign that you shouldn’t have this place. It’s obviously not safe here. The gangs are out of control in this area. The cops are already under the impression that it was a drive-by.” I don’t give him any information on it because I know it will get back to my father.

“I don’t want to have this discussion right now, Nick. I’m tired and in pain. I’d like to go to bed.”

“I just told you it’s not safe and you can’t stay here.”

“Well, I sure as hell can’t stay with you. We’re not married.”

“When are you going to get over that virginal attitude? It’s 2024.”

“Yeah, well, we’re not all promiscuous,” I say.

“She came on to me.”

“Whatever, Nick. That was before we even started dating and frankly none of my business, but I still have my beliefs and if you can’t respect that, then I’ll have to call this off.”

“What? You can’t. Go get your things, and I’ll take you to your father’s where it’s secure—and don’t forget your damn ring.”

“Don’t talk to me like that. You need to learn to respect me. I could have died today, and you’re being hostile toward me. Wait for me.” I enter my apartment, then get the ring from the drawer and pack a bag. When I come back down, Nick is gone. I walk up to one of the cops and ask, “Have you seen the AG?”

“Sorry, Miss Murphy, he asked that we take you to the governor’s home. He had an important meeting he couldn’t miss,” he says, looking at me with pure pity.

“Don’t,” I mutter. “Please just take me there.”

He takes my bag and drives me to my father’s mansion. When I arrive, the guards are happy to see me and lead me in without a problem. They are fussing over me like they always do. He’s currently in town for a meeting and then he’ll be down in Springfield in two weeks, but then there’s a special party next week, so he wants to parade Nick and me around.

I head up to my bedroom, which is the way I left it the last time I was here, so I lie down and rest. Sleep comes to me easily until I hear the bullets come through the glass, and I let out a high-pitched scream. I sit up in bed, finding that I was just having a nightmare.

There’s a knock at my door, and I expect it to be my father to scold me for disturbing the family, but it’s actually one of the guards. “Miss Claudia, are you okay?”

“Yes, just a nightmare.”

“Hopefully it will pass in time. Please get some sleep.”

“I will. Thank you.” I close the door and walk to my bathroom. My arm is killing me and the bandage is leaking a little, so I quickly clean it up and then take a pain pill before sliding back into my bed. This time sleep doesn’t come as easily, so I lie in bed and contemplate all the things I need to do.

My bakery was riddled with bullets and is inoperable at the moment, not that Nick had given me a choice. My bakery was already being boarded up when I was leaving, so I couldn’t even check it out. Still, I plan to examine it tomorrow and hope that my kitchen doesn’t look like Swiss cheese.

I check my phone for messages and there are twenty, including some from clients who have pickups today.

I start making calls, apologizing for disappointing them and issuing refunds. I go along with the drive-by story because that’s the best situation, and everyone is flabbergasted. After appeasing most of them, I finally lie back down and let sleep take over.

****

“Well, you finally made it out of bed. You shouldn’t be so lazy, Claudia. It doesn’t look well on the wife of the Attorney General,” my father says when I enter the dining room as he eats his breakfast.

“Are you serious? I was shot yesterday, and that doesn’t look good as the wife of the AG.”

“Oh, so you’ve come around to the idea.” I roll my eyes.

His expression darkens, and I’m about to feel his wrath. “Young lady, you need to learn your manners.”

“I’m sorry,” I say, grabbing a glass for orange juice.

“We’ve announced the engagement this morning in the papers as a part of the shooting. Sadly, that means the press will have a field day with this.” My mouth falls open, and I nearly drop my juice. “You need to get dressed in the best clothes you have here, and don’t forget that we’re going to the gala next week.”

“Okay.” My head is swimming, but I’m starving and not in the mood to argue.

“Okay?”

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