Page 7 of Entwined

He swallows hard, nodding as I open the door and sling my pack over my shoulder. I wave as he pulls away from the curb. But he’s watching the road.

I hand the conductor my ticket and find a cozy seat in the back of the train. With twenty minutes to spare; I pull my new phone out of my pocket with a shaky hand. The seats around me are all empty, my fingers press the digits burned into my brain. I tried using my old cell phone the night Christos left. But of course, it didn’t work. Why would it? Why would my parents keep their daughters account active when everyone thinks she’s dead? Christos also took the phone he gave me when he left. But in my phone are my contacts. Even though the number I need to call, I memorized months ago.

“…California? Where the hell have you been?”

“Dead. You didn’t hear the news?”

He swears in Greek. “Let me guess. You need a favor?”

“Several. I need to get out of London. But that’s hard considering my passport won’t work, since I’m supposed to be dead.”

“I know people.” I can almost see his shrug as he puffs on a cigarette.

“I heard.”

He laughs, “Never a boring moment in your life, eh, California?”

“You have no idea. Did you know Alex has a secret sex dungeon?”

“Dirtymalaka,” he snorts. “Did they hurt you? I thought Dimitri had you…? He told me that you were safe… that he came to the café and got to you before Devillo could.”

“No and no. Physically I’m fine. And no—Dimitri never had me. It was all a lie. I’m sure Christos made some sort of a deal with him, making him lie. Christos took me…he had my death faked…”

“Stop. Go to the Interpol office in London.El Diablowent too far this time.”

“No. I-I can’t.”

“You love…him? A man that did this?”

“I do. I can’t explain why… I couldn’t even if I tried. Will you help me come back from the dead?”

He curses in Greek some more. “Why couldn’t you fall for me, eh? I’m sexy… I have a dungeon…”

I roll my eyes, a smile playing on my lips, “…and you…know people.”

“Are you in London now?”

“No. I’m on a train. I’ll be there by late afternoon.”

“Ok. I’ll make some calls. Come to Greece. From there we’ll figure out how to get you back to the states and with a believable story.”

“I do love you Andre. You’re a good friend.”

“I know. Damn,Devillo eh? You American girls like those bad boys? I can be bad….”

I roll my eyes again, “Uh-huh. You’re still in the friend zone.”

“I know. I like teasing you. We’ll see you soon.”

“We?”

“Yaya has been driving me nuts asking about you. She hit me over the head with her broom the other day.”

“I miss her too. Give her my love.”

“I will. Stay safe. Do you need money or anything? Are you running from him?”

“No. I have a room in London and some cash. He left me.”

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