Page 90 of Serena
“It was very creepy.” She sobs. I look at Ian, but she continues. “I think he was doing it on purpose, to scare me.” She sniffles. She looks at me. “He sped up and pushed me against the wall. He grabbed my breast and ripped my shirt. I tried to fight him, but he slammed my head against the wall. He smelled like pine but something else. I bit his hand and screamed. Someone must have heard me because he ran. The next thing I remember is Maggie running to me.”
“Did he say anything?” Ian asks.
“He said, ‘X marks the spot.’”
“Claudia, why did I get called?”
“I was about to call you before everything happened. I was going to tell you I did as you asked. Careful with my drinks and left sober.”
“What can we do?”
“Can you stay? I don’t want to be alone.”
“Of course.”
I step outside the hospital room and wrap myself around Ian. “Who could this be?”
“I don’t know, but I'll make it my mission to find out. I’m going to have her moved to a private room. I’m staying too.” I don’t oppose it.
It’s beendays since Claudia was attacked. Ian gave her a couple of weeks off with pay. I also had Nina reach out. The nonprofit has great resources for victims of assault.
So much has happened in the last couple of months. It’s all catching up to me. I decide that change is needed. My first step is selling the apartment. It’s bittersweet. It served as my haven,my comfort, but I’ve found that somewhere else now. Better yet, with someone else.
I’m scheduled to meet with the realtor this afternoon to put the apartment on the market. Ian’s heading to a meeting, so Gus will be joining me. I’m enjoying my favorite snack when I get a call from Yuri asking to meet her for dinner later this week. Then it’s time to go.
Arriving at my soon-to-be-old apartment, I notice it’s been staged. Ready for potential buyers. It makes me think of my mother. I still haven’t spoken to my parents in months, and I don’t think I will for a long time. I check my bedroom and double-check I haven't left anything behind since I moved in with Ian. I hear the door close, and my phone rings, so I answer it.
“Hello.”
“Hi, Serena, it's Amy. I wanted to let you know I won’t be making it. Someone broke into my office and went through my things. I have to check for damages.”
“Oh no! Did they steal anything? No, just rummaged through everything. I have to go; the police just showed up.” I hang up and take a deep breath. That’s when I smell pine.
I turn and see a slender man, with hollow dark-brown eyes, they look almost black, and he has dark-red hair. He’s wearing a hoodie, similar to the one in the footage from months ago.
“Hi, pretty girl.”
“Who are you? Wha-what do you want from me?” He smiles, and I see his rotting teeth.
“You really don’t remember me, do you? Well, you were pretty out of it. I’m not surprised, but I am surprised you’re still alive. Considering the damage we did.” He smiles again, and it turns my stomach.
“I have a security guard right outside.”
“Are you referring to the driver who’s most likely bleeding out in the parking garage?”
What? No! “What did you do to him?” I try to stay calm, but the thought of Gus hurt because of me is too much. He takes a step toward me, and I take one back.
“Pretty girl, this is what I do for a living. I get rid of people. I used to do it for my brother all the time.”
I swallow. “Who’s your brother?”
Tsk tsk tsk. “Let me ask you a question, pretty girl. Do you think about that night as much as I do?” He bares what little teeth he has in an unnerving wide grin. I push back tears and try to mask my fear.
“It was Lester who?—”
“Who got a piece of that cunt before I could. He was always too eager. Then he marked you and didn’t even wait for me. See, he and I always tag-teamed orders.”
This doesn’t make any sense. “What do you mean by orders?”
