Page 21 of His Sweet Torment
Dale sat next to her, putting his arm around her shoulders. “I won’t let him hurt you.”
But Padme was beyond being comforted. Enver was gone. The only positive thing was that Ingles had confirmed he was still alive. Except…
That meant Enver was alive and didn’t want her. She felt sick.
“Maybe you should use that money Enver left you and disappear.”
Padme looked up at Dale. “But I can’t hide Severin, or Harpa, or any of you away. Why should you all have to leave your lives for this asshole?”
Dale hissed in frustration. “Fuck.”
Padme sighed and leaned against him. “I have no idea what to do now, Dale. None.”
And he didn’t have an answer for her.
Frederick Ingles went back to his hotel and waved his assistant away. He wanted to be alone now, to savor his conversation with Padme Kaur. Christ, she was one of the most beautiful women he had ever met, and his bloodlust was as rampant as his cock, his hard-on pressing tightly against his pants.
He stripped and went to the shower, fisting the root of his cock, then as the hot water sprayed down on him, he masturbated, thinking of her creamy dusky skin, her large brown eyes, her full breast. He had to admit it – Enver Toscano had good taste. He, Frederick, would sample what she had to offer before he killed her. As he came, he wondered if he should keep her alive, keep her with him as his toy. He could always end her if he grew tired of her. He knew she wouldn’t come willingly – that just made it sound more appealing.
Frederick came hard, shooting his seed into the drain and grunting. Yes, he decided, panting for air, he would make Padme Kaur his own personal sex toy.
It would make her eventual murder more...fun.
One week later, and Padme hadn’t heard anything from Ingles. She was cooking a late supper for Severin, who sat at her kitchen counter watching her adoptive daughter. Severin was watching Padme as she moved with obvious pain around her small kitchen.
“Girl, sit down before you fall down. Here, let Momma do that,” she took the pan of pasta from Padme and dumped the contents into the strainer. Padme perched on the stool gratefully, rubbing her right leg.
“It is getting better, Mom. The physio told me today I was making great progress.”
“Physically, maybe, but mentally…don’t give me that look, young lady, I can see it in your eyes.”
Padme shrugged and looked away from the mother’s penetrating gaze. She could never hide things for long from Severin - although she had kept Frederick Ingles’ threats to herself. Every day since the meeting, she said to herself incredulously,“I’m going to be murdered soon.”.She still couldn’t believe this was her life. The love of her life gone and a psychopath calmly telling her she was going to die violently.
Severin had divided the paste into bowls and handed one to Padme. “Eat all of that, Padme. You need to put on some weight.”
Padme had no appetite at first, but as soon as she bit down on the first piece, she realized she was ravenous. She finished her pasta and went back for seconds to Severin’s approval. Padme snagged a carton of orange juice from the fridge, offering some to Severin who shook her head.
“No, thanks, darling. Now, after you finished that, I’m going to do the dishes. You go sit in the living room, I’ll be in a moment.”
Padme did as she was told and curled into the couch. The pasta carbs were making her feel so tired, and she closed her eyes. So tired…so tired…
“Padme. Padme. Padme, open your eyes.”
God, leave me alone, I just want to sleep.
“Padme, I know you’re waking up, open your eyes, please.”
The voice was unfamiliar. Padme frowned and opened her eyes. Her throat was sore, painful, and now she could see she was in the emergency room. Severin, her usually stoic face wracked with despair, tear-stained, stood by her bed. She clutched at Padme’s hand.
“Darling? Oh, thank god.”
“What’s going on?” Padme managed to croak before a fit of coughing took her voice. Severin looked at the doctor who nodded, then she helped Padme sip some cold water. Padme drank, feeling immediate relief. “Why am I here?”
The doctor and Severin exchanged a glance. “Sweetheart,” her mother said, “they had to pump your stomach. Darling…why did you take all those pills? Why…?” She broke off, distressed and Padme reached for her.
“Mom, I never took any pills, what are you talking about?”
“I couldn’t wake you. They had to pump your stomach, but you had already digested them. You’ve been out for a long time.”
